Miracle March Means Madness For Many

by Mark Goldwich

Forecasters predicted El Nino storms could drench the Western US in general, and California in particular, calling for a “Miracle March” that could ease the current drought conditions there. And halfway through March, it looks like they might be – predictably – partially correct.

"This is going to put a dent into some of the drought, but it's not going to take it away by any stretch," San Diego-based meteorologist Mark Moede told NBC News earlier this month. But according to Erik Ortiz of www.nbcnews.com, “the return of the storms this month in parts of California has drawn parallels to 1991, when a "miracle March" that brought record rains staved off a water shortage. It was also credited with saving the ski season.”

Image courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

In the first week of March, heavy rainstorms struck California and flooded some low-lying areas, but much more rain would be needed throughout the state to counter years of dry weather. In the second week of March, another round of rains helped replenish water reservoirs, and above-average snowfall has extended California’s expected ski season beyond any of the last several years, but it is still too soon to tell if this will be enough.

And while rain and snow is certainly good for California as a whole with regards to drought relief and snow-related industries, each storm brings disaster to many individuals. During any significant rainstorm event, low-lying areas tend to flood rather quickly. It may be that only 100 homes and businesses are affected, and this may not even make local news, let alone the national news (especially in the midst of a wild presidential election cycle), but for those 100 families, their entire world has turned to mud.

Keep in mind, also, that during most severe rainstorms, there are high winds, hail, and even tornados that come with the many inches of rainfall. Throw in a few mudslides on California hillsides, and you have the makings of a disastrous “Miracle March” for many unsuspecting property owners. The storms so far have not been devastating, but streets have been washed out by floods, highways closed by mudslides – one such slide toppled a dump truck in the process – and homes have also been flooded or damaged by mudslides. The uncomfortable paradox is that much more rain is needed to make an appreciable impact on the drought conditions, but such rains would also bring misery to ever-increasing numbers of people.

Image courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

Having dealt with so many individuals and families suffering through property insurance claims from rainstorms and flooding, I know how difficult it is to recover. Homes are damaged or destroyed, personal belongings are ruined, people are separated and displaced from their homes, and dealing with all the insurance hoops, exclusions, loopholes, and delays can bring a whole new meaning to the phrase “March Madness”.

As always, it’s important to know they can recover, and they will recover. The question is, at what cost? How much aggravation will they have to endure? How much money will they recover – or how much debt will they have to take on? Typically, the answers to those questions depend on what they know, and how well prepared are they are to take on this challenge. I always say, the better prepared you are before disaster strikes, the better you will emerge from the disaster. This goes from having a disaster plan (before it happens), to having a recovery plan (after it happens).

Fill out the form below to get your Free Master Disaster Guide.

One thing is for sure, the insurance companies all have plans. And systems. And strategies. And resources. For you to compete, you need to have these plans in place as well, even if it just means knowing who has the plans, systems, strategies and resources to help you.

Mark Goldwich is president of Gold Star Adjusters, a group of public insurance adjusters dedicated to helping citizens get the maximum settlement for any insurance claim.

Sliding Down the Slippery Slope

by Mark Goldwich

Snow Moon image courtesy of pixabay.com

Last week brought us the “Full Snow Moon”, also known as the “Full Hunger Moon”. Maybe I simply wasn’t paying close attention in the past, but this was the first time I heard each moon came with its own name, based on the month, dating back to Native Americans. With February being known as having heavy snow falls which makes hunting more difficult, it is easy to see how “Snow” and “Hunger” was connected to the name for the February moon.

Anyway, today’s forecast once again featured a weekend warning for strong winter storms, sure to bring huge amounts of the cold, wet, white stuff. Sure, it looks beautiful as it is falling, but man does it ever wreak some havoc when it lands!

So in the spirit of all the heavy snow, I wanted to point out a few ways those cute and fluffy flakes can be dangerous to all kinds of property, and how insurance companies might try to slide out from covering the damage.

Image courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

While it looks a bit like whipped marshmallow topping, snow is actually quite heavy. Accumulated snow and ice (we usually only see the snow on top, but there is usually ice underneath) can topple trees, or at least break large branches. These trees and branches may harmlessly fall to the ground, or they can smash anything they land on…roofs, fences, pools, walkways, power lines, cars, outdoor furniture and swing sets…whatever gets in the way. Trees being heavy and dense, they can really pack a wallop. I once handled a claim where a large tree basically split a 2-story apartment building in half, causing over $400,000 in damages. 

