FarmersInsuranceGroupSucks.com

[admin]

received via email-admin

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN;
I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL CLIENT OF FARMERS INSURANCE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I HAVE COVERAGE ON ALL MY VEHICLES AS WELL AS MY HOME OWNERS POLICY THROUGH YOU. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE WAY MY HOME OWNERS COVERAGES HAVE BEEN HANDLED IN RECENT MONTHS AND I NEED THIS MATTER ADDRESSED BY SOMEONE WHO CAN GET ME THE ANSWERES I DESERVE …
MY COMPLAINT…
STARTING IN THE MIDDLE PART OF 1999 I BEGAN TO NOTICE SMALL CRACKS IN THE WALLS OF MY HOME. IN MARCH 2000, I GREW CONCERNED SO I CONTACTED RAM JACK FOUNDATION REPAIR AND REQUESTED AN INSPECTION OF THE FOUNDATION STABILITY SUPPORTING MY HOME. AFTER THE INSPECTION, I WAS INFORMED THAT I MUST HAVE A WATER LEAK SOMEWHERE UNDER MY HOUSE, I WAS ADVISED TO CONTRACT A PLUMBER TO PERFORM A LEAK TEST TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION OF ANY BROKEN WATER PIPES AND HAVE THE REPAIRS COMPLETED BEFORE I HAD ANY INTERIOR WORK DONE. THE INSPECTOR ALSO ADVISED ME TO CONTACT MY INSURANCE AGENT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT MY COVERAGES. I EMMEDIATELY PHONED OUR AGENT, LARRY WALLACE, AND SPOKE TO AN ELAINE WHO CONFIRMED THE INSPECTORS ADVICE; GET A PLUMBER TO LEAK TEST AND PINPOINT THE LOCATION OF ANY BROKEN WATER PIPES, THEN FILE A CLAIM WITH FARMERS INSURANCE SO AN ADJUSTER COULD COME OUT AND LOOK AT ANY DAMAGE INSIDE MY HOME. SHE ALSO INFORMED ME AT THAT TIME THAT CHARGES FOR TESTING WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY MY POLICY. I COULD CHOOSE TO CONTRACT AN OUTSIDE COMPANY AT MY EXPENSE OR AN ADJUSTER COULD CONTACT ME TO FILE A CLAIM AND THEN CONTRACT A COMPANY THROUGH FARMERS BUT IF THERE WERE NO LEAKING OR BROKEN PIPES I WOULD NOT ONLY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FEES, BUT I WOULD ALSO HAVE A CLAIM ON FILE, LEAK OR NO LEAK(!) I FIGURED IT WAS A STANDARD RULE WITH ALL HOME OWNER POLICIES BUT IT SOUNDED UNFAIR TO ME. I AM NEITHER IN THE INSURANCE BUSINESS, NOR AM I IN THE PLUMBING TRADE SO MY KNOWLEDGE OF ANY PROCEDURES TO FIND, OR FIX A PROBLEM OF THIS MAGNITUDE IS LITTLE TO NONE! BUT, I DID KNOW THAT I DIDN’T WANT A CLAIM IN MY RECORDS IF IT WAS NON-PRODUCTIVE AND UNJUSTIFIED!! I FOUND A PLUMBER FOR A LEAK TEST ON MY OWN AND TOOK THE LOSS OF THE FEES TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS A REASON TO FILE A CLAIM FOR DAMAGE TO THE WALLS AND FOUNDATION OF MY HOME, AFTER ALL THIS IS MY “HOME” I AM TALKING ABOUT, THE PLACE WHERE I SLEEP EVERY NIGHT AND AN INVESTMENT IN MY FUTURE. THIS HOUSE WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

