This difficult claim took over six years and nine months to resolve the insurance denials and contractual disputes. Still pending are "Bad Faith" issues with regard to the handling (or mishandling) of this claim by the insurance company. For this reason, the story will be kept short.
On May 8, 2007 a toilet supply line broke in a upstairs bathroom flooding out this upscale estate for multiple days. The water damage destroyed everything from the interior finishes to the custom furniture, personal property, and valued artwork. The insurance company adjuster teamed up with a local contractor who estimated repairs to the house to be $61,550 and damage to personal property at $55,111 for a total of $116,661.
Frustrated and getting nowhere and feeling the insurance adjuster underestimate the damage and cost to repair, the homeowner started researching his options. Tutwiler and Associates Public Adjuster, Rick Tutwiler was hired to take a second look at the property damage estimate. Rick prepared a detailed repair estimate, contents inventory and calculated the additional living expenses (ALE) on behalf of the homeowner. As a result, the policyholder was able to collect the policy limits for the house repairs in the amount of $263,949, more than $147,287 over the insurance companies initial offer.
Regarding the contents and personal property claim, Mr. Tutwiler was able to negotiate $171,370 which is more than $116,258 above the initial offer.
In total, Mr. Tutwiler was able to negotiate a $519,962 settlement. We hope to resolve the outstanding differences in the very near future.