Even without involving trees, heavy snow can collapse roofs. And what do you suppose happens to the tons of snow once it gets inside the warm building whose roof just caved in? If you guessed, “melts into hundreds of gallons of freezing water and soas every last nook and cranny of a home,” you’re right!

The snow and ice can also bring down power lines that are sparked from falling trees. When damaged by trees or just the weight of ice and snow, once the power lines come down, the damage totals rise. Food spoils, electrical components get spikes and surges (before or after the outage), and temperatures inside homes drop drastically. This often makes for frozen pipes, and in many cases, as the water inside the pipes freeze, the water expands, causing the pipes to rupture. Since these ruptures take place inside of walls, they can’t be seen – until, that is, the frozen pipes thaw out and water pours from the ruptured section of pipe.

Image courtesy of YouTube.com

Snow falling on roadways create other hazards, such as reduced visibility, black ice, snow drifts, and generally slippery conditions that are prime for auto accidents. Cars then slide into other cars, or other property, making for colossal collisions costing copious quantities of cash.

As you can see, when it comes down to it, snow (in one form or another) has the ability to damage pretty much anything it comes into contact with. Naturally, the heavier the snow even, the greater the potential for damage. But that is why you buy insurance, right? Of course, it is.

But if you’ve been following my blogs at all, even an insurance novice can probably begin to formulate some of the slippery excuses some insurance companies might try to give in order to slide out from paying these claims:

“Wear and tear”

“Negligent maintenance”

“Faulty construction, defective materials, or poor design”

“Failure to maintain heat”

“Failure to drain plumbing pipes”

“Continuous and repeated seepage of water”

“Excluded power surge”

“Abandonment”

“Failure to mitigate damages”

To get your FREE copy, fill out the form below.

Heck, some might even claim you misrepresented some obscure and completely unrelated answer on your insurance application form when you initially purchased the policy many years ago. If so, they could declare the entire policy to be void, regardless of whether or not this particular loss is covered. I call this phenomenon, “Denial by rescission”, and yes, it really happens.

Even if they can’t find a way to deny the claim completely, there are always plenty of icy obstacles they can use to delay, deflect, reduce and defend their actions and your payments. All of these can frustrate weary policyholders to the breaking point, where walking away from a fair settlement seems better than continuing to engage in the mental torture an insurance claim can inflict.

Well, that got cold and gloomy in a hurry! So let’s come back around and end on a nice note, with the names of all the full moons for the entire year (according to www.farmersalmanac.com):

– January - Full Wolf Moon

– February - Full Snow Moon

– March - Full Worm Moon

– April - Full Pink Moon

– May - Full Flower Moon

– June - Full Strawberry Moon

– July - The Full Buck Moon

– August - Full Sturgeon Moon

– September - Full Corn Moon or Full Harvest Moon

– October - Full Hunter’s Moon or Full Harvest Moon

– November - Full Beaver Moon

 – December - The Full Cold Moon; or the Full Long Nights Moon

And if you ever find yourself sliding down the slippery slope of insurance company denial, remember to call your friendly pubic claims adjuster.  He knows how to cut Frosty down to size.

Mark Goldwich is president of Gold Star Adjusters, a group of public insurance adjusters dedicated to helping citizens get the maximum settlement for any insurance claim.  

How to Write Your Way To Celebrity (Maybe)

by Mark Goldwich

Back in 2005, about a year into my new career as a Public Adjuster, I was telling my wife’s boss “war stories” about claims I was handling in the Florida Panhandle following Hurricane Ivan. After hearing me recount how adjusters would miss appointments without as much as a phone call, write horribly low estimates one after the other, attempt to deny items that were clearly covered by the policy…not to mention the delays! One delay after another, month after agonizing month. It was unbelievable, yet I could recite the details for what seemed like hours on end.

My wife’s boss, a motivational speaker and author of multiple books who goes simply by “Pegine”, stopped me mid-sentence and said, “Is this true? Do the insurance companies really do these things?” Absolutely, I told her. After all, I wasn’t just repeating what I heard from someone else, I was talking about actual claims I was personally working on. These things were really happening, and on a regular basis. While it was not how I was taught as a company adjuster, I quickly saw it as the status quo, especially after a catastrophe. But she was completely beside herself, and emphatically told me, “You need to write a book – people need to know this!”