MY GIRLFRIEND LIVED WITH ME FOR SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR TO THE YEAR 1999; SHE USED THE HALL BATHTUB DAILY WHEN I FIRST BEGAN TO NOTICE ANY SIGNS OF CRACKS IN THE WALLS. SHE MOVED AWAY IN DECEMBER 1999 AND I WAS A SINGLE MAN LIVING BY MYSELF. I NEVER USED THE BATHTUB WHERE THE LEAK WAS EVENTUALLY DETERMINED AND PROVEN TO HAVE A BROKEN SEWER LINE. (NOT A PRESSURE LINE, WHICH WAS THE ONLY TEST I KNEW ABOUT!)


pg 2

SINCE I ONLY USED THE MASTER BATH TO SHOWER FOR THE NEXT 10 MONTHS, THE LEAK MAY HAVE SLOWED DOWN OR COULD HAVE EVEN STOPPED WITH NO WATER BEING USED IN THAT TUB, THEN IN SEPTEMBER OF 2000 JAYME, WHO IS NOW MY WIFE, MOVED INTO MY HOME AND AGAIN THE HALL BATHROOM WAS BEING USED ON A REGULAR BASIS. (NAMELY THE BATHTUB) I GREW VERY CONCERNED WHEN THE CRACKS APPEARED TO BE GROWING IN SIZE, AND THAT IS THE FIRST TIME I HAD THE WATER LEAK TEST PERFORMED, IT WAS ON MARCH 30, 2000. I SELECTED AAA PLUMBING & SEPTIC TO PERFORM THE TEST NECESSARY TO FIND A WATER LEAK. THE PLUMBER, JASON HARGROVE, ADVISED ME THAT THE WATER PRESSURE WAS NORMAL AND THERE WAS NO WATER PIPE LEAK. I CALLED MY INSURANCE AGENTS OFFICE FOR FURTHER ADVICE BECAUSE I COULD TELL MY HOUSE WAS DEFINITELY SHIFTING AND EVERY WALL INSIDE IT HAD CRACKS IN THEM. THE ONLY ANSWERE I RECEIVED WAS THAT SOME MOVEMENT WAS TO BE EXPECTED IN MY AREA BECAUSE OF THE BLACK DIRT AND HIGH HEAT IN TEXAS. I BELIEVED MY AGENT AND I DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS COSMETICALLY TO MY INTERIOR WALLS WHICH WAS $8000.00 IN LABOR AND MATERIALS. THIS ONLY PROVED TO BE A TEMPORARY FIX, I COULD ONLY “COVER” THE CRACKS AND REPAINT BUT SINCE THEN THE CRACKS HAVE ONLY GOTTEN WORSE.

SINCE I HAD BEEN TOLD BY A PROFESSIONAL PLUMBER THAT THERE WERE NO WATER LEAKS IN MY PIPES AND EVERYTHING TESTED NORMAL AND BECAUSE MY AGENT ASSURED ME THE MOVEMENT “WAS TO BE EXPECTED”, AND SINCE MR. WALLACE AND HIS EMPLOYEES IN THE OFFICE SHOWED NO INTEREST IN HELPING US RESOLVE THIS, OR FURTHER DIRECT US IN WHAT WE SHOULD DO NEXT TO SOLVE OUR NOW “UGLY” HOUSE PROBLEM, I DROPPED IT…BUT, FOR ONLY A LITTLE WHILE!

THEN AT A FAMILY GATHERING ON THANKSGIVING 2000, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEEK TO MY BROTHER-IN–LAW, STANLEY, ABOUT MY HOUSE AND WALL CRACKS. HE IS A COMMERCIAL PLUMBER WHO SUGGESTED I WATCH MY WATER METER OUTSIDE AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY MOVEMENT IN THE NEEDLE WHEN NO WATER WAS RUNNING IN THE HOUSE; HE SAID THIS WAS ANOTHER WAY TO TELL IF I HAD A BROKEN WATER PIPE UNDER THE FOUNDATION. WHEN I DID AS HE SUGGESTED, I SAW NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY WITH THE METER SO AGAIN I BELIEVED I HAD “NORMAL” MOVEMENT IN THE SOIL AROUND MY HOME.

