orvil

I agree with you vikz09. But, you have to start somewhere. I'm willing to pay a little more for good service and fair dealing. It's just hard to find it.

In Georgia, diminution of value is a legal concept that is part of your premium that you pay for when you buy insurance. I've been hit by someone else and been paid diminution of value for it. I settled for what USAA offered. Now, I am a more educated consumer. It bothers me that they have ripped me off.

If I have a homeowner's claim, my second call will be to an independent professional adjustor.

orvil

"I am glad my insurer is not on a list of insurers liked by a company offering it's services to help exaggerate claims for a big fee."

BuckingBar,

I don't know this guy from Adam. However, he is a licensed auto appraiser and is bound by the law and USPAP. It's not his job to exaggerate claims. He would be qualified as a expert witness if your claim were to go to trial.

I can't back up his assertions, however, he has some interesting information. Take it or leave it, it's just information.

Vikz09

"If I have a homeowner's claim, my second call will be to an independent professional adjustor".

Good advice Orvil. I would add that you should always find a contractor that you feel good about. Bring all 3, the independent adjuster you hired as well as the insurance companies adjuster at the home together. The contractor will be on your side, the independent adjuster and insurance company can look over each others finding and dispute the results if needed. I can assure you that if you show up prepared the adjuster will probably not try to pull any non-sense

forgot to bid

Given your background, what home and car insurance do you link? Might be helpful for us neophytes.

Vikz09

Orvil, my experience with A certain insurance company that caters to militay families has changed over the years. 10 years ago they were always fair about claims. 5 years ago, I had 3 insured's On the same block all put in claims for hail damage and were told yes no question the roofs were replaced. 2 months later one of those individuals called me and asked him if I could help out his next door neighbor as she was denied for not having "enough" hail damage. I called her to discuss the situation. I found out her husband was on deployement to Afghanistan and that Insurance company sent out a adjuster who never even took his ladder of his truck and did the inspection from the ground. I had her call someone I trust and not just another yes man/storm chaser. He reported that she had over 18 hits per square (which means 18 visible hail hits per 10 x 10 area if the roof). She was owed a roof and the contractor faught for 6 months to get that done for her... All while her husband was away serving his country.

I feel This carrier (formally only allowed to insure individuals of captain and rank and higher) has probably diluted the insurance pool when they opened it to everybody... Now they have more losses as a result and in order to make a profit have had to tighten down on claims. Just my 2 cents.

The insurance industry is filled with many people who I would not invite over for beers, just be sure to have a advocate on your side!

forgot to bid

Link = used

Bucking Bar

Did you sell your car? Did the buyer negotiate a lower price as a result of your vehicle's damage history? Was the sales price you negotiated, when compared to average market value for your vehicle, less than you recovered from USAA? Without the answers to these questions you really do not have a basis for stating you were "ripped off." Just information that hopefully makes you feel better about your negotiation.

Your cited diminution in value "expert" is less credible than a letter you could get from your local car dealer's sales manager for free. Hard to say you know a market when you are not actively engaged in that market. The fact he only offers his services to those who want to increase the payment of claims is something defense counsel would want to talk about. Be pretty easy to reduce his credibility in front of a Judge, or jury.

fisherpilot

Any juicy rumors? We need to drift back to under/over/side/any boob, rfp's for narrow body, rfp's for wide body, hiring, growing organically at mainline, etc. Not knockin' insurance or refinancing, but the above is sure a lot more fun to read and look at.

Bucking Bar

If VIKZ09 is in your State, I recommend him. Really, an agent is an excellent ally and advisor. It does not all boil down to rates. Insurance is a financial management tool. Sounds like a commercial, but the idea of an Agent sitting down and addressing your family's needs is entirely true (particularly if you have toys ... my Agent used to get my car collection put in a limited use category which probably saved me more than $20,000 over the years)

Same with Estate Planning. In fact, there is a good article in Financial Advisor's newsletter in the Atlanta Crew Lounge on that subject.

Bucking Bar

We kinda beat that horse. Probably the next real news will be how Delta management finds a way to utilize Virgin's WB fleet to make a profit.

I have not heard that management has approached us on the subject. Given the Pinnacle example, this may just be something we read about in the papers after it is done.* Setting our share at 37.5% is already permitted in our contract and ALPA is the bargaining agent. Top earners at VA make about $165,000 (2011 figures) and FO's average $105,000. If having an alter ego small jet operation is such a great deal, how much better to outsource a widebody operation?

It appears Virgin's assets are underutilized. Terminal 4 is as much for their jets as ours.

* Not expected, but given ALPA's recent action to keep secrets from our MEC and reinterpret Delta flying to mean ONLY the flying we perform ... anything is possible and nothing would surprise me.