Surviving your Catastrophe Claim

There is a storm warning and the next thing you know there is a pile of rubble where your house once stood.  You start by feeling that you are lucky to be alive and then you realize that everything you own is gone.  What do you do?

The first step is to make sure that everyone is all right and see to your personal needs.  The second step is to contact your insurance company.  They will give you some instructions and possibly some suggestions on how you should proceed.    

If your insurance company has mobile response units in place, you may be able to obtain an emergency advance for additional living expenses and emergency repairs.

Losing a house, means rebuilding or relocating so decisions have to be made.  If you decide to rebuild, you will need to secure a competent contractor and obtain estimates.  

Catastrophes and large weather related disasters attract both the best and the worst so selecting a contractor requires research and patience. Make sure you have information concerning licensing and insurance.  

Once you have secured a contractor, your adjuster will work with them to agree upon what is known as the scope of damages.  That means an agreement concerning what work needs to be done. Once that is agreed, they will have to agree upon the cost. Your adjuster will give you a detailed estimate and you should provide this to the contractor.     

Contractors normally work on what is known as “draws” and payments are made at different stages of the construction.   Always keep in mind that your insurance company will only pay for your damage once. 

Beware of any  contractor that asks to be paid up front.  You may be told that this is the only way to insure a place on the waiting list or some other story that prays upon your anxiety and vulnerability.  If this happens, look for a new contractor.  

There is no question that experiencing a tornado, hurricane or other catastrophic weather event is life changing.  Your life will never be quite the same and it is normal to feel frustrated and angry but it is important to keep emotion out of your dealings with your insurance company.  

Usually adjusters are in the area within hours of a storm but if the damage is extensive, there could be a problem getting adjusters on site.  If you are in a heavily damaged area, it is not realistic to expect an adjuster to be at your home immediately.  What you can expect is that the adjuster will call you and find out about your situation.  Hopefully, at that time an appointment can be made.  

Communication with your adjuster is the key to the whole process.  They will do what  they can to assist you with putting your life back on track.  You need to trust the process and be proactive by doing what you can to overcome adversities.  Eventually order will be restored and your life will take on a normal pattern…it will be different but it will become your new normal.

 

Replacement Cost Coverage

What does replacement cost really mean?

 Replacement cost coverage applies to both damage to your dwelling and your personal property but how it applies can be very confusing.

The fact that you have replacement cost coverage does not mean that every time something is damaged, it will automatically be replaced.  Replacement will be only be considered if the item is damaged beyond repair or missing entirely. Then the coverage is “new for old” so the item will be replaced with what is known as like, kind and quality (when possible) and at current pricing.  

The pricing for electronics fluctuates constantly and that may cause confusion.  There is usually a misconception that the payment will be based on the original cost of the item.   For example, your television may have cost $2000 five ago but can now be replaced for $1000 so the replacement cost is $1000.  The point is replacing the item, not reimbursing you for its cost.  Always remember that your insurance policy is intended to indemnify you-not provide you with a profit.   

Most adjusters work with search engines that will check current pricing and in some cases, they will be able to arrange for actual replacement of the item.  This, of course, means that a detailed description of the item is required including the model, serial number, approximate age and information concerning configuration of the item.

Replacement cost may also apply to the dwelling coverage on your policy.  If your house is damaged beyond reasonable repair, the coverage would be the amount of your dwelling coverage limit plus an additional percentage stated in your policy.  This feature varies widely depending on the insurance carrier and the state laws that apply.  It does not mean, as it did in the past, that the house would be replaced regardless of the cost. Because of the limitations, it is important that you make sure that the dwelling limit on your policy accurately reflects the value of your home.

Another common misconception is that replacement cost coverage applies to all structures on the grounds of the property.  In particular, it does not apply to fences.  If an entire fence needs to be replaced, it will be paid on an actual cash value basis which is calculated as replacement cost less depreciation. Usually depreciation is based on the average life expectancy of the particular type of fence and the age of the fence. 

