[Shotimes] OT- Dealing with insurance companies? Any suggestions or tips?

[Ron Porter]

Did you list the extent of the loss on the police report? You will just have
to butt heads with the insurance company.

FWIW, I hope that you didn't go with the "lowest bidder" with some no-name
insurance company for the renters insurance. That will make life more
difficult in dealing with them.

Those conversations with the landlord should have been followed up with a
written recap of the conversation. There's an old saying...."If it ain't in
writing, it ain't".

Ron Porter

-----Original Message-----
From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net [mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Bruce Malachuk
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 10:29 PM
To: shotimes@autox.team.net; TechSHO@topica.com
Subject: [Shotimes] OT- Dealing with insurance companies? Any suggestions or
tips?


Ok this isn't really a SHO related question, but it does involve my garage,
and my ability to work on my cars and other SHO's
 
Back in October I got new neighbors, right away the burning plastic smell
wafting across the hall tipped me off to some potential problems. I voiced
my concerns to my landlord about the smell (been told that burning plastic
is a sure smell of crack users), noise, constant coughing, and lots of
people stopping by. Anyhow. I was away for a little over 5 weeks, during
which time it seems that someone decided to liberate $6700 worth of tools,
paint ball equiptment, spacer heater, rims, tires, a friends tools, and the
propane tank from my backyard grill. Funny how stuff seemed to start to go
missing like some of my air tools right after I left, by acounts from a
friend who was stopping by to get the mail and work on his vehicles in the
garage. On the 27th this friend calls me and tells me that my garage door is
busted and all this stuff is missing. Funny how nothign was stolen from my
neighbor's half of the garage. Police were called and an investigation is
under way.
 
Enter the landlord on Jan 1, 2005 to fix the door. I had made the claim to
my renters insurance policy and they have mailed me some paperwork. No I put
the landlord on notice about my concerns beck when these tenants first moved
in, I explained to him that I have alot of expensive tools and what not, and
I keep the garage locked up tight when I'm not around. He didn't really seem
to care what happened, blah blah blah.
 
So now I talk to the insurance claims adjuster today, she tells me that I
have to submit everything in writing, with any recipts, owners manuals, or
warranty cards I can find for the possetions. Now I know that insurance
companies are in the business of making money, not paying out, and without
getting into fraudulent claims how do I go about this without getting
screwed over first by getting robbed, then by my landlord taking no action,
then finally by the insurance company becasue I don't have alot of reciepts
for alot of things? 
 
Anyone else been in a situation of theft or what not? Or can offer me some
sage-like advice that will make dealing with the insurance company less of a
pain in the ass? I figure with the cumulative years of life experience on
these 2 lists, there will be some good advice to be had. And seeing how the
track record for getting good answers here for my questions SHO related has
been very high, this is the logical place for me to ask.
 
Thanks for any input that you guys can offer.
Bruce J Malachuk

*	94 Opal Frost MTX 

*	93 Emerald Green MTX 

*	93 Black ATX - parts 

*	95 Silver Frost ATX SE - SLO 
_______________________________________________
Shotimes mailing list
Shotimes@autox.team.net
http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo/shotimes