I WAS VERY DISTURBED WHEN I DISCOVERED THE BRICK WORK OUTSIDE HAD A NOTICABLE CRACK AND DOORS INSIDE THE HOUSE WOULDN’T CLOSE PROPERLY SO I CONTRACTED A PLUMBER AGAIN TO COME PERFORM THE WATER PIPE LEAK TEST. THIS TIME I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH “PLUMB QUICK” IN DECEMBER 2002 BECAUSE A FRIEND RECOMMENDED THEM HIGHLY. I WAS ASSURED THAT IF WE HAD A LEAK THIS COMPANY WOULD FIND IT. MY FIANCE’, WHO WAS AT HOME FOR THE APPOINTMENT, HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF LEAK TESTING EITHER AND WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO TRUST THAT THIS TECHNICIAN KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. ONCE AGAIN, WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO WATER LEAK. (NO LOSS IN PRESSURE) MONTHS LATER I DISCOVERED THEY PERFORMED THE SAME TEST AS PREVIOUS PLUMBERS HAD DONE AND THE RESULTS WERE THE SAME. I KNEW THAT THERE HAD TO BE A WATER PIPE LEAKING BECAUSE IN THE BACKYARD OUTSIDE THE WALL OF BOTH BATHROOMS, WHICH SHARE A COMMON WALL, THE GRASS WAS SO THICK YOU COULD HARDLY GET A LAWN MOWER THROUGH IT WHEN THE REST OF MY YARD WAS VERY THIN! ALL THE SIGNS POINTED TO WATER LEAKAGE BUT GETTING A PLUMBING COMPANY TO DO THE CORRECT TEST WAS THE PROBLEM. SINCE THE TEST WAS AGAIN NEGATIVE FOR LEAKS, I LEFT IT ALON.

IN THE FIRST 5 MONTHS OF 2001 THE HOUSE PROBLEM WAS PLACED ON THE BACKBURNER BECAUSE WE WERE PLANNING OUR WEDDING AND HONEYMOON UNTIL I RECEIVED A LETTER IN THE MAIL INFORMING ME THAT FARMERS INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOT RENEWING ANY HOME OWNERS POLICIES AND THE COMPANY WAS PULLING OUT OF TEXAS, STATING THAT I WOULD ONLY HAVE COVERAGE UNTIL THE END OF MY POLICY PERIOD IN THE SUMMER, AND THEN I WOULD HAVE TO FIND INSURANCE ELSEWHERE. BUT AFTER SOME WEEKS PAST WHEN I WAS WATCHING THE NEWS AND HEARD THAT FARMERS WAS NOT LEAVING TEXAS AND ALL POLICIES FOR HOMEOWNERS WOULD BE

pg3

RENEWED ON TIME. THE FOLLOWING DAY I CALLED MY AGENT’S OFFICE AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS TRUE AND MY POLICY HAD BEEN REINSTATED!
“REINSTATED” IN MY OPINION, MEANT MY ORIGINAL POLICY WOULD CONTINUE MY COVERAGE AS BEFORE. THERE WAS NEVER ANY MENTION OF ANY CHANGES TO MY POLICY COVERAGES! I REQUESTED SOMETHING IN WRITING FROM THEM AND WAS TOLD I WOULD GET IT FROM FARMERS SOON. I NEVER RECEIVED A NEW POLICY OR NOTICE OF ANY CHANGES IN THE WAY FARMERS WROTE POLICIES FOR HOME OWNERS!!! I HAVE HELD A HOME OWNERS POLICY WITH FARMERS INSURANCE SINCE 1992 AND THERE WAS NEVER ANY REFERENCE IN MY PAPERWORK TO WHAT IS NOW REFERRED TO AS AN “HOB” POLICY!!!! BUT, I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS COVERED STILL AND NOT TO WORRY; AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID! WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING AN INSURANCE AGENT IF THEY HAVE NO TIME TO LOOK OUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM? SHOULDN’T WE BE TOLD WHEN OUR POLICY IN WHICH WE PAY DEARLY FOR, HAS MAJOR CHANGES THAT COULD BE DISASTEROUS IN THE EVENT THAT WATER PIPES BREAK AND CAUSES DAMAGE OUR HOME? AND IF HE DOESN’T HAVE THE TIME TO SEND US IN THE PROPER DIRECTION WHEN WE HAVE A DISASTER LIKE I AM HAVING IN MY HOME, WHY HAVE AN AGENT? I BET OUR INSURANCE RATES WOULD PROBABLY GO DOWN IF THERE WAS NO OFFICE OR AGENT FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES TO PAY! EVERYTHING ELSE IS CHEAPER ONLINE; WHY NOT USE THE CYBER WORLD FOR INSURANCE POLICIES FOR OUR VEHICLES AND HOMES?