Replacement cost coverage is a great addition to your policy but remember that the company will be paying you the current cost for replacement of your item.  Your damaged or missing item will be replaced with new that is either exactly the same or a close approximation. You have a four year old wide screen television that was stolen and it is replaced with a new one that is the same brand and has all the same features.  The fact that it cost less than what you originally paid is not a valid issue.  You were made whole by the replacement of the television and that is the purpose of the insurance coverage.

 

The Myth of Full Coverage

The Myth of Full Coverage

 In over thirty years in the insurance claims industry I have had many people tell me that their loss had to be covered because they have “full coverage”. When I have asked them what that means, they have said that when they bought the policy the agent told them that it would cover everything.  Wow…wouldn’t that be great!  Unfortunately, no matter how much you pay for your policy and how many additional coverages you buy, there is no such thing as “full coverage”.

 For the purposes of this article I will talk about homeowner policies.  The purpose of the insurance on your home is to protect you in case of sudden and accidental damage to the home.  That means that if shingles are blown off the roof causing it to leak, the resulting damage will be covered. On the other, if your roof is old and gradually starts leaking because of deterioration, it would not be covered.

 Water damage is probably the most confusing damage because most causes are excluded on policies.  Seepage, water runoff and other flooding is specifically excluded so you may experience significant water damage to a house and find out that it is not covered on your policy…even if you believe that you have “full coverage”.  

 Why don’t policies provide “full coverage”?  Your homeowners policy was never intended to be a maintenance policy on your house. Water damage in a house can be caused by a variety of reasons but they are mostly the result of age and has developed over time. They simply are not covered on your homeowners policy.

 I have had people walk me through their house showing me water damage to a ceiling and buckling on a floor near a sliding door and expect me to pay for repairs.  When asked when the damage occurred there was never an answer because it had been going on for a while.  The argument for paying was that they had “full coverage” and it should cover any damage to their home.

 Houses require maintenance and lack of maintenance results in damage to your house. Even if you believe that you have the best homeowner policy available, the damage may not be covered. Is that right?

  Depending on your understanding of home ownership, you accept that repairs and maintenance are part of owning a home. It’s the same as knowing your car needs oil changes and tuneups. 

 If your car won’t start because your battery is dead, you wouldn’t make an insurance claim because it is just car maintenance.  When you find a small leak around a window, you should arrange to have it repaired because it is part of the maintenance of your home.  

 When you buy an insurance policy, listen carefully to the agent. They will tell you what is covered on the policy but remember that no matter what you want to hear, there no such thing as full coverage. 

 

A Car is stolen every 44 seconds….

A Car is stolen every 44 seconds…..

What a difference a year makes…..

At this time last year I was caring for my Mother and become more unglued each day.  We had both reached the end of our ropes and much of the time was spent bemoaning our lot in life.  Mother was done with her life but couldn’t seem to die which was an everlasting source of grief for her.  I had come to a place where I did not wish her dead but I did wish myself dead which is the most horrible feeling I have ever experienced.  That evil feeling is a source of regret and guilt that is still with me.  I can truly say that I never did wish Mother dead….some people would have but I did not.  I wished that she could be free to die but that would not come for a few more months and even then she did not go easily. I also did not allow myself to think too much about my life without her….it hurt too much to indulge in that fantasy.

In her final years, Mother just gave up. She made the disastrous decision to just stay home I guess thinking it would be safer but the inactivity caused her to lose her mobility.  I think her backup plan was always that she would just die before it mattered but then…she didn’t and she became a burden.  She made very unfortunate choices and then lacked the will to try to reverse the situation.  We cried together because old age is cruel and unrelenting but there was nothing to be done about it.  You die when it is your time and all the wishing in the world won’t speed it up.

Mother’s death was a blessed release.  Moving forward was the hard part.  Seeing to Mother’s every need had become such a reflex to me I was completely blind sided by the difficulty in living without her. My youngest brother was anxious to come to Maine but I just could not stand the thought of having anyone else in the house.  I did not remember how to put one foot in front of the other and my request that my brother stay away has caused a rift that may never be resolved.  

