Is this going too far?

[gustobassman]

So some of you may have read that i was burglarized recently. Our insurance company has been making us jump through hoops to prove ownership of our items, we had to stand in line to get our OWN police report because the company they use to retrieve them wasn't able to "access it for multiple reasons". Now they are going to be deposing us. I understand all of this. They don't want to pay and they have to investigate.

What happened today is going way too far in my book. Our neighborhood has had some crime recently and we don't know a lot of our neighbors.

Well, today one of my neighbors... that i've only met once mind you.... came to my house with a card from the insurance company investigating our claim. The investigator asked HIM about specific items WE own and gave him locations of the house where they were located before the burglary.. This can't be legal!! How can they tell people WE DON'T KNOW about our belongings and about the interior of our house? I'm so freaking mad right now i'm gonna burst. I can only wonder how many other possible real shady neighbors houses she went up to giving everyone the details of our belongings. So far he is the only one who has mentioned anything to us about the investigator.

What would you do about this?

[Thick McRunfast]

Go to http://www.insurance.ca.gov/

Read up on their regs for residential/homeowners insurance companies. Give the hotline a call if you've got questions.

When you get your settlement change insurance companies and tell your current insurer why. In writing

[Indiana Mike]

I think I'm going to video and photograph everything I own.

Good luck .

I would say it is legal or they wouldn't do it .

My brothers girlfriend was injured at my parents house. It was bad enough an ambulance was called and she had surgery and a hospital stay.

The insurance adjuster interrogated my parents at great length even accusing them of it being a setup to get money.

My father was a detective for years and knew exactly what was going on . At the end of it the adjuster apologized and said he was doing his job and insurance fraud is such a rampant problem that they don't trust anyone anymore.

[blastoff99]

Originally Posted by gustobassman

...

Well, today one of my neighbors... that i've only met once mind you.... came to my house with a card from the insurance company investigating our claim. The investigator asked HIM about specific items WE own and gave him locations of the house where they were located before the burglary.. This can't be legal!! How can they tell people WE DON'T KNOW about our belongings and about the interior of our house? I'm so freaking mad right now i'm gonna burst. I can only wonder how many other possible real shady neighbors houses she went up to giving everyone the details of our belongings. So far he is the only one who has mentioned anything to us about the investigator.

What would you do about this?

Seems like your state's insurance commissioner would be very interested to know about this.

[MJ5150]

I would talk to the investigator. You should be able to get it all sorted out with one phone call.

-Mike

[Marial]

I second calling your state insurance commissioner's office AND the Better Business Bureau immediately.

[gustobassman]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

I would talk to the investigator. You should be able to get it all sorted out with one phone call.

-Mike

The deposition is tomorrow. So from what i have gathered the neighbor who was questioned was out on the street when the police came to investigate the burglary. I met him THAT VERY DAY for the first time because i asked if he had seen anything or if he saw my cat which we thought had gotten out after the burglary. I did notice that he was listed as "witness" in the police report.

However, we don't know even know the guy. Why the heck would anyone ask for or give up personal information from someone we don't know? I understand they are doing their job. Fine.

Thing is, we don't know if that neighbor was the thief! This is maddening. And yes, we had better get a solid answer as to why the questioning was done this way.

[tekdiver500ft]

I'll start by saying that I'm sorry for your loss, and know how rough it can be. I've been burglarized several times, and the feeling of having been violated never goes away.

I'm not in the insurance game, nor am I a lawyer, so the following is just my own version of common sense...
It seems way out of line to me, far beyond unacceptable. I would do whatever I needed to do to get my claim paid, but tell the state insurance commissioner/auditor about these garbage, and change insurance companies as soon as you are paid for the current claim.

[gustobassman]

Originally Posted by Indiana Mike

I think I'm going to video and photograph everything I own.

Not only that... make sure you have pictures OF YOU with said items!