“Besides,” she explained, “writing a book is a great way to set yourself apart from your competition, and increase your credibility as an expert in your field.” I reminded her I was not a writer, I was an insurance adjuster. But she didn’t seem to care. Her mind was made up. She told me about a “ghostwriter” friend of hers, and explained how it all worked. I would tell the stories, he would make them print-worthy, and the public would be made aware – both, of what the insurance companies were up to, and who could help them level the playing field. It was a win-win-win situation.

So for the next several months, as I made the 5-hour drive from Jacksonville to Pensacola Beach, and back again every week or so, I would dictate my stories into a micro-cassette recorder (this was years before voice-to-text smart phones), and pop them in the mail to the “writer”. He would then clean it up, create an order for it all, as well as teach me things about writing and publishing I had no idea about. He helped me find a graphic designer for the cover (who also created my logo and designed my website), and an on-line self-publisher to print the books (the first edition, anyway).

Initially, the book was going to be a “pocket book”, small and thin, 80 pages tops, with just enough information to raise awareness and promote myself as an expert in the field of property insurance claims. But as the months went on, I found more and more information “needed” to be included, and more and more “stories” were naturally generated as I continued to beat insurance companies at their own game. The book grew in both size and thickness, from 5”x7” and under 80 pages, to 6”x9” and over 125 pages.

In 2006, “UNCOVERED – What REALLY Happens After The Storm, Flood, Earthquake or Fire” was born! I was very proud to be a published author, less than three years into my new business venture. I hired a publicist to let the world know about the book by sending press releases, and waited for the media to call. Don’t laugh. No, I didn’t get a lot of media attention, and the books weren’t exactly flying off the shelves of bookstores, but I did make it on a local news station’s “Hurricane Special”, as well as a morning TV show, the local paper and business journal, and some radio shows (local and national). I sold a few books here and there, but mainly gave them away as door prizes during networking events, or to clients, prospects, or strategic alliances. My point here is, don’t think you are going to make a great living selling books, and be able to retire early from the career you wrote the book to promote in the first place. Just accept the fact that you are not going to be selling a ton of books, and focus on using the books to promote your business (and/or yourself).

But the book really does help. It has now been about 8 years since I wrote my first book, and people are still impressed that I wrote a book. I’ve had a client tell me the deciding factor for her hiring me over a competitor was because I wrote the book (which I gave to her when she asked me to “interview” for the claim she needed help with). The claim turned out to be a big success. She recovered many tens of thousands more than her insurance company initially offered, and I received a sizeable commission fee – plus she did a great testimonial video for me. Thanks to that one book, that one claim paid for everything that went into writing and publishing the 2,000 initial copies of my book. Talk about a great return on investment!

No, my book did not make me a celebrity, and it did not make me rich. But it does lend credibility to me and my business, it sets me apart, and all these years later, it still offers the opportunity to promote my business. And that is not to say your book will not do so much more for you. Besides, you might be surprised at how much you can learn about yourself, your business, your industry, and your competition, by going through the book-writing process.

Mark Goldwich is president of Gold Star Adjusters, a group of public insurance adjusters dedicated to helping citizens get the maximum settlement for any insurance claim.  

Time to Break Out the Shovel

by Mark Goldwich

Image courtesy of pixabay.com

I’ve been seeing a lot of shoveling lately. Waves of major winter storm systems bring millions of tons

of snow, blanketing streets, cities, and even entire states. With news reports and headlines calling for “Snowmageddon” and “Snowpocalypse”, followed by images of snowplows, snowblowers, and plenty of snow shovels, the piles of snow seem to be never-ending.

“So how does insurance fit in with all the snow?” you might be asking. Actually, there are two ways.

Image courtesy of flickr.com

First, all that snow (and ice) causes extraordinary amounts of property damage in the form of auto accidents, trees and power lines downed by the weight of ice and snow, frozen pipes that rupture and cause extensive water damage, ice dams create roof leaks, the weight of ice and snow can actually collapse roofs, and so much melting snow causes flooding – I actually saw a 5 foot high ice flow move down a New Jersey street.

And secondly, the heaping mounds of snow is analogous to the mountains of red tape, hoops, delays and other slush insurance companies use to drown insurance victims in their time of need.

