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Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Amazingly enough, just when I thought that I would never have anything good to say about an insurance company...
Farmer's, after we nearly took them to court to get payment on our break-in claims last year, finally came through. We had gotten the initial "cash value" payment a couple months ago, but have to go through and actually replace each item, send receipts, and wait for reimbursement payment on the difference between the "cash" value and the "replacement" value. (Those of you who've done this before will understand)
Long story short, the cash value they gave me on my Custom Legend was $284.00, with the replacement value about a third of the actual cost to replace that new from Ovation. After getting quotes on letterhead from the factory and a dealer, Farmer's finally came through and actually paid not only a more "fair" amount of value, but the entire actual replacement cost of that guitar!
I guess I can't say ALL bad things about them now...bummer. ;) |
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Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | sounds like you got luck on that one andrew..im glad to hear it..jason |
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Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | So how many guitars ...
...oh, never mind. Congratulations brother! |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by edensharvest:
I guess I can't say ALL bad things about them now...bummer. ;) Sure you can, Andrew. It totally sucks that you pay premiums for a home policy and a huge company like Farmers screws around with you like that.
Some good friends of mine had a house fire a few years ago. That's bad enough, but they also had Farmers. The agent was there, on the scene before the fire was out, consoling and reassuring. That was sweet.
Then she started taking days to return calls. Flatly denying things, demanding multiple bids on everything, questioning the need for evey repair or restoration, telling them they'd have to settle for what they get... not only did this family have to watch thier home be ruined, first by fire, then by water and smoke - plus all 6 of them lived in a trailer for nearly a year while they fought with the insurance company - they had to put up with this crap.
I would tell Farmers thank you very much, write them a long letter explaining what you've been through, and find a new insurance company. |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I'm with the Wabbit. The Insurance Industry is repleat with corrupt and unfair practices. They often add to the trauma of an event they are being paid to remedy. They claim to be victims of continual fraud, yet turn a blind eye to their own. The bigger shame is that we as a society, have fostered such a dependence on them. |
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Posts: 1138
Location: CT | Insurance and healthcare should be dropped in the toilet so we can start over. Anyway, you have a check, right? What new guitar are you going to buy? |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I was at a seminar recently where one of the statistics quoted was that almost 1/2 of an insurance companies profits are spent in the efforts associated with "DENYING A CLAIM". |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | I'm sure you'll have another chance. Perhaps it will be someone's else misfortune next time which will be good for you but still hold true that insurance companies are right down there with car salesmen, politicians and banjo pickers. |
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March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Already done, Waskel. I dropped my Farmers policy right away after they started dinking me around and went with another company.
On top of it all, we actually switched all our insurance to Geico, and literally are paying half of what we were before for better coverage.
The question of what guitar is an interesting one...I kind of already went past my budget ordering my CL12, since I'm still sitting on this 1869 that I need to sell. I am watching out for a Folklore now, and working on building a solid-body 12-string...
And, when Greg gets in his custom cedar-topped Elites, I just may have to pick one up. Or, I may custom order an Adamas wideneck, or...
Or, I may be good and put money in the bank for our nest egg towards buying a house. Who knows? |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | OK, just kidding about the banjo, it is true of accordian though. |
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March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Originally posted by cwk2:
I'm sure you'll have another chance. Perhaps it will be someone's else misfortune next time which will be good for you but still hold true that insurance companies are right down there with car salesmen, politicians and banjo pickers. What's that - you mean they all overestimate their own value, provide services that are unneeded and unappreciated, and in reality do nothing but cause headaches? ;) |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Well, stated that way, perhaps banjos do fit in. |
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Posts: 2246
Location: Yucaipa, California | "Well, stated that way, perhaps banjos do fit in."
uh, EXCUSE ME?????? |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | .....uh, EXCUSE ME??????.....
Anyone else imagine Tim's voice as a banjo version of Charlie Brown's teacher |
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Location: NJ | Ms. Othmahr?? |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Cliffy, your geek is showing. |
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Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Bill,
You forgot lawyers. I'll offer a different perspective. You pay more for replacement cost coverage for exactly the reason you experienced. If and when you replace the item, you get the difference. Most policies have a time period in which you must replace the item or you just get the cash value. I have defended many claims where people burned their property, beat the arson charge, and then claimed replacement cost for items that weren't there.
I think the figure Jeff used was actually half of your premium dollars are spent on claim processing and litigation costs. What they don't tell you is that the premium dollars aren't where they make the profit, it's on the investment of those dollars. The companies owe all the rest of us an obligation to investigate claims and make sure they are legitimate. They don't like to drag out claims because it costs them money. They overpay more often than they underpay. People rip off insurance companies every day and we all pay for it.
Andrew is the victim of the thief who stole his property and all the other dishonest people in this country that have made fraudulent claims. I'm sorry you had to go through this, but you should be thankful you had replacement cost insurance and that you got paid.
Disclaimer: I do not and have not represented Farmers' and I've defended claims brought by Farmers where I know Farmers paid too much money. |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I thought I heard a little bit of vintage Steve Martin , though...
Just for you, Tim. |
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Posts: 2246
Location: Yucaipa, California | Blessings on you, you Waskelly Wabbit! |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | same song with some pretty heavy hitters... Can you name them?
Foggy Mountain Breakdown |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | ". . Cliffy, your geek is showing . . ."
damn zipper! . . . |
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July 2002
Posts: 1900
| ...what's the world coming to when we have to have 'disclaimers' at the OFC?... :) (by the way, Farmers cancelled my auto insurance in a heart beat because of ONE ticket...) |
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Posts: 2246
Location: Yucaipa, California | ...Insurance Agents, Lawyers, Banjoists, Cliff's Geek.... pretty well covers it all .... and who said we weren't well rounded(ahem)... |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Earl Scruggs, Steve Martin, Paul Shaffer, Glen Duncan, Randy Scruggs, Gary Scruggs, Marty Stuart, Albert Lee, Jerry Douglas, Vince Gill and Harry Stinson.
;) |
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March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | Here's another Foggy Mountain Breakdown on youtube....Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Jerry Douglas, Albert Lee, Steve Martin, and two people that I didn't recognize... just outstanding. |
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OT - Well, what do you know?
