Ok that's it! I'm anti-Allstate

We're in! We love the house (well the kids are in Montana but they'll love it when they get back) and I have a great post to write about the "Giving House" we moved out of but we received our claim payment amount for our contents list and I am so hoppin' mad I need to write about that just to get it off my chest, thanks for the free therapy :)

As you well know, it took us about 3 months to get our contents list together. We were required to list EVERY SINGLE THING in our house, what we paid for it and when we bought it. Clothes, socks, underwear, furniture, Christmas decorations, every dish, every hair brush, every bar of soap! And so we did. We gathered photos, looked items up on the Internet, spent time at stores, asked friends, etc., etc. Our list was specific and quite honestly heartbreaking to compile. It's one thing to say "everything is lost" and quite another to remember everything that was lost - not to mention assigning a value to things that were priceless - like my "99 Cents or a Million Dollar" post.

Never the less, we did what we were asked to do. And then we did it again when we were asked to do it a different way, and then a 3rd time when our adjuster suddenly remembered that she needed a postmark, not just the e-mail she had originally requested.

Now, I have tried to reserve judgement on Allstate. Certainly our experience with the "dwelling" has not gone well but I chalked it up to the adjuster. Now here we are with the contents adjuster and our experience is the same, maybe even worse! At least with the structure we were able to retain some framing and the foundation which must amount to something. Of our contents we were able to remove the things from three rooms ( the "office" and glassware from the kitchen and dining rooms) provided it wasn't damaged by smoke or water. I'd say we retained about 5% of our contents. In addition, we were under-insured - our list far exceeded our max - yet our replacement claim totals about 30% of our inventory list. So this number is both infuriating and suspicious, remember my post after the structure claim came in, it was about 30% as well....quite a coincidence don't you think?!

Now, I'm not really one for conspiracy theories but what I am supposed to think now? Percentage wise, both the contents and structure claims