Water (that stuff snow eventually turns into) is one of the most powerful and destructive forces on earth (think Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, and glaciers). I know it seems fairly harmless when portrayed as fluffy little flakes floating down from the heavens, but in accumulations large enough, and depending on variations in temperature, snow melts into water, freezes to ice, and melts into water again.

image courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

In the air, the thawing and freezing cycle can produce damaging hail. On roofs, this thawing and freezing can produce ice dams, allowing water to penetrate roof systems. Sometimes this damages the roof itself as well as the interior of the structure, and sometimes only damaging the interior, while leaving no trace whatsoever on the roof.  This makes for an interesting “who-done-it” for insurance adjusters – after all, without proof, why should they believe the damage was caused by an ice dam, and not simply a matter of “wear and tear”?  In pipes, the cycle is usually reversed – first freezing, and then thawing, which can inundate an entire home (just don’t call it “a flood” as that is not covered unless it meets the definition of “flood”, and you actually have a flood insurance policy). And outside on the ground, this thawing and freezing and thawing again cycle can lead to actual flooding, sometimes including large chunks of ice and accumulated debris rushing along in a torrent, destroying pretty much anything in it’s path.

By now you get the idea. Water can be very destructive, even when it starts out gently. And after you plow, dig, blow, and shovel your way out from the snow, you should also be prepared to shovel your way out from the ensuing insurance claim.

As I alluded to earlier, snow, ice, and water can be tricky substances. Think of all the riddles involving water in its various properties:

- Power enough to smash ships and crush roofs. Yet it still must fear the sun. (Ice)

- This old one runs forever, but never moves at all. No lungs nor throat, but still a mighty roaring call. (waterfall)

Fill out the form below to get your Free Master Disaster Guide.

Because water can take on 3 physical properties (solid, liquid, and gas) in relatively short order, it can appear to be here one day, and gone the next. So unless you have photos of it, it’s very existence can be difficult to prove (especially if the one you are trying to prove it to is not inclined to believe you to begin with).

As you might imagine, some insurance adjusters might use the elusiveness of water to minimize your claim of damages. Hailstones beating down on your roof like 10 million marbles (or golf balls) are almost always gone long before an adjuster ever sets foot on your roof. Depending on the size of the hail, the damage can be anything from excessive loss of roofing granules (tiny bits of “rock”) which protect the water-shedding shingle matting, to bruising of the shingle matting, to actual holes in the shingles. Naturally, the less obvious the damage, the more an adjuster may resist paying.

Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

In the case of frozen pipe claims, many policies have exclusionary clauses requiring property owners to maintain sufficient heat at all times, or to drain the entire plumbing system. For some adjusters, the simple fact that you suffered a frozen pipe is evidence enough that you failed to perform your duties.

And as indicated above, in the case of ice dams, adjusters can claim there is no evidence to prove there ever was an ice dam (since it melted away). They could also claim the roof workmanship or maintenance was faulty. Think about it, exclusions weren’t put into insurance policies to be ignored. They are there to be used. And some like using them more than others. Even if they agree to pay for the inside water damage, they may not agree to pay for damage done to the roofing system when ice built up and crept ever-higher under shingles, causing creases, removing granules, or loosening nails.

Just be ready to dig yourself out from under a drift of insurance legalese, skeptical adjusters, and carrier-dependent engineers. Or, you may want to consider hiring an experienced consumer advocate. Like a dependable snow shovel, we can plow the way for your return to normalcy.

Mark Goldwich is president of Gold Star Adjusters, a group of public insurance adjusters dedicated to helping citizens get the maximum settlement for any insurance claim.  

Has your Homeowner's Policy Sprung a Leak?

by Mark Goldwich

At our weekly team meeting this morning, we talked about claims we are currently handling, and how various insurance companies are using everything at their disposal to minimize claim payments, or avoid paying altogether – and what we can do about it. It’s one of the main reasons we meet each week. This week, it just so happened that a few of the claims involved water damage, and we talked about a few of the technicalities involved in these types of losses. 

In one case, the insurance company sent out an engineer to inspect the claim. That in and of itself was not so unusual, but my adjuster knew an engineer was not typically sent out for this particular type of water loss. So, when my adjuster met with the engineer (as we usually meet with anyone an insurance company sends out), he asked enough questions to learn exactly why the insurance company picked him (a certified mold specialist) to inspect this claim. The engineer explained there are known types of molds that only grow after a certain number of days. Right away, this told my adjuster more than it would ever tell even the most savvy property owner. The insurance company was hoping the engineer could identify a species of mold that could only grow after an extended period of time. Why? We are convinced it is so they could try to deny the claim under a technical policy exclusion that precludes coverage (theoretically) for “repeated leakage or seepage of water from a plumbing system” – most property policies have an exclusion that reads something along those lines.

