Trial of State Farm Fraudulently Denying Claims

[Rage for Order]

As instructed, State Farm catastrophe manager Alexis "Lecky" King refused to answer questions an Oklahoma attorney fired at her for one hour and 10 minutes. Instead, she repeated the same phrase 87 times: "Because of the ongoing state and federal investigation, on advice of counsel, at this time, I must invoke my constitutional right to remain silent."

An Oklahoma jury in May found that State Farm "recklessly disregarded" its duty to deal fairly with policyholders, doing so "intentionally and with malice" through the use of biased expert opinions after the 1999 tornado. The tornado, one of many to strike May 3, 1999, reached a strength of F5, the most catastrophic on the Fujita scale.

In sworn testimony this summer in Oklahoma, company chairman and CEO Edward B. Rust Jr. said: "And that is ultimately my concern, also, is that we want to be fair with our customers. After all, the success of this organization is driven by our ability to retain current customers and to attract new customers. The last thing we want to do is be unfair with our customers."

When a report blamed the covered peril of wind for damage, the whistleblowers said, King ordered another to show the culprit was water, covered by the federal flood insurance program. The company finally called a halt to the reports altogether, the whistleblowers said, because too many showed wind damage.


http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/local/16024180.htm


Much more at the link. I hope the MS & OK Attorneys General nail State Farm's ass to the wall. What they did and are doing is despicable.

[Horse with no Name]

1. I hate those crooked bastards

When I was 18 and in college (in 1981) I was parked at a red light in my MINT 1966 Mustang that I got for graduation.
I got rear ended. She hit me so hard that the side panels buckled.
State Farm told me I had to get 3 estimates.
I went to two places who gave me estimates around $2000. I went to another place that told me he could fix it for $450. Said all he needed to do was beat out the dents and he wouldn't even have to repaint it:eyes:. I then went to another place who gave around the same estimate of $2000.
So I turned in my three estimates of $2K. Never turned in the other one.
They called and told me my check was ready. Went to the adjusters office and he had a check for $450 and the estimate that I didn't turn in.
I was like :wtf:?
I refused the check and informed the adjuster that the ONLY way he could get hold of that estimate was if he was taking kickbacks from the dealer that gave it to him behind my back.
I went home and called the highest guy in Texas for State Farm.
Within an hour after that call, I had a phone call from the adjuster with a new check.
The check was for $5000.
It covered any injuries I might have suffered, a complete paint job for my entire car, a rental, new side panels instead of repaired ones, and a couple of other things. I thought I did good, but knowing what I know now and knowing that that adjuster could have gone to prison for what he did, my hammer was bigger than I could imagine if I had just wielded it.

[Rage for Order]

3. "Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There"....

Until you actually need to make a claim on that policy you've been paying on for the last 25 years. At that point you're on your own. Although to be fair, it's not just State Farm that's crooked, they just happened to get caught.

[dysfunctional press]

2. state farm f*cked me several times...

hard.

and never once even offered to use any lube.

bastardos

[napi21]

4. I had State Farm for over 35 years. I had one claim, and they were

great. I wonder if this is a regional thing, or something that has come to pass recently?

Ifelt bad switching to another company, but one year I received a bill for the new policy and the price had increased from $360 to $700. There were no accidents or tickets, and when I called them, they said it was because of the hurricanes in Fl. I was living in TX at the time, and I said, "fine. I feel like I'm leaving an old friend, but I'm gone! I don't live in Fl. and I'll be damned if I'm going to pay YOU for your losses there!"

[Rage for Order]

5. It is regional

Specifically, the region affected by Hurricane Katrina. Read the article...essentially SF had engineering reports that showed wind damage, which is covered in their policies, re-done by another firm to emphasize water damage instead, which they do not cover.

Excerpted from article:

Terri Mullins property, Kiln, Miss.

Oct. 23, 2005: Forensic Analysis & Engineering Corp., hired by State Farm, concluded "the primary and predominant cause of damage to the subject property was due to hurricane force winds. This is based on the displacement of the house and the absence of water damage to the same."

Jan. 3, 2006: A second Forensic Analysis report says wind caused "tree failures," the cause of interior damage is undetermined and that "movement of the house across the street with "minimal obvious wind damage is consistent with a buoyant force applied to the building by rising water allowing the wind to blow the house northwards until it reached an obstruction." (State Farm interprets its policies to say wind damage is not covered when water contributes.)

Thomas and Pamela McIntosh property, Biloxi

Oct. 12, 2005: Forensic Analysis & Engineering Corp. concluded roof, door, carport and window damage was caused by wind, along with interior damage. The report State Farm ordered included a sticky note on the first page that said, "Put in Wind file - DO NOT Pay Bill, DO NOT discuss."

Oct. 20, 2005: Forensic concluded wind damaged shingles, along with the second story floor and first floor ceilings, but said "damage to first floor walls and floors appears to be predominately caused by rising water."

[William769]

6. I have State Farm and my claim for Hurricane Charley was handled

Great! :shrug:

[Rage for Order]

7. Probably no way the could possibly claim water damage

Also, damage estimates for Charley ran about $10 billion, while estimates for Katrina are about 10 times that amount. I'm glad you had a good experience with them though. At least they've taken care of a few people.

[Rage for Order]

8. Kick for Katrina Victims