For the past several weeks, we have been living an insurance odyssey. An odyssey brought on by zero common sense in business. That’s how I see it anyway.
This is the front of our house.
And here is the back.
How would you describe our roofline?
Go ahead and brainstorm.
Peaked? Steep? Pitched?
How about flat? As in flat enough for our homeowner’s insurance policy to be cancelled?
Yep.
Apparently the portion of the roof over the porches doesn’t meet “slope guidelines”. Unless we want to hire a roof inspector to warranty our relatively new roof for another two years, we will be dropped. On Monday.
It doesn’t matter that we’ve been customers of this particular insurance company for twenty something years. Or that we have four vehicles insured with them too. Or that in the process of buying this house just two months ago, the house and roof passed a thorough property inspection. Since the property inspector wasn’t specifically a roofing inspector, It.Does.Not.Matter.
This insurance company is not on our side after all.
“Those are the rules.”
Don’t you love hearing that?
Well, my rule is not to waste money on a ridiculous inspection for no reason.
But now I’m sweating it.
As of yesterday, a second major insurance company declined to cover us. We won’t be in their good hands because the house was built in 1875. Never mind that it was taken down to the studs and rebuilt in 2008. (FYI, they didn’t have an issue with the roof.)
The human element has been removed from corporate America. People have been replaced with alien robots. Dial “1” for billing, “2” for claims, “3” for other nonsense. Common sense has disappeared in favor of rules and more rules. Government regulations. Ridiculous guidelines.
In other news, did you hear a spacecraft landed on a comet three hundred million miles away from the roof of our uninsurable house? I repeat, while I’ve been begging someone to insure us (we are good paying, creditworthy folks I swear), a spacecraft landed on a comet. Like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. Really, this amazes me. Comets travel fast. I wonder who insured the spacecraft?
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
First for Mankind: Spacecraft Landing on Comet
P.S. I have two more insurance companies working feverishly to provide coverage. Meanwhile, I’m afraid to build a fire during the arctic blast. Nothing like a little drama, but like my friend says, this is a first world problem.
Musical Pairing:
2001: A Space Odyssey
[tweetthis]What happened to common sense in corporate America?[/tweetthis]
Loved your rant. I feel like ranting this morning too. I prepaid my LP gas this year! THEY were to look after the gas in my house. I would not have to worry about it this year. GUESS WHO DOES NOT HAVE HEAT THIS MORNING!! GUESS WHOSE GAS TANK IS EMPTY! Where is all that gas I bought? PREPAID doesn’t seem to get it done. I am through now with my rant. Hope you get insurance soon. Your roof looks very “steep” to me, but what do I know? I can’t keep my house warm. Ugh!!!
That is crazy! What is the excuse?
My rant is over. I. Have. Gas. I. Have. Heat. “The Gas Man cometh.”
Good!
Tom wonders if you have checked with the insurance company used by the previous owners. If they insured it for them you would think they would insure it for you. What a hassle! My rant began on Saturday when my internet security decided to go away. I was warned that my computer was in danger. My bill was current so that wasn’t it. The problem was resolved after calling the company and they were happy to help but I was still on the phone with them for about an hour. Good luck with your problem!
I should have asked the prior owners at the get-go, but never imagined it would be an issue. I did ask the neighbors who they use via neighborhood email group. I received lots of recommendations and thank goodness found someone in the neighborhood would can insure us. Glad you got your internet worked out. That is frustrating too!
Insurance in Arkansas is crazy! The company that my sister- in- law has her health insurance with had decided to stop covering people in Arkansas. They have decided that the regulations are to much of a hassle. So my sister-in-law has to find a new carrier before the first of January ! Crazy huh?
That is crazy. The solution to everything seems to be more regulation. Good luck to your SIL!
Empathy and sympathy! I’ve been in my small home (built in 1947) since 1960. Have replaced roof 4 times! Have replace sewer line, gas line, most of plumbing to and under the house, repaired inside endlessly, still keep everything repaired and good old Farmers Ins. kept raising premiums and actually overcharged me for fire ins. Sent me a check for that restitution. Fortunately my agent “Bulldog” Cunningham recommended Met Life for both auto and home. Reasonable rates and good responses and an occasional human voice if I call them. Applied and got a Reverse Mortgage in 2003 and got OK’d except had to have a bannister on back steps and some flashing redone around the chimney.
But even that had to be inspected twice! I haven’t used my fireplace for years though because there was a small crack inside. Got all of that fixed plus new damper and cap over top. Even now though I hesitate in lighting a fire. Thank God for the gas floor furnace and two electric heaters (if needed).
Having a gas kitchen stove and gas hot wter heater works great even in power failure times. Just keep trying and you’ll find a good insurance. I do recommend Met Life so far.
Thanks for your recommendation. I need a Bulldog in my area:) Sounds like you have rebuilt your entire house. The joy and privilege of an old home:)
Rant on! Talking to one of the “rule-followers” is like speaking with a robot or bobble-head, nodding and saying “I understand your frustration, but our alien leader uses a formula that defies logic. I understand…., but….”
Going up the chain does not help. The higher up, boss-alien sounds nicer, but is just as illogical as the next one.”
I like the comment from the person who wondered who insured the previous owners.
Yes, a space-adventure for sure.
To quote an author I know, I tell you, I never saw it coming.
My roof is much like yours. I have Arkansas Farm Bureau Mutual, as did the previous owners. Their rates are fair, they cover my cars and didn’t gouge when I had a teenage driver.
My mother has used Farm Bureau forever in NEArkansas. I should have called them first.
Yep. Been there and done that.
Have you called down to Little Rock and asked for the Insurance Commissioner (or whatever handles that there)? You would be surprised how fast answers (good or bad) materialize after the State comes calling.
Looking at the pictures, I’m guessing it’s the front porch overhang they are worried about. Not so much pitch, but not quite enough overhang to keep water from flowing back into the foundation. Good luck with it.
Thanks for your suggestion Christopher. Yes, I think the porch roof is the problem. There is a slope guideline requirement and you are probably right about the foundation concern. I think I have found insurance via Safeco. We shall see.
Craziness! Having been an Arkansas state employee nearly 30 years now – believe me when I say- I.Truly.Feel.Your.Pain. Nothing gets to me quite like STUPID rules and regs that have been developed with absolutely NO COMMON SENSE whatsoever! I totally agree with the poster that recommended calling the state insurance commissioners office. Rick and I have had to do that before and got results FAST. Additionally, It likely wouldn’t hurt to inform the prospective insurance co’s that you plan to do just that. (Hey – you gotta do whatever you gotta do!). Ridiculousness! And Just curious – have you talked to Harry Wooten about it? Figured he’d give sound advice. Keep us posted please! Good luck! 🙂
Harry posted advice on Facebook for me:) He’s still helping us even though he’s retired.
And here’s the website and phone number:
http://www.insurance.arkansas.gov
1-800-282-9134
What a cluster. I think common sense and “the customer is always right” and just plain KINDness disappeared all around the same time. The bottom line is the only thing that matters, and never mind that there are PEOPLE behind the $$.
Well, THEIR loss. Literally. I’m sure your NEW insurance carriers are happy to get the business.
(It’s cases like this one that caused me to come up with my mantra: I hate people.)
Customer service and common sense have gone the way of dinosaurs these days. We had an experience with getting insurance dropped on our rental houses but found another company. It’s true. It’s all about the bottom line. Pay first and maybe we’ll provide the service as promised (as in your mother’s situation.) I hope you have this all taken care of by Monday. I’d be tempted to move my cars to the new company!