Image courtesy of commons.wikipedia.org

Some policies go on to say there is no coverage if the leak goes on for at least 14 days, some exclude good neighbors on your street, odds are at least 1 of them are insured by this huge national company with a catchy jingle and endless ads on TV) doesn’t always take full advantage of this exclusion. After all, if they did, they could deny every single plumbing leak claim that is ever presented, since all leaks and seepages, by definition, occur over “a period of time”. You have a sudden and accidental pipe burst, and water goes everywhere, causing a lot of damage to your home and belongings. That should be covered, right? Not so fast according to the wording of this particular insurance company policy. Even if you were home, and awake, and standing right where the pipe burst, how long would it take you to get to the main water shut-off valve and turn the water off? I guarantee the answer is “a period of time”. Now, I will say this particular insurance company (I won’t say who it is, but if you have at least 5 good neighbors on your street, odds are at least 1 of them are insured by this huge national company with a catchy jingle and endless ads on TV) doesn’t always take full advantage of this exclusion – after all, if they did, they could deny every single plumbing leak claim that is ever presented, since all leaks and seepages, by definition, occur over “a period of time”.

Instead, they simply pick and choose which they want to cover, and which they don’t. To be honest, I don’t know how they have been able to get away with this for so long. A good public relations team, and good lobbyists, are probably a good start. These leaks, if they result in rot or mold, and one just says the loss is not covered if the leak “occurs over a period of time”. Think about that for a minute (or any period of time). You have a sudden and accidental pipe burst, and water goes everywhere, causing a lot of damage to your home and belongings. That should be covered, right? Not so fast according to the wording of this particular insurance policy. Even if you were home, and awake, and standing right where the pipe burst, how long would it take you to get to the main water shut-off valve and turn the water off? I guarantee the answer is “a period of time”. Now, I will say this particular insurance company (I won’t say who it is, but if you have at least 5

I will say this though – regardless of the language they use, and the resources they employ to have the scenario appear to fit the exclusionary policy language, we are usually able to get these claims paid. How? Because we use technicalities too. When the carrier says the leak went on for more than 14 days, we simply address the damages that occurred during the first 13 days (and we usually find it is not much different than the damages that took place from day 14 on. If they find mold that only grows after an extended period of time, we can find other mold present that only takes 72 hours to grow. If they claim this leak resulted in rot, we may be able to establish that the rot they are referring to resulted from a completely different leak several years ago, and is therefore unrelated.

Image courtesy of en.wikimedia.org

Not all leaks come from pipes. Another common leak source we deal with frequently comes from roofs. Roofs can leak for a number of reasons, some are covered, and some are not. Generally, if the leak occurred due to storm damage, falling object, vandalism, or some other sudden and accidental cause, the roof repair is usually covered; but if the leak was due to a lack of maintenance, faulty construction or design, the roof repair is usually excluded. What about the damage done inside the home as a result of the roof leak? This again may depend on the specific policy language. Some policies cover this interior “resulting damage” regardless of whether or not the roof itself is covered, and some policies specifically say a covered event must create an opening in the roof (or wall) before they will pay for the interior water damages. When pressed on what constitutes an “opening” that the water enters through, adjusters vary. Some will pay if roof shingles are damaged in any way, and others insist the word “opening” means, “if you are standing inside the home and can look up and see the sky.” We eat those guys for lunch!

And I recently wrote about two other water claims that were vehemently denied. In one case a covered source of rainwater was improperly denied as being “flood” or “surface water”, when in fact it was neither. And in another case, an extensive water loss was strongly denied because the carrier erroneously believed the loss occurred after the property was left vacant for more than 30 days, when it was not. In both cases, a more technical investigation of facts and policies led to payments exceeding $50,000.

Fill out the form below to receive a Free Copy.

As you can imagine, in a voluminous insurance policy, rife with legalese containing coverages, conditions, exclusions, exceptions, and exceptions to exclusions, there is plenty of room for technicalities, and for debate over said technicalities. This is all the more reason to have an insurance claim expert on your side, just as the insurance companies have experts on their side.

Mark Goldwich is president of Gold Star Adjusters, a group of public insurance adjusters dedicated to helping citizens get the maximum settlement for any insurance claim.  

