Ask An Expert

I have received my 83 page dwelling estimate. It is generated through Xactimate. I have a neighbor who has a similar floor plan and model to mine and same sq ft. His estimate is significantly higher than my estimate. The difference is over $350,000. Can…

Our New Jersey home was destroyed in a house fire the week after Christmas. We are a family of 6 that lived in a 5 bedroom single family home. We have 24 months of ALE coverage. Given the time of year and lack of rental…

A friend has been told that Colorado Law requires that insurance companies pay for code upgrades when figuring the rebuild cost for a destroyed house, and that this is true even if you have reached the maximum of your insurance limit without including the cost…

Our insurer in California increased our coverage without warning or consultation which led to an almost 100% premium increase. Is this legal and do I have any recourse other than looking for another insurer? We are in southern California and there have been fires close…

I purchased a home in November, 2021. I spoke at great length and on at least 3 different phone calls with my insurance agent going over all the details of the property. The agent viewed the mls listing of the home, pulled county records and…

Hi there, We had extensive fire damage due to human negligence. The neighbor’s insurance is subpar, and they are claiming that we have to figure in “depreciation.” I’m upset to say the least. The fire damage includes a rather large retaining wall, etc. Any advice?

California Fair plan just did an inspection and has required me to paint my home! The home is cedar shingles that have been in place for decades. They stated my home is at greater risk for fire unpainted. This makes no sense at all! Paint…

Which homeowners insurers do not use binding arbitration clauses? Is there a link, resource, etc. I can use to find out?

I recently submitted a quote to my adjuster from a prospective builder for the cost of rebuilding the house we had. A Public Adjuster happened to call at about the same time and said “of course the adjuster can ignore this because the quote is…

Our house was devastated and more or less destroyed in a wildfire 3 years ago. We were dramatically underinsured, but approved by Geico for the limit of our policy with ability to submit for an extra 25% on back end. Our agent left/retired. And three…

Water damage loss with Safeco Insurance. All (VERY minimal) communication with adjuster/claim rep has been email. I have literally not received anything specific to my claim in writing from them, and I’m unsure where they are located. We’re coming up on the one-year date of…

We received an estimate from contractor to submit to insurance to fix damage from broken pipe (black water). If the contractor exceeds the amount of the estimate due to unexpected obstacles related to damage, will the insurance company cover the total bill with full replacement…

I had water damage to my home. The insurance co. sent out a company to open up the walls and do the clean-up and drying. The same company has a division for construction repairs. First the construction sent their project manager to do a bid.…

I have been told that I need to notify my insurance company that I will be claiming Replacement Cost within 180 days after the loss. What is this?

Good Day, I lost my home in the Glass Fire in September of 2020. As you know, that is when the real estate market went crazy, the supply chain tightened, and commodity prices went through the roof. Is it possible to receive payments that exceed…