Insurance = "I Am NOT Paying"
Adding to this whole spiel about what happened with expensive gear stolen from me back in February 2005, I want to share some conclusions of the way "cheap" and un-reliable insurance companies my operate...
Living in Florida, now being a main target for hurricanes, I had a horrible time finding homeowners insurance in the first place (thanks to hurricane "Andrew" back in 1992). State Farm, Allstate, all those big "trustworthy" companies just would not write a NEW policy for me and my new home. After days (yes DAYS) of searching (I think there was even a commercial making "fun" of this with a young man looking for (car) insurance, with him on the phone and never having any luck finding it), I finally found a company to cover my home.
It was called Tower Hill Insurance out of Gainseville, FL. So if anyone of you is shopping for insurance, Tower Hill now should raise a RED FLAG. Since I had such a lousy experience with them, I already told 4 people interested in them not to consider them. So they just lost 4 potential customers because of me (I feel a lil' better).
My stolen items, and what WAS actually used to make "any" money (denoted by an asterisk). In parenthesis is the original cost and depreciated cost (at time of theft), deparated by a "/". Values are approximate.
1. Sony Vaio Laptop GRT P4 series ($1,600 / $1,000).
2. Sony TRV-110 D8 Camcorder* ($900 / $100).
3. Fuji Finepix 3.8 MP digital Camera ($300 / $250).
4. Canon Rebel 2000 SLR w/ lenses ($500 / $300).
5. Icom T-81A Quad-band HT ($600 / $300).
6. Sony HDR-FX1 HD Camcorder ($3,700 / $3,600).
7. Misc, cases, memory cards, etc. ($1,000 / $200).
8. And more "stuff" in the "bag of tricks" ;-(
* As you see, the TRV110 was used to make money as it was used in the hurricane Charley DVD stuff. Also notice that this item, with depreciation, was the least asset ($100 out of $5,750 in value, with depreciation factored in) in the stolen batch of items!!
The insurance "saw" this MUCH different ... As if it was ONE item, and ALL of the items in it used for business (since money WAS made from hurricane chasing), even though there were many items (all in one "jackpot-for-thiefs special" bag).
The HDR-FX1 was only used for 4 weeks on PERSONAL stuff and not even used in a single storm chase at the time of theft.
Like the old expression goes "You get what you paid for."
This insurance was a cheap and "no frills" kind of company, but literally was the ONLY one I could find (yes, I went through JUA, Joint Underwriters, and all that too). So it was not me being "cheap" or anything, but because there was NO ONE ELSE to "cover" me.
Sure enough, when I needed their help, they were more interested in NOT PAYING for my claim and using the excuse that (some) of the equipment was used for my "career" of "storm chasing" ... And it WORKED, as not only was my claim withdrawn, but charges pressed against me for "fraud", which is a 3rd degree felony in FL.
Nice outcome, I (yes, ME, not the thieves - ME) am in trouble, my insurance gave me S*** (no money), my Discover credit-card now bears the "bill" for my replaced gear, and someone in Miami has my stuff (or sold it by now).
I can swear on my mom's life that had I had State Farm or Allstate for my homeowners insurance, none of this would have happened. They would have replaced my stuff, never questioned anything, never sent my claim to "investigation".
State Farm insurance DID cover my vehicle, and two windows were replaced by noon the SAME day the breakin occurred, no questions asked, and didn't cost me a penny of the $658 dollars for the rapairs. No investigation, not "head games", just the SERVICE I needed.
Ever choose FAST FOOD over a restaurant? Notice that you get your food faster but the order is never right? Notice 20 people in line and only one out of four registers open? Bad SERVICE. Insurance is no different.
A word from the wise, PURCHASE insurance from a REPUTABLE and RENOWNED company. If you live in Florida, you just may be S.O.L. (S*** Out Of Luck), unless you move or something ;-(
Yes, this is very UNFAIR. I had no choice, just could not find insurance, until I settled for "fast insurance" (no pun on "fast food").
You wanna live in the tropics? You wanna laugh at your freezing, snowed-in friends up north in February while sitting under a palm tree? Sorry, Pay the price! I did.
I SHOULD not have to be that way ... FL should have more insurance for homeowners, even if you have to pay a little more.
Meanwhile, Cindy and Dennis are in the Caribbean, Dennis may hit FL, and it is only July 5. Did you know that this is the first time in history 4 named storms developed in the Atlantic by or before July 5?
Is this the Atlantic or West Pacific?
Cheap insurance companies in Florida now have another "excuse" to screw.