Seriously. The policy we have has been in my lady's family for almost 50 years (her parents houses, cars, multiple properties) and they are treating us like the criminal. There has never been ONE claim filed against the homeowners insurance in the entire time the policy has been in her family.

[tastybasslines]

I would record your deposition. You have a legal right to, and the investigator could be coached to try to induce some sort of culpability or inconsistent speech in an attempt to find a legal way out of paying. It could even be that the investigator is rewarded if they successfully somehow disprove your claim.

FWIW, I feel their conduct here, especially after how long you have paid and been a customer, shows that they don't value your business or care about retaining you as a customer. It shows in their actions and it seems to be that they will stop at nothing to disprove your claim.

[placedesjardins]

Originally Posted by gustobassman

The deposition is tomorrow. So from what i have gathered the neighbor who was questioned was out on the street when the police came to investigate the burglary. I met him THAT VERY DAY for the first time because i asked if he had seen anything or if he saw my cat which we thought had gotten out after the burglary. I did notice that he was listed as "witness" in the police report.

However, we don't know even know the guy. Why the heck would anyone ask for or give up personal information from someone we don't know? I understand they are doing their job. Fine.

Thing is, we don't know if that neighbor was the thief! This is maddening. And yes, we had better get a solid answer as to why the questioning was done this way.

During a burglary investigation, policemen and detectives will canvass the area for witnesses. That's what they do to get more clues. Nothing out of the ordinary. So witnesses do not need to know the victim. Witnesses can be strangers of a victim, but just because they are strangers doesn't mean they can't provide information.
Yes, a witness could be a thief, that's also taken into consideration. Just as you have suspected that possibility, police suspect that too.

[gustobassman]

Originally Posted by placedesjardins

During a burglary investigation, policemen and detectives will canvass the area for witnesses. That's what they do to get more clues. Nothing out of the ordinary. So witnesses do not need to know the victim. Witnesses can be strangers of a victim, but just because they are strangers doesn't mean they can't provide information.
Yes, a witness could be a thief, that's also taken into consideration. Just as you have suspected that possibility, police suspect that too.

Yes, but the burglary was over a month ago... This was the INSURANCE company doing the investigation today.

[tastybasslines]

How did the deposition go?

[Biggbass]

AMICA - No other insurance company even compares for homeowners insurance.
But for your musical gear...it's good to carry a suplimental policy from Clarion or other music related insurance companies. Clarion covers loss for any reason, any where, any time.
But for homeowners Amica is the only way to go. I've had coverage with them for over 30 years and suffered
various losses over the years. They handle things fast and do it right.
when the dust settles from this experience...you may want to make some changes.

[duff beer]

While I agree that they may be overstepping their boundaries, you have to take into account that they are doing so because too many people make fraudulent claims.

I would think that the vast majority of people know someone who "fudged' an insurance claim.

[6jase5]

Originally Posted by Biggbass

AMICA - No other insurance company even compares for homeowners insurance.
But for your musical gear...it's good to carry a suplimental policy from Clarion or other music related insurance companies. Clarion covers loss for any reason, any where, any time.
But for homeowners Amica is the only way to go. I've had coverage with them for over 30 years and suffered
various losses over the years. They handle things fast and do it right.
when the dust settles from this experience...you may want to make some changes.

+1 to Amica....really like them as well for house and cars and have used them for years.

[gustobassman]

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

How did the deposition go?

Sorry for the late response.. it went so-so. I do know the investigators are only doing their jobs. They need the truth, and they need documentation. Man.... i really wish i had been smarter at some points in my life. I realize insurance fraud is a big deal. A REAL BIG deal.

It's tough when you have pictures of your possessions, possibly even you and your mate holding your possessions in your own home in the photos. But limited documentation. When you're young and dumb..... I can only beat myself up so much, but you live and learn. Even if it really kicks you in the crown jewels to do so. I do hope something good comes out. We'll have to wait and see.

Big thanks to everyone that has sent good wishes. And we will look into AMICA and gear insurance as well. It only makes sense.