Endeavor to Persevere

by Mark Goldwich

I decided to write about perseverance this week, because I have been reminded lately that perseverance plays a major role in insurance claims, and in what we do as public insurance adjusters (advocates for insurance consumers).

Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

For the second time in my career (one should have been enough), I heard of a woman who lost her home to a fire. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she also lost her husband in the fire. To make it even worse, she was there with him at the time of the fire. She got out just ahead of him before he collapsed, very close to the front door. The fire department was there right away, but the heat was simply too intense. They could hear the husband calling out, but they just couldn’t reach him. They even grabbed a rake from a neighbor to extend their reach, all to no avail.

That was two months ago. Her homeowners insurance company has not paid her anything. Instead, they have taken multiple statements from her, made numerous requests for information, including cellphone records so they can see if she was plotting this fire herself. She feels they have treated her like a criminal, instead of like the victim. The same is true of the life insurance company. Her husband only had $10,000 in life insurance, and nearly all of that will go to pay for funeral costs, but the life insurance company is still waiting for the medical examiner’s office to complete their report listing the official cause of death.

People in these difficult circumstances often lose hope and give up. Between the financial stress of not knowing how you will be able to pay your everyday expenses, added to the anger of being treated like a criminal by the very people you paid to give you peace of mind should something like this happen is enough to make even the strongest of us want to quit and walk away from the entire process.

As a public adjuster, part of my job is to help the insurance victims stay strong, understand their rights, and build resolve to see the process through to the finish. We do this by educating, as well as by sharing our experiences, offering hope,  and just by being there with them throughout the claim. Sometimes we literally hold their hand, or give them a hug. We are confident if they can just outlast the insurance company, they will almost always recover what they are owed. Our confidence helps to bolster their confidence, which is often shaken, or even broken, following this type of ordeal.

Image courtesy of Pinterest.com

Thinking about perseverance quickly reminded me of a scene from an old Clint Eastwood movie, “The Outlaw Josey Wales”. In this particular scene, Chief Dan George plays the character of Lone Watie, an aging Native American Indian who teams up with Eastwood’s Wales character. Lone Watie recalls a time before the Civil War when he and other leaders of Indian tribes went to Washington to complain about their treatment.

“I wore this frock coat to Washington before The War. We wore them because we belonged to the five civilized tribes. We dressed ourselves up like Abraham Lincoln. You know, we got to see the Secretary of the Interior. And he said, "Boy, you boys sure look civilized." He congratulated us and he gave us medals for looking so civilized. We told him about how our land had been stolen and how our people were dying. When we finished he shook our hands and said, "endeavor to persevere!" They stood us in a line: John Jumper, Chili McIntosh, Buffalo Hump, Jim Buckmark, and me – I am Lone Watie. They took our pictures. And the newspapers said, "Indians vow to endeavor to persevere." We thought about it for a long time. "Endeavor to persevere." And when we had thought about it long enough, we declared war on the Union.”

In other words, they got the message that the politician was just trying to placate them, maybe even mock them, and that their treatment was not going to change for the better. While he told them to persevere, he meant it in the way of maintaining the status quo. That is not what I mean by persevering. By persevere, I mean to be tenacious, stop at nothing, stand one’s ground, and not take “no” for an answer. Same words, but very different meaning.

When I hear all the personal stories of people losing their homes to fire, flood, or other calamity, and losing their personal effects like photographs, records of achievement, and other sentimental mementos that simply cannot be replaced,  I think about the pompous politician from the movie saying, in a condescending tone, “Endeavor to persevere.” These are real people, with real families, and real feelings. They didn’t ask for their homes to be destroyed and their lives to be turned upside down. They deserve better than that. They paid their premiums, often year after year, for decades sometimes, without ever submitting a claim. They deserve better – and that’s what we offer – a better listener, a better understanding, a better response, and a much better result.

Fill out the form below for your Free copy.

This is why no matter what insurance company representatives might say about me, my business, or my industry, or what they can convince state insurance officials and even legislators about us, I know in my heart we are doing what is right. We will endeavor to persevere, not by standing around “looking civilized”, but by declaring war on insurance companies and their representatives. And by using our knowledge, skills, experience, and other strategic weapons, we will win the war. 

Mark Goldwich is president of Gold Star Adjusters, a group of public insurance adjusters dedicated to helping citizens get the maximum settlement for any insurance claim.  