It is better now and I center my days around activities for my dog which means I get out and about every day.  He lives his life from moment to moment and it is fun to watch him trot through the world without guilt or remorse.

My healing has been hard fought but the love of my dog has provided the overarching stability in my life.  I still do not know how my life will shape up….what’s next is on my mind but no clear vision has come as yet.  I want to write but have not been able to free my mind enough to tackle revisions on projects I have already written.  

So…in a little while I will take my dog for a romp with one of his friends and tomorrow will bring another day.  

A Friend in Need….

Last night I received a message to let me know that an old friend and former roommate has been in a terrible accident.  She was hit as a pedestrian and suffered a fractured hip. The car that hit her had no insurance and she has no health insurance so she is in the hospital with no means to pay the bill.  She has had a partial hip replacement and if she had insurance she would be moved to a skilled nursing facility for some rehab but since she has no insurance she will be discharged directly home to fend for herself.

I won’t go into details but there are problems that I am not mentioning that has brought her to this place but….I have known her for almost 30 years and we were roommates until I moved back to Maine to help with my parents.

I was upset by the news and reached out to other friends who know her only to have two of them turn their back.  They have written her off and didn’t care to even be informed of this terrible event.  I was shocked at their attitude.  How cold it felt to have them basically tell me that they don’t care. They didn’t even seem to understand that even if they don’t care about an old friend who is injured they might show some compassion for the fact that I am in pain over it.

So I have been thinking about it all day and I wonder about friendships in general.  When a friend has destructive habits do you just write them off and stop caring or do you adjust your contact with the person but still care about them as a human being.  Are friendships disposable?  The answer is that some are…there are times when we do need to remove ourselves from destructive/toxic relationships. I have done this myself but…in this case, I removed myself physically but I have not shut her out of my life completely.  She needs friends and to have everyone turn their backs is shattering.

Right now her sisters are trying to piece together a plan for this catastrophic turn of events and I hope that they will be able to get her the help she needs.  In the meantime, I have realized that some people I call friends have a very cold side that makes me very uncomfortable.

To my knowledge the estrangement between them had to do with some antisocial behaviors and they chose to close off contact but even if you decide to do that, is it out of sight…out of mind never to touch you again.  Is it possible to care even when you disapprove of someone’s life choices?  On the other hand, I was a lot more exposed and hurt by the behaviors but I still care for her well being.  I guess it is just a difference in a level of compassion.

If someone has been your friend for years, it isn’t so easy to just write it off.  Or at least it isn’t for me.

Freedom of Speech….

While I know Freedom of Speech is guaranteed in the Bill Of Rights I’m not sure that the framers of the Constitution ever meant it to grant the universal right to say anything you damn well please. Yes, we should be able to express our opinions but when do good manners and respect come into play?

A few years ago when I disagreed with a person who has quite conservative views, her answer was to say that she had heard that I was a liberal and would not listen to anyone who disagrees with me.  Good grief I thought…really?  The thing is that I feel the same way about conservatives.  It seems that they are the ones who  shout to drown out any disagreement.  Many of them make a fortune hosting shows on Fox News.

The thing is that somehow we really do need to curb our own need to be right and move forward.  I once heard very important words…It is better to be kind than right.  That made me think about all the arguments I had made that were for the sole purpose of proving myself right.  I have tried to squelch the urge because sometimes it is at the cost of making someone else feel stupid or inferior.

It used to be that I thought my education made me superior but then I realized that education is only part of who you are. It is a life experience and it helps to form our thinking and give us information but it is how you use the education that matters.

Growing up we were encouraged to express some opinions but we were also quickly squashed down if they disagreed with my parents or my oldest brother.  My brother was (and still is to some extent) particularly mean and hateful about making sure that nothing I said was credible.  It didn’t matter if it was something I knew to be true…he would tear into it and treat me very badly.  This was done innumerable times in front of my parents who would sit back and allow him to do it.  Because of that, he didn’t know that it just wasn’t an acceptable behavior and unfortunately it taught me to do the same thing to others.  We do to others what was done to us….seems trite but it is true.

