On Thu, 1 Apr 2010 18:38:19 -0400, the infamous "cshenk"
scrawled the following:

In my area, they do not give an adjustment without several estimates first
from contractors. This may be 'state law' related. Oh they had a figure for
general use but it had variation. They were very happy for example that we
had a buddy who did windows cheaper as they were about to cut a check for
1500$ but ended up with 507$. I got a 'for a friend' rate.

In most states, the insurance company may want you to get several
estimates, but you can get the work done by whomever you wish and
they'll pay the quoted price.


What happens if damage is later encountered that the adjuster didn't
see?
Recourse? How to handle? War stories??

Normally you can go back in a case like that for added adjustment.

And in half the cases, it's paid.


My case of dealing with them was both good and bad. I use State Farm. I had
horrendous damage from renters. Easily $50,000 plus if all contracted and
$25,000 of it was beyond our DIY level. The company worked with me hard to
make it meet the rules to get us $507 as the rest was just impossible with
my contract.

When I wrenched for a body shop, their nickname for State Farm was
"Snake Farm". I understood that they slithered out from under
payments to the insured whenever they could and used underhanded
techniques to force them to settle for less. A few people fought back
and easily won. I've avoided Snake Farm since then.


Damages have to be filed for in a reasonable time and you have
to tie them to an event. With us living in Japan, they picked out a wind
storm and pretended the 2 windows were damaged by it. Clearly impossible as
one was broken from the *inside* and the outer
pane was fine and the picture window that was propped in place with a 4x4
clearly showed it also was busted out from the inside of the house.

That sucks!


The difference is you have a claimable storm and are able to make the claim.

That does help, except in incidences like Katrina, where half the
South was torn up and dozens of insurance companies went belly up in a
heartbeat.

--
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to change.
-- Charles Darwin