Forums

/ / /

Tags - Popular | FAQ

Forums
Search Forum
Advanced SearchTopicsPosts

Prev Go to previous topic

Go to next topic

Last Post 08/25/2010 11:43 PM by Bobabooey

Question from Visitor; Help with mobile home claim

10 Replies

Sort:


You are not authorized to post a reply.

Author

Messages

host
CatAdjuster.org Founder
Posts:709

07/26/2010 10:15 PM
I am not sure if you can help me, but I desperately need help with reference to an insurance claim that was denied. This is the second mobile home that has been damaged by water (Rain) that the insurance does not cover, the first Mobile Home my husband bought, the damage was going to cost me close to ten thousand dollars I had to let them repossess it, as my husband was dying of cancer and I got behind on the payments, he died Jan/18/2006 he left no insurance or provisions, I did not have the money to fix it, so they came and took it. I bought a repo, and due to all the rain we have had my roof leaks, same as before, the insurance company turned me down. I ' don,t know what to do I am 71 years old, my ceiling is turning black, can you help me I have started an arbitration, There is so much more involved in this dispute, but I thought you may be able to help me, or you could point me in the right direction, gratefully yours Mary Roy Contact Us - Search CADO - Storm Page - The Career Page - CADO Channels

fightingsaints
Guest

Guest
Posts:2

07/27/2010 9:35 AM
Mary, In order to get a helpful answer you need provide much more information. However, I will take a stab at explaining what is going on. Please keep in mind that things may be different in your state than the states I work in. (MN & WI). A mobile home policy is not going to cover a leaky roof. The roof has to suffer some damage from a covered loss. Something such as a tree falling on the roof and damaging it. (you can refer to your policy for what "perils" are covered) If the roof leaks when it rains that is likely from age, wear and tear or improper maintenance none of which is covered by an insurance policy. Whether you get coverage through arbitration or not you need to have somebody identify why the roof leaks and get it fixed. You also need to get the damaged ceiling tore out ASAP. Good Luck

WILLIS

Member
Posts:97

07/27/2010 8:59 PM
The term used by the writer was "rain" but she replaced the home with a repo. That "rain" might be better interpreted as "Flood" Some mobile home HO policies do cover flood but you are correct if "rain" is the source and that is due to a leaky roof then coverage would be an issue, as the policy requires a wind created opening. The rain leak could have been continuous over a long period; thus invoking an exclusion.

Ray Hall

Senior Member
Posts:2443

07/28/2010 11:50 AM
Its hard for people who purchase insurance to understand that insurance policy's do not always pay for "bad things" that happen when they live in a mobil home or house. The people in the asjusting world call the things that happen "perils" An example would be fire, windstorm, explosion, riot, civil commotion. I can not think of any insurance policy that covers a leak in a house or a mobile home. Mobil homes with a metal roof or a composition shingle roof often have leaks after several years. I wish I could explain it better, but leaks are not covered by any policy, UNLESS wind caused a tree or debris to knock a hole in your roof.

Leland

Advanced Member
Posts:741

07/28/2010 1:35 PM
Sorry Ray, with all due respect, you are mistaken. There are policies similar to the HO3 that will pay for ensuing interior water damage but exclude the roof repairs when there is no wind damage. I know of at least 2 major carriers and a smaller one that do this routinely. I have done more claims like this than I can remember- it's really not unusual at all. A typical scenario is a residential roof leak during a storm with no wind damage AND also no evidence deterioration. Of course many polices would deny such a claim entirely, just not all. I don't know of any commercial policies that would pay, only some of the residential policies. I have also denied many claims in entirety for lack of wind damage, just like you have. It really depends on the policy.

Leland

Advanced Member
Posts:741

07/28/2010 1:40 PM
My neighbor had a claim like this. Her roofer found a piece of flashing that was flapping in the wind and damaging shingles or leaking where it came loose. Her roofer fixed the loose flashing. The adjuster from a very big national carrier came out and scoped the loss. The carrier sent their own roofing expert. The carriers expert determined that there was no evidence of wind damage. The carrier denied the roof repairs but paid for new interior plaster, paint, and carpet cleaning. My neighbor decided to take the settlement and not argue.

Leland

Advanced Member
Posts:741

07/28/2010 1:56 PM
Right after I posted I got a call from an insurance restoration contractor that does a lot of comparative estimates for carriers I work with. He has 32 years experience. He has been in court many times representing carriers. He estimates that he has seen about 200 claims in his life where the roof got denied due to lack of wind damage but the interior damage was paid. He said he did a lot of claims like that for the old "Deluxe" policy of a major carrier that starts with the letter "A".

Ray Hall

Senior Member
Posts:2443

07/28/2010 4:47 PM
Leland you will note on mobil home claims written on the old auto policy it also covers flood. I was trying to keep it simple for this lady, without asking for the policy form. I will still be correct on 90% of most mobile home claims.

Ray Hall

Senior Member
Posts:2443

07/28/2010 4:57 PM
O boy fruit claims again. I have a copy of the old Delux policy and I have seen it written on houses with that use to have wheels. Its not supposed to written, but some agents slip it through. If it has a delux you give them the first leak under the "risk of loss" BS coverage interpolation in some or most of the states. We have to be precise folks, when we talk covered/not covered we must have the EXACT form language Lesson 2 never assume like I did that the first adjuster was right; without knowing which policy was on THIS property. At this instant time none of us know the correct answer, but if this lady will send all of her policy to me, I will be able to get it right.

Leland

Advanced Member
Posts:741

07/29/2010 1:54 PM
I also just remembered there are some commercial policies that do pay for interior water damage with no wind damage to the roof, if the water damage occurs during a hurricane. BOP policies often do this. If you are adjusting this kind of policy you can save a lot of time looking for a wind created opening.

Bobabooey

Member
Posts:140

08/25/2010 11:43 PM
Those metal mobile home roofs suck. They always leak along the edges plus they hold water in them. Seems like a poor design.

You are not authorized to post a reply.

Forums Catastrophe Central, Discuss, Share, Learn General

These Forums are dedicated to discussion of Claims Adjusting.

For the benefit of the community and to protect the integrity of the ecosystem, please observe the following posting guidelines:

No Advertising.
No vendor trolling / poaching. If someone posts about a vendor issue, allow the vendor or others to respond. Any post that looks like trolling / poaching will be removed.
No Flaming or Trolling.
No Profanity, Racism, or Prejudice.
Terms of Use Apply

Site Moderators have the final word on approving / removing a thread or post or comment.

Forums

Resources

Help Links