I learned the hard way that it isn’t good to always have to be right.  Sometimes it just doesn’t matter so I have learned to be more tolerant and pick my fights.  I do think that it is unfair to say that I won’t listen to people who have opinions different than my own…I will listen but I will not engage in debate.  I do not want to be shouted down and I do not want anyone scoffing at my beliefs.

That’s where I think we have gone too far with the thought that Freedom of Speech means that we can say anything without penalty.  Technically I suppose it is true but ethically and morally we do owe consideration to others.  Yes, I am entitled to my opinions but I am not entitled to demand that everyone agree with me.

I will use the continual hot topic of a Woman’s right to Chose as an example.  I am Pro Choice …I believe in Choice.  It is not the same as being Pro-Abortion.  I believe that every woman should have the choice to chose whether they will terminate a pregnancy.  It is the law and there are restrictions on the rights (as it should be)  but what there should not be are perpetual fights over this law.

I grieve when I see people bringing their children to demonstrations outside Planned Parenthood Clinics having them carry posters of aborted fetuses.  Women entering these clinics are verbally assaulted and taunted by people who have no idea about the circumstances of the woman’s life.  First of all, Planned Parenthood does a lot more than abortions.  They have paved the way for rational discussions of birth control and reproductive health.  But the fact is, it is legal to terminate a pregnancy up to a certain number of weeks.  The fact that some people chose to call that murder does not give them the right to impose that opinion on women they don’t even know. And it certainly does not give them the right to threaten and kill the doctors that perform abortions.

It has never made sense to me that people advocate killing doctors who are labeled “Abortion Docs”. The reasoning is to save the unborn babies but how can you think that one death is different than another.  Can you appoint yourself judge and executioner?  It is murder one way or another and one does not excuse the other.

In the last few years there was a man who went to trial for killing a doctor who performed abortions and for some reason, the man thought that he would be able to spout his anti abortion beliefs as an excuse/reason for killing.  But the fact is that the only question that was before the court was whether he killed someone.  The law is the law and jury trials are based on law.  Of course, he was convicted of murder and he was completely unable to use the courtroom as a forum for his anti abortion beliefs. A proper outcome for a the case but an enormous disappointment to those who thought they could gain momentum for their own cause.

Freedoms are important and essential to out way of life but we do need to understand that freedom is for everyone regardless of whether we agree with their beliefs.  It’s a hard concept to understand and even harder to practice.

Where’s the line….

I was listening to Letterman last night and he had Chelsea Handler as a guest.  Good grief….I guess that I don’t have much patience for people who feel that they are welcome to talk without filters.  I was not very familiar with Handler but I guess that she is famous for being a loudmouth and proud of it.  When did that become a profitable venture?  At one time she would have been considered so rude and ignorant that she would have a limited audience but now….she said her last book sold 6 million copies.

Does everyone really find it entertaining to listen to someone try to be appalling.  It is more than just saying what’s on your mind…it is trying to be shocking when you say it.  Shock jocks become famous and no one berates when until they cross the line.  The problem is that they are richly rewarded for being rude and hateful and they push the limit…the ruder the better but then…BAM…they hit the one place that is unforgivable.  How many times has Rush Limbaugh been in trouble for crossing over to where no one should go?

Reality TV is another version of shock jock.  People are being rewarded and become celebrities for acting badly.  Why is it entertaining to watch some buffoons from New jersey get falling down drunk or see Honey Boo Boo’s family act like a bunch of pigs?  There is an audience and therefore the networks decide that they can make money and then we are off watching cameras capture much more than any of us need to know.

When is it time to just say NO to all this nonsense.  I don’t want to watch television shows where everyone is screaming at each other.  The message is that it is OK to be rude…you make money for doing it and you become a minor celebrity like Snookie.  She was on the cover of People magazine and all she has ever done is act like a drunken slut.

These reality shows spawned the octomom who had a delusion that if she had eight babies she would become famous like Kate Gosselin…thank goodness that no one took her up on it. Shameful behavior that has put children in danger.  And then there was the hoax with the boy in the balloon…his parents wanted to be on TV.

