J-Dub vs The Raccoons!

Is it just me, or is this raccoon this guy's pet?

Raccoons definitely belong *out*side. As do squirrels, rats, snakes, birds, what-have-you. Cats and dogs are about it for me for inside animals. I guess I'm just an old-fashioned gal. :D
 
lady_space said:
Is it just me, or is this raccoon this guy's pet?

Raccoons definitely belong *out*side. As do squirrels, rats, snakes, birds, what-have-you. Cats and dogs are about it for me for inside animals. I guess I'm just an old-fashioned gal. :D
Click to expand...

Yeah it's his pet. And I agree it belongs in the wild, but what are you gonna do.

Some snakes and some birds make great pets. The more exotic ones of course do not and it sickens me to see people who aren't trained keeping exotic animals as conversation pieces.
 
J-Dubya 777 said:
Thanks to Mike C. for this photo. Yep that's right, GTFOD!!!!!!!! Dub wants HATS!!!!!!!!!!!

3759243339_9370fc1ff0_o.jpg
Click to expand...

She stepped off the bus, out onto the city street....LOL
 
halcyonwayband@aol.com said:
J-Dubya 777 said:
:muahaha:
(I think that's a good name for a band...it's no Teabag Parfait, however.. :lol:)

J-Dub, your house is now the new SLAG SHACK. Now we just need to get Chris to go to sleep in there! hahaha
Click to expand...

As with the rafting, the christening of the slag shack was a TEAM effort! :Smokedev:

and here is the latest:

American Family Insurance is screwing me! If any of you are insured with this company, I HIGHLY suggest you check your policy for any loopholes like this.
I will not rest until I have exhausted all regulatory, advocacy, and legal means to get this settled. Hell, I may even be a one man protest with a sign on a stick EVERY day in front of this agents office... I''m pissed beyond words right now.
Here's what the adjuster told me:
Raccoon excrement is a pollutant, and according to MY policy, they will remove the pollutatnt, but not repair any damage it caused, that's on *me*. I'm out $2200 out of pocket, and that does NOT apply to or include my deductible. So now, the score stands at me paying for $3200 of the $5200. I'm not going to go quietly or easily on this. They have declared war on me, and I will start with regulatory groups, advocates from local broadcast news, newspapers, the whole ball of wax.
I'm done being pushed around....:mad:
Click to expand...
 
J-Dubya 777 said:
American Family Insurance is screwing me! If any of you are insured with this company, I HIGHLY suggest you check your policy for any loopholes like this.
Click to expand...

This is not a loophole, and they're not screwing you. My homeowners is with American Family also.

I work as a commercial insurance agent, and lesson #1 in any claim is to check the exclusions and check the definitions.

Property exclusions, Page 5 of 16:
6. Other Causes of Loss:
1. Losses excluded under EXCLUSIONS SECTION I. c. smog, rust, corrosion, frost, condensation, mold, wet or dry
2. Collapse, other than as provided in Supplementary Coverages rot;
Section I, under Collapse. d. smoke from agricultural smudging or industrial operations;
e. settling, cracking, shrinking, bulging, or expansion of pave
3. Continuous or Repeated Seepage or leakage of water or ments, patios, foundations, walls, floors, roofs or ceilings;
steam from within a plumbing, heating, air conditioning or
f. birds, vermin, rodents, insects or domestic animals.
Click to expand...

Damage caused by vermin or rodents is excluded by the American Family policy. You're lucky they're giving you coverage under the pollutant definition.

I don't feel like copying any more text from my policy, but the policy covers only the REMOVAL of the pollutant itself.

For the record, I have had several auto claims with American Family and have been treated wonderfully, with incredible service. This is an unfortunate situation, and they could completely deny the claim if they wanted, since damage caused by animals is excluded.

Instead, your adjustor is finding some coverage in the policy that will help a little.

It's a fair assessment based on the policy language, even though it's never fun to be told that your claim won't be paid in full. I would have the same reaction as you, but in AmFam's defense, they're not trying to screw you over.
 
Rycher said:
This is not a loophole, and they're not screwing you. My homeowners is with American Family also.

