Lake Martin Topics: So what should have been done?

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	Name:	Harborcon -
	Subject:	So what should have been done?
	Date:	2/15/2007 5:35:10 PM

I am very glad that those whose claims were denied were ultimately awarded recompense for their losses. But $2.5 Million in punitive damages? In addition to compensatory damages? Why not just pay for their house, its contents, loss of income from being displaced, living expenses, any medical expenses incurred as a result of the storm, and throw in a couple hundred thousand for cake icing. $2.5 Million just seems excessive...and could be a reason that the insurance companies spend so much money trying to avoid paying claims (which also makes me angry). Ivan was the third hurricane my little beach place survived. Thanks to my local ALFA agent, I have insurance at the beach. Most of my neighbors there either have none, or have very limited coverage. Many companies will no longer insure anything on the water side. It's always available from Lloyds of London, but at a cost so high and coverage so low, that it's virtually pointless. My beach adjuster initially suggested that the little bit of damage I had was due to rising water (read: flood). I had gone in the day we were allowed in and took a gazillion photos (it looked like a war zone), so I was able to document the aluminum siding and roofing from other houses that blew onto my porch and upstairs deck; the roof tiles in my yard and on my deck; the sharp-pointed hand-held digging tool that was embedded in a tree trunk about 2" deep, and the holes punched in my siding from blown debris. They paid my claim and neither canceled my coverage nor raised my rates. I didn't 'pad' my claim, nor try to get more than I was entitled to, and maybe that helped. Granted, I pay almost as much in premiums for my teeny beach house as I do for my residence, but I am grateful that I had the coverage. There is certainly graft and corruption in the insurance industry, but I have been very satisfied with ALFA (3 houses, 2 cars - down from 5 - and hubby's motorcycle) for almost 20 years. Maybe I'm just lucky with my agent and claims adjuster. I hope all those folks recover their losses from State Farm, and that they can rebuild their homes and their lives.