House struck by lightning. How to handle insurance company?

What's your deductible?

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The adjuster sent out an electrical company to check everything and they are wanting to give me ab $3100 to fix it. Recommended amount was $3800 and then $3100 because of depreciation. How do I argue with these guys to make sure I get enough to handle all of it?

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First off what is your deductible, secondly what state?

If you are in Louisiana good luck finding another insurance company they will drop you when the renewal comes around. Secondly, most policies in South Louisiana wouldn’t even pay out since most deductibles are higher than this claim in order for you to get a reasonable rate.

That is why, I am seriously thinking about self insuring once I finish paying off my mortgage. Why pay a company 3–10k a year when they dick you around over a claim and increase the deductible so high that you have to lose 5% of the value before it pays out.

Instead of fighting with an insurance company, I will just go the bank to withdraw my claim needs from my emergency fund.

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I’m in Arkansas and my deductible is $1500. I’m still waiting on the hvac people’s report as well bc both my up stairs screwed up during the storm. The upstairs unit that is out is like $16k ?? I’m just wondering why I have to pay a depreciation amount. Also, can I get anymore money out of them?

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Well, now we are getting somewhere, if the AC is toast, you will definitely get more. The hang up will be depreciation and your policy’s wording. If you have replacement, they will pay for the cost to replace, but if it depreciation based then whatever the value of the system over time is what they will pay. I know new Air Conditioner systems with installation are higher than a giraffe’s pussy.

Also, I am not sure if an Air Conditioner is considered contents or structural. Luckily, I didn’t have that issue with Ida since that system wasn’t damaged.

Just keep receipts and a log of what are the issues and what you do to fix items. They may pay more based on that. They also may pay the full cost to replace too. They also like to withhold a portion of the claim to ensure you get the entire job done.

Also, lastly with a mortgage, any large amounts that they send via a check to you will also have the mortgage company’s name on it. The mortgage company will need to endorse and sometimes they don’t release the money to you. You submit the receipts to the mortgage company and they release the funds.

When I was in this situation, they offered the depreciated amount but then paid me full replacement cost once I turned in receipts.

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I’m just wondering why I have to pay a depreciation amount. Also, can I get anymore money out of them?

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Some companies will still take recoverable depreciation on the front end for replacement cost policies. When the repairs are complete, they’ll pay you the balance of the full repairs and your deductible. Could be some of the depreciation, all of it, or all of it plus additional costs.


ETA

It’s depreciation taken on any pre-repair payments. Once that difference is paid it ensures that the insurance company pays no more or no less than the total cost of repairs minus your deductible.

ETA ETA I have a pending lightning claim for AC, alarm, and gate damages.

I knows it’s not what you wanna hear but with the insurance stuff going on in Louisiana, they are gonna try and screw you over anyway possible

You are using their electrical company? They are going to low ball you and fix that shite as cheap as possible.