I work as a commercial insurance agent, and lesson #1 in any claim is to check the exclusions and check the definitions.

Property exclusions, Page 5 of 16:


Damage caused by vermin or rodents is excluded by the American Family policy. You're lucky they're giving you coverage under the pollutant definition.

I don't feel like copying any more text from my policy, but the policy covers only the REMOVAL of the pollutant itself.

For the record, I have had several auto claims with American Family and have been treated wonderfully, with incredible service. This is an unfortunate situation, and they could completely deny the claim if they wanted, since damage caused by animals is excluded.

Instead, your adjustor is finding some coverage in the policy that will help a little.

It's a fair assessment based on the policy language, even though it's never fun to be told that your claim won't be paid in full. I would have the same reaction as you, but in AmFam's defense, they're not trying to screw you over.
Click to expand...

I'm not buying into this 100%. No offense to you intended. I do appreciate your post. Are raccoons considered vermin? the definition of vermin is:

1. noxious, objectionable, or disgusting animals collectively, esp. those of small size that appear commonly and are difficult to control, as flies, lice, bedbugs, cockroaches, mice, and rats.
2. an objectionable or obnoxious person, or such persons collectively.
3. animals that prey upon game, as coyotes or weasels.

Raccoons are related loosely to bears, if I'm not mistaken, they aren't rodents, and they do not prey upon game exclusively. They are omnivores.
When I made the claim, I asked about raccoon infestations. My trapper who will also head up the repairs has NEVER had a rejection this extreme since he's been in business. I also asked the adjuster specifically about any loopholes/exclusions where this wouldn't be covered, and told me that there were none he knew of. He was an older gentleman, and had been in the business quite a while. Any kind of heads up would have been appreciated in this case. I don't know if the exclusions are different in IL and WI. Yes, AmFam has been great to me on auto claims, but their homeowners insurance leaves much to be desired. This is not the first time they've done this, but this is the greatest magnitude, and it will be the last.
 
J-Dubya 777 said:
I'm not buying into this 100%. No offense to you intended. I do appreciate your post. Are raccoons considered vermin? the definition of vermin is:
Click to expand...

Very true - the policy language does allow for some interpretation as to how a raccoon is classified. My initial thought is that they would lump it in with the animal exclusion, but you could definitely try to make a point and see what happens.

My post was just to note that I doubt there is intent to screw you out of the claim. It's just left up to how the adjustor applies the policy wording, which unfortunately isn't 100% in your favor.

I'd hate to be in the same situation and not have them pay my claim in full. I just bought a house in August, and I hope to not have to deal with homeowners claims for a long time!
 
Rycher said:
Very true - the policy language does allow for some interpretation as to how a raccoon is classified. My initial thought is that they would lump it in with the animal exclusion, but you could definitely try to make a point and see what happens.

My post was just to note that I doubt there is intent to screw you out of the claim. It's just left up to how the adjustor applies the policy wording, which unfortunately isn't 100% in your favor.

I'd hate to be in the same situation and not have them pay my claim in full. I just bought a house in August, and I hope to not have to deal with homeowners claims for a long time!
Click to expand...

For your sake, and even though you are in the insurance biz (;)), I hope so too.. I was going to make a point about the vagueness in the language in the policy, but I'm not going start an online pissing contest under my boss' roof, when I have a real life pissing contest going on at full roar. There is NO ONE at the insurance company doing anything in my favor as of yet, I don't expect that to change, ever. I can't help but think that there isn't some asshat sitting in his/her decision chair, twidling their pinky ring, trying to figure out how to pad their year end bonus by not paying out in full on my claim. Cynical? You bet! But I'd wager that it's at least partly true. In the mean time, agent will talk to adjuster, contractors have cold feet, and won't start any work until this gets resolved. The downward spiral continues, and is testing me at every turn. The clock is ticking...
:erk:
 
Regardless, I am so very sorry that you're having to go through this, J-Dub. I can't imagine how stressful it must be to

1. Live in a contaminated home
2. File an insurance claim only to have it denied
3. Deal with contractors, insurance agents, etc.
4. Loss of time
5. Eventually having to relocate whenever it gets cleaned up
6. And having to fork out thousands of dollars right before Christmas

Personally, I think the way your insurance company is reacting is absolutely ridiculous and a crying shame. I mean, come on... who actually thinks about a raccoon infestation when purchasing a home owner's insurance policy?! This is exactly the type of situation that insurance is for, in my opinion!!

