“We got struck TWICE by lightning” and other bizarre insurance claims…Part Two

Our craziest claim stories continued! Read Part I (” A deer jumped through my window”…) if you missed it.

#6- Play date gone wrong- “My daughter was at her friend’s house next door and while the parents weren’t looking she took all the nail polish out of the bathroom and painted it all over their walls, carpet and furniture! It was SUCH a huge mess!”

Lesson learned: The specifics of each policy can differ but this customer was covered under her home insurance policy for the damages to her neighbors house as the “nail polish fiasco” was considered property damage.

#7- What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas- or does it?- One wild customer was partying it up with some friends in a hotel when a sprinkler head in the ceiling “somehow got broken off”. The hotel estimated that the total damages were around $10,000! He wanted to know if he should file a claim for the damages.

Lesson learned: His insurer in this case actually covered the damages- and paid out over $12,000 to repair the sprinkler head. However, this is not always typical of all policies.

#8- Lightning DOES strike twice in the same place- One customer proved the old theory wrong when she told us about lightening striking her property in the same place twice within 6 months! “We had just installed an invisible electronic fence and the lightening must have been attracted to it! It struck our property two times in the same place blowing up the power unit on the fence both times!”

Lesson learned: Lightening is considered a covered peril under a standard home insurance policy.

#9- Anger Management Issues- One of our customers purchased a home that was in foreclosure and got ready to move in. Before he could do so, the previous owners of the home, still angry about the fact that the bank foreclosed on their house, burned the entire thing down!

Lesson learned: A standard home insurance policy will cover damages caused by fire.

#10- Tombstone Insurance? “Is damage to my tombstone covered under my homeowners insurance”? The answer is actually surprising…

Lesson learned: Many standard home insurance policies do in fact provide coverage to damages caused to tombstones. However it’s best to ask your insurance agent about the specific on your policy for this one. My question is- who’s filing the claim??

Stay tuned for more crazy insurance claim stories!

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“A deer jumped through my window” and other bizarre insurance claims :: Part One

Insurance agents hear some of the wildest stories out there. Here are some of the most bizarre stories we’ve heard: Stay tuned for Part II tomorrow!

#1- Lawnmower gone wild- One policyholder filed a claim for his lawnmower after he accidentally drove it into a lake behind his house. “The brakes stopped working and I was too afraid to jump off…so I just rode it into the water!”

Lesson learned: Mishaps such as this are not covered under a standard home insurance policy- home insurance policies only provide coverage for damage caused by covered perils such as wind, hail, theft, fire and riots.

#2- An evening surprise- One customer calling to get some home insurance quotes told us that he came home to find a baffling scenario- a broken living room window and a 6-point buck wandering around his kitchen. “It took me a while to put together what happened, but I think the deer accidentally jumped right through our picture window and ended up in the house!”

Lesson learned: Damage caused by wild animals is not typically covered under a standard home policy.

#3- Our favorite coverage questions- We often get questions about whether a home policy will cover damage from flood, lightening, etc. However this was one of our favorites: “Does my home insurance policy cover me if my horse eats my neighbor’s flowers? How about if my horse were hit by a car?”

Lesson learned: A standard home policy typically covers damages caused to others by your household pets, however, you should really ask your insurance agents about the specifics of your policy for this one. And in the case of the horse being hit by a car- no, pets are not covered as part of your contents coverage. Check out pet insurance for a situation like that.

#4- A Memorable 4th of July- One of our customers told us about a home insurance claim they filed after some fireworks that they set off accidentally shot through a neighbor’s second floor window causing damage to the rugs and wall coverings.

Lesson learned: Your home insurance policy will typically cover damages that you, or other insured members of your household, have caused to others. Talk to your agent before filing a claim and weigh the cost of paying the damages out of your pocket before filing.

#5- A buzz worthy question- One customer called us to let us know that bees had nested in his sub-flooring and he wanted to file a claim. “Is this covered”? He wanted to know…

Lesson learned: Insect infestations are not typically covered under a home insurance policy. Call your exterminator!

…more to come tomorrow!

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