@artloversplus maybe in CA one would be required to add a sprinkler system when REPAIRING damage. But I seriously doubt that is a requirement in most places for single residential dwellings.
Regardless…the licensed person doing the new work should be aware of what they need to do.
Question: If I’m allotted $$ per sq . Yard for carpeting for 60% of the upstairs that will be replaced, am I allowed to use the amount in total to do the entire upstairs? Or do I have to prove I only ordered so many sq. Yards for that 60%.
Regarding the allowance for carpeting, it really depends on how your pay-out is calculated. When we had an issue (water damage years ago), they used that kind of calculation to determine how much to pay us (100sf @$20/sf = $2,000 check) It was up to me to determine how to spend the money. If I could get a better price, I could get more work done. Hope that makes sense.
First, like everyone else, I’m glad you and your family are okay!
It’s been a long time since I filed an insurance claim. I have USAA; there was a thread on here a few years back where some posters claimed they aren’t as good as they used to be. When I did file–or even thought about about filing–USAA was amazing.
The first year USAA was our insurer, I left something on the stove. It caught fire and the stove melted. Extensive smoke damage. It was totally my fault and I said so. They took care of the repairs—and then some. They contacted all the vendors. ServicePro was one. I assume they paid less since they must have been able to refer a lot of work to them. Things I never would have done, USAA did–like having our oriental carpets cleaned and repaired for the smoke damage to them. We didn’t deal with the vendors at all. USAA arranged for them and USAA paid them.
The second time, I called them because I fell asleep in the bathtub and flooded the apartment under mine. (At the time I was taking pain medication and it knocked me out. Note to self: never take pain medication and then get in a warm bath.) My neighbor was screaming that I’d done $5,000 worth of damage to her bathroom. I called USAA. I was told not to talk to her. USAA called the super in my building and got him to go in and inspect the damage to her apartment. She’d really exaggerated. Real damage was well within my deductible and the super had the building handyman fix it. Cost to me–zero.
No increase in premium.
@dixiechicktx , that was what I was thinking, too, However, they’ve only released a partial amount. If I need more, I can have it. I’m thinking if I need more they will want receipts. If it says I bought more carpet than what they are willing to pay for, but came in at or under the dollar amount, will they Think that’s ok and release more funds for things I need.
I have had to do a few insurance claims over the 30 years I own my current home (with the same insurance company). One was after a storm when one tree landed across my driveway and another on my shed. For the driveway (because it was the only way to get to the house), they said just do whatever you need to get that taken care of immediately (which they reimbursed). For the shed, they sent an adjuster and he calculated the cost of removing the tree and then fixing the minor damage to the shed roof and just gave us a check (I actually never fixed the roof of the shed.)
I had a flood during renovations to my kitchen (a plumbing piece under the sink which had just been installed failed and it flooded the floor below.) They sent people over immediately (within the hour) to remove anything that had gotten wet and leave us with drying fans. They calculated the cost of the repairs (things like carpeting, new dropped ceiling, painting, replacement kitchen cabinet, etc. ) and again gave me a check. When the actual cost was a little higher, I just sent them the bill and they sent me the additional money. I think this one was a win for the insurance company as they made a claim against the contractor who made a claim against the manufacturer of the piece which failed.
This past winter, a storm pulled off the power cables and siding to my house. Again, they said get the electrical taken care of immediately. This time I just sent photos and they calculated the repair costs (taking into account the amount I had already paid an electrician to make it safe.) My contractor charged me exactly what the insurance company had calculated. So I gave him my check plus another check for the deductible.
I just paid my renewal, so despite having three strikes, they haven’t dropped me.