How the Grinches Steal Christmas

by Mark Goldwich

 The sad reality is that thousands of grinches steal thousands of Christmases, every single year. They always have, and they always will. It is very unfortunate when it happens to others, and devastating when it happens to you. I’m going to try to point out the ways I have personally seen this happen in my career as an insurance adjuster, and some ways you can either reduce the risk of this happening to you, or at least ways to minimize your losses should it happen despite your best efforts.

Image courtesy of keith-quintanilla.deviantart.com

When can grinches strike? Anytime from when you are shopping for gifts, to after they are given. Thieves know the malls are full of people with extra cash and valuable gifts walking around, often distracted by sights, sounds, and smells (invariably,cinnamon). You can be targeted by pick-pockets if you are not careful, or people who are quick to snatch up a package being set down for a second, or those who will grab things right out of your arms. There are also those who scour parking lots looking for easy targets loaded with bags and boxes. A common ploy is to watch someone load up their car trunk full of gifts and return to the mall for more shopping. There’s more than one way to get into the trunk or car, and off they go with your goodies – receipts and all!

From the mall, you can be followed home (or to your next destination) for another chance to abscond with the gifts before you get them in the home, or they can simply make note of the address and return another time. And since most homes have new purchases under the trees this time of year, it is not difficult to look in windows and see which homes make the best targets. Or, thieves can even wait until after Christmas, and drive around looking at all the empty boxes being left at the curb, too large for trash cans.

I have handled all kinds of these holiday theft claims over the years, and it is always sad when someone loses all their presents (or their family’s presents). And as an adjuster, I also know they are probably not getting the claim paid before the New Year, and not until long after their Christmas has been ruined.

Image courtesy of makinbacon.hubpages.com

So what’s the best ways to stop these grinches from stealing your Christmas? Common sense, mostly. First, know that the threat is out there. That alone will make you more aware of your surroundings when you are walking around the mall, or in stores. Consider purchasing gifts with credit cards, especially those that offer theft insurance protection. You will not only document your purchase this way, but you may get reimbursed easier than going to your insurance company, and without as large a deductible.

If you need to drop off gifts at the car and go back for more, I recommend getting in the car after placing the gifts in the trunk, and then driving around to the other side of the mall, so it looks like you are just arriving to shop. When you are leaving the mall for home, beware of cars following you, and drive past your home and go around the block, then double back to see if anyone is following.

Once home, be aware of anyone watching you bring presents inside, and don’t leave the car unattended or out of sight for any length of time. Close your trunk and lock your doors every time you have to take a load of gifts into the house. In the home, be sure to lock all doors and windows, and use an alarm if you have one. Take pictures of the gifts before they are wrapped, and make copies of your receipts, just in case. After Christmas, don’t put empty gift boxes at the curb – take and dispose of them somewhere else, or cut them up so they can fit inside your garbage cans. All of these things can reduce the size of the target, and since not everyone will do this, people other than you will likely present an easier target for crooks looking for the surest victims.

Image courtesy of flickr.com

And if despite all your care, a grinch makes off with your Jing Tinglers, Flu Floopers, your Tar Tinkers and Who Hoovers, just know if you can document what you purchased, and that it was stolen, your insurance claim will go that much easier. Call the police right away, and give them a complete list of everything stolen (if they don’t get everything listed right away, be sure to provide them with a supplemental list that includes absolutely everything).

Adjusters hear stories every year of people using Christmas bonuses (cash, of course) to buy expensive items that are well above their means, with no proof of purchase whatsoever. Because of this, they expect people will throw in a few extra items from their “wish list”, even if they did really suffer a holiday theft, and they may be extra suspicious when it comes to paying these types of claims. Oftentimes these cynical and callous adjusters seem as cold-hearted as the grinch that actually stole the gifts. The better you can document your claim (receipts, invoices, credit card statements, photos, police report, etc.), the faster your claim should be settled, with as little hassle as possible.

Image courtesy of www.blu-raydefinition.com

Like it or not, the grinches are out there, and we may not be able to stop them all by singing a heartwarming (and3-times heart-growing) rendition of The Who Song (Fahoo Fores, Dahoo Dores), but we can take a number of steps to reduce our chances of falling victim, and if it happens anyway, learn ways to make the recovery process go smoother. Welcome Christmas, one and all.

Mark Goldwich is president of Gold Star Adjusters, a group of public insurance adjusters dedicated to helping citizens get the maximum settlement for any insurance claim.