~Jen
 
Rycher said:
Very true - the policy language does allow for some interpretation as to how a raccoon is classified. My initial thought is that they would lump it in with the animal exclusion, but you could definitely try to make a point and see what happens.

My post was just to note that I doubt there is intent to screw you out of the claim. It's just left up to how the adjustor applies the policy wording, which unfortunately isn't 100% in your favor.

I'd hate to be in the same situation and not have them pay my claim in full. I just bought a house in August, and I hope to not have to deal with homeowners claims for a long time!
Click to expand...

No, it's a legit claim and they are purposely denying it because it saves them money. That is the very definition of screwing one over.
 
miel said:
Regardless, I am so very sorry that you're having to go through this, J-Dub. I can't imagine how stressful it must be to

1. Live in a contaminated home
2. File an insurance claim only to have it denied
3. Deal with contractors, insurance agents, etc.
4. Loss of time
5. Eventually having to relocate whenever it gets cleaned up
6. And having to fork out thousands of dollars right before Christmas

Personally, I think the way your insurance company is reacting is absolutely ridiculous and a crying shame. I mean, come on... who actually thinks about a raccoon infestation when purchasing a home owner's insurance policy?! This is exactly the type of situation that insurance is for, in my opinion!!

~Jen
Click to expand...
Jen -

1) it sucks. Even in the 3 weeks that I have been cig free, I can smell the attic every time I walk into my home.

2) Mostly denied, so far. Had to prod my agent to pick up a phone and CALL the adjuster a couple hours ago. I am SO done with them, once their check clears...

3) I just want it fixed and everyone to go away!
4) ...and nearly loss of job yesterday. I got some real nice sentences strung together before I vacated the office... People purchasing the co. I work for complained. :( Got my @ss handed to me this afternoon..... :(

5) Yep....looks like for about 3 days
6) The time of year doesn't bother me, as much as the "forking" forking!

I agree, and that's why I started this thread, to bash American Family Insurance, and to make people aware of my situation, and maybe get them to think about their own policies. While I'd love to think this stuff only happens to me, I'm sure it doesn't, and people need to learn from my "mistakes" It really is just one big public service announcement...:Smokedev:

AeonicSlumber said:
No, it's a legit claim and they are purposely denying it because it saves them money. That is the very definition of screwing one over.
Click to expand...

I endorse this post 110% (but I'm still going to play nice!:heh:)
 
Ok, so almost exactly a day after being sent into a tailspin, I received a phone call tonight saying that the legal counsel at American Family has decided/determined raccoon shit to NOT be a pollutant. All the adjusters assumed it was. Had I not questioned this, & pushed back, I doubt this would have been reviewed. The claim will stand as originally filed, and ALLGEDLY there was/will be a company wide memo making sure all the adjusters are on the same page. True? Lipservice? Doesn't matter. I fucking won (again)...:grin:

I wonder how many claims they have that were reduced/turned down because of this errant thinking? There must have been something there for them to back pedal like this. I did apologize to the adjuster for the foul language I used, but I did not apologize for being pissed.

This rollercoaster ride has aged me at least 10 years.

(I'm still terminating my relationship with AmFam though, unless there is nowhere else to go...)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
Jax, J-Dub, or Anyone; Montreal Show!
Replies
14
Views
680
Symphony X (Unofficial)
Iced Dog
I
ether
opium dub
Replies
6
Views
787
Katatonia
Verwuestung
V
BlackRoseMetalHeart
Attention Supporters of the MN Metal and Movie Scenes and Friends of SwordLord...
Replies
42
Views
2K
ProgPower USA Lounge
biggs0072000
B
B
question
Replies
2
Views
664
ProgPower USA Lounge
broegaard
B
Harvester
Man vs. Wild
Replies
19
Views
1K
ProgPower USA Lounge
AeonicSlumber
A
Top Bottom