I FINALLY DECIDED TO TRY ONE LAST TIME TO GET BOTTOM OF WHY MY HOUSE APPEARED TO BE FALLING APART. I CONTACTED ARCH FOUNDATION REPAIR TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE FOUNDATION EVALUATED FOR AN ESTIMATE ON REPAIRS. A CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE AGENT I SPOKE TO RECOMMENDED ARCH FOR AN ANSWERE AND SAID THEY WERE TO BE TRUSTED! ONCE AGAIN, AFTER WALKING THROUGH THE HOUSE AND DOING THE ELEVATION MEASUREMENTS, IT WAS IN HIS OPINION I HAD A WATER LEAK, HE BELIEVED IT WAS IN THE HALL BATHROOM. HE SAID WE NEEDED TO HAVE THAT PROBLEM CORRECTED BEFORE WE COULD DO ANY REPAIRS AND/OR SELL THIS HOUSE! AS ADVISED BY THE A.F.R. EXPERT, I CONTRACTED LAVON PLUMBING COMPANY TO DO ANOTHER LEAK TEST, THIS TIME ON MARCH 9, 2003 THE CORRECT TEST WAS DONE, A SEWER LEAK DOWN TEST, WHICH TAKES 2 HOURS AND REQUIRES THAT THE TIOLETS BE REMOVED AND THE PIPES BLOCKED OFF.

I WAS RELIEVED WHEN THE WATER LEAK WAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT LEAK HAD BEEN THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME CAUSING EROSION AND MOVEMENT IN THE STABILITY OF MY HOME. WE PAID FOR 3 LEAK TESTS BEFORE WE GOT THE RIGHT DIAGNOSIS AND A LOCATION OF THE WATER PIPE BREAKAGE. IT WAS LOCATED IN THE HALL BATH, JUST AS SUSPECTED BY FOUNDATION EXPERTS WHO PREVIOUSLY EVALUATED MY HOME! LAVON PLUMBING ALSO DID THE SEWER PIPE REPAIRS AND THE COST FOR THAT WAS $1500.00. WHEN THE PIPE WAS EXPOSED FROM THE HOLE DRILLED IN OUR BATHROOM FLOOR, THE PLUMBER, RICHARD RUSSELL FOUND THAT TREE ROOTS HAD GROWN INTO THE DRAIN PIPES CREATING A SEWER LEAK AND NOT A PRESSURE LEAK, WHICH HAD BEEN LEAKING UNDER THE HOUSE EVERY TIME THE BATHTUB WAS DRAINED. THE ROOTS WERE QUITE LARGE BY THIS TIME, AS A MATTER OF A FACT, I STILL HAVE SOME OF THEM FOR AGE TESTING, IF THAT BECOMES NECESSARY.