Someone needs to stop.  Children are watching and the message to them is not good…Easy money for being an asshole…why bother to get an education….you can drink, use drugs, have babies and someone will put you on TV.

Someone needs to call a halt…it is ruining our world.

Publicizing my book…

Today was hot and I spent part of the afternoon enjoying the A/C at the local library.  I was looking at websites where I might be able to publicize a book when  I realized that I have a book published already.  I self published in an effort to see how the process worked and also to see if anyone liked my writing.  I actually have one review on Amazon that was not written by a person I know….interesting!

The book is a novella called The Betrayal I barely  broke even on the publishing cost.  I did not get sucked into paying large amounts to have it formatted or reviewed. That is the way some authors really lose money and at the end of the day it is really a waste.  The issue is publicity and now I am going to try to take hold and work on that.

I was looking at another novella I have written and as I read it I realized that I mostly liked the story.  My novel and this novella were written more than two years ago so rereading it seems a little unreal.  Did I write that?  I am entertained.  I am also enthused to be writing again. 

Because of the stress in my life, I have not been able to fully concentrate on my writing but it is fun to tell a story and make up characters.  Reading today I had to laugh at some of the plot…how did I think of that?

So in my 64 list I have writing…writing and more writing and getting properly published!

Bible or no Bible…

Today on Facebook there was a post about the fact that Georgia is now allowing Bibles to be placed in hotel rooms.  Except for the Atlanta airport, I have not been to Georgia in years so I had not noticed the lack of Bibles.  Not that I necessarily would…not a big issue for me but I was reading the comments and it was appalling. 

There were rants about what was termed to be..non Christians and spewing such hatred.  On woman even claimed that the USA belongs to Jesus and everyone else can leave.  Good grief.  

I am Jewish so I guess I fall within the category of Non-Christians to be scorned.  I find it shocking that we are still having this debate and then someone came on and started talking about the Koran as not being a religious book.  The ignorance!  Then one fellow said that he wouldn’t care if instead of the Bible they put the Torah in hotel rooms…he didn’t seem to understand that the Torah is the first five books of the Old Testament  so if there is a Bible there is the Torah.

When did we become a nation where anyone can claim to be in the right about religious beliefs.  I am heartily sick of being told that Jesus loves me and asked if I have accepted Jesus as my Saviour and being given a pitying look when I say No. The beauty of religious freedom is that everyone gets to choose.

 This is a Christian country.   Just be a Jewish person working for a large corporation and you will find out in a hurry that  unless you work for another Jewish person no one will care if meetings are planned on major holidays or ham is served for lunch.  

I once went to a breakfast meeting where I asked to not have bacon on my plate and I was told to be quiet and push it aside.  Luckily for the self described Christian woman I worked for, I decided it was not worth the argument but she should have been ashamed.  No one plans meeting on Good Friday and for this particular corporation,  the training facilities are closed on that day but I was told I had to attend  an out of town meeting on Yom Kippor.  It was insinuated that I might have a problem with certification for my job if I did not attend and that time I did speak up and told them that unless they really would like to have a problem they would make sure that it was OK for me to miss a day. I ended up having to fly from Miami to Chicago after sundown on Yom Kippor.  

And then there was the sign placed on a door of someone’s office…”Did you pray today?” Tell me what place that has in a workplace or the screen savers that flashed “Jesus Loves You”?  They actually had to enact a policy of having no screen savers and everyone thought that they were much put upon to not be able to declare their religious beliefs on a company owned computer.

Whether I pray each day is my own business. It is between me and God and it is sanctimonious and patronizing to present yourself as a better person because you pray.  It is the everyday acts of living in the world are what makes you closer to God…not how many times you go to church or how often you declare your allegiance.  

No matter what anyone says, I believe in a loving, peaceful God who loves everyone.  I do not believe in a vengeful God or a God that judges based on superficial religious pronouncements.  I will not ask you to share my beliefs but I deserve respect.  Lumping people as Christian or Non Christian is far too simplistic.  Religious beliefs are extremely personal and it is entirely between the individual and God.  If I do not ask for your advice and guidance…don’t give it.