You're In Good Hands With Allstate?
Does anyone like insurance? I rarely hear positive feedback about dealings with insurance, whether it be health, auto, or homeowners.
I have a few items I’m not thrilled about regarding my insurance, but I do have to give credit to Allstate for doing a lot of things well.
#1 - They were quick to respond. Within the first week, I had contact with a structural adjuster, an additional living expense (ALE) adjuster, and a personal property adjuster. The ALE adjuster forwarded me $3000 in the first couple days to buy necessities. Within 24-hours of signing my rental lease, I was reimbursed for my first months rent and security deposit, and they “preimbursed” me for February’s rent.
#2 - They quickly paid out my policy maximum for structural, and I heard this week that they have submitted my policy maximum for personal property without itemization for final approval. Several neighbors that have Allstate have mentioned they got 100% of personal property coverage without itemization, so I’m feeling pretty confident I will get approved as well. I haven’t started celebrating yet, but this is huge news!
Why is it huge news? The neighborhood has slack channels, and it is clear that Allstate is the only insurer that seems to be paying out policy limits for personal property without itemization. Every neighbor I talk to that has a different insurer is going through the painstaking process of itemization. You can see their shoulders slump, and their gaze drop to the ground when you ask them how their personal property claims are going.
To get an idea of how difficult itemization is, try it. Try to write down every item in one of your bathrooms right now from memory. Then go in there and see how many items you forgot. It’s hard to do the easiest room in your house! Now, for every item on your list, take the time to list the brand, description, condition, and a replacement cost. It’s a huge time commitment.
So, I was thrilled when I heard Allstate was being generous with these payouts. I’m so thrilled, I’m not even going to juxtapose the frustrations or disappointments I have with Allstate in this post. Today, they earn the gold star!
I wish this information could be broadcast on the news. I think if it was widely known that Allstate has been paying out, and other insurance companies haven’t, it might start putting pressure on the other insurers to follow suit. I feel horrible that so many of my neighbors are faced with the daunting task of itemization and grateful that I (hopefully) won’t have to. I’ll let you know when I get final confirmation on my personal property payout.
Have a great week!