WHEN I CALLED MY INSURANCE AGENTS OFFICE AND TOLD THEM WE FINALLY FOUND THE LEAKING PIPE AND IT WAS CONFIRMED BY A LICENSED PLUMBER I WAS TOLD I WAS NOT COVERED FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY WATER LEAKES OR FOUNDATION PROBLEMS!! I WAS SHOCKED!!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS INFORMED THAT MY POLICY HAD BEEN CHANGED FROM A “HOB” POLICY TO AN “HOA” POLICY, THIS
BASICALLY MEANT THAT MY POLICY WASN’T WORTH THE PAPER IT WAS WRITTEN ON! THE CHANGES WERE MADE WITH OUT MY KNOWLEDGE DURING THE TIME FARMERS THREATENED TO LEAVE TEXAS. WHEN MY AGENT RENEWED MY POLICY HE FAILED TO TAKE THE TIME TO INFORM HIS CLIENT OF THE


DRASTIC CHANGES THE FARMERS POLICIES ON COVERAGE TO HOMES THEY INSURED. I WAS NOT ASKED TO SIGN ANYTHING STATING I WAS AWARE OF ANY CHANGES AND WORSE YET, I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN MY MORTGAGE COMPANY MADE A PAYMENT ON THAT “HOA” POLICY THAT WAS ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE CHANGES WETHER I KNEW ABOUT THEM OR NOT! SINCE MY MORTGAGE CO. HAD PAID THE PREMIUM (WHICH WAS HIGHER THAN THE OLD POLICY) MY DAMAGES WERE NOT COVERED….

THIS DAMAGE OCCURRED WHILE I WAS INSURED UNDER THE ORIGINAL POLICY PRIOR TO FARMERS THREAT TO LEAVE TEXAS!
I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED THE STATE BOARD OF INSURANCE IN TEXAS; THEY AGREE WITH ME, THE TIME OF LOSS OCCURRED UNDER THE OLD POLICY WHICH COVERED THE DAMAGES TO MY HOME AND FOUNDATION CAUSED BY WATER LEAKS!
WHEN I CALLED TO FILE A CLAIM ON THE OLD POLICY SINCE THIS ALL OCCURRED UNDER THAT POLICY IN THE FIRST PLACE I WAS TOLD THAT IT DIDNT MATTER WHAT I USED AS A “DATE OF LOSS” SO I WENT ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING WHEN I VERY FIRST NOTICED SOME MINOR CHANGES OR DAMAGES. IN REALITY I SHOULD HAVE USED THE DATE OF THE FIRST TIME I HAD A LEAK TEST DONE BECAUSE AFTER I FILED MY CLAIM I GOT A LETTER FROM FARMERS THAT INFORMED ME THAT MY DATE OF LOSS WAS MORE THAN 2 YEARS AND 1 DAY SO IT WASNT COVERED!!!

I AM REQUESTING, IN WRITING, AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE AN ADJUSTER COME TO MY HOME AND LOOK AT MY DAMAGES AND PICTURES AND FILE A CLAIM TO GET MY HOME REPAIRED INSIDE AND OUT WITH COVERAGE FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY I PUT MY TRUST INTO FOR SO LONG!
IF THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN IN A TIMELY MANNOR, I SEE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO HIRE COUNSEL AND TAKE THIS MATTER TO COURT AND GET IT SETTLED THAT WAY!
I HOPE THE MILLIONS OF POLICY OWNERS THAT PLACE THEIR TRUST IN FARMERS KNOW OF THESE CHANGES THAT COULD COST THEM THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IF THEY HAVE A PROBLEM!
SHAME ON YOU FARMERS INSURANCE!

[Big problem]

I hate to say it, but by your own e-mail, you are stating that you knew you had a problem for at least a year but never had it corrected. I understand that 2 plumbers told you that you did not have a leak, but homes don't start cracking and settling to the degree that your photos show for no reason. 10 times out of 10, this thing even if reported on your old policy right after it happened would not have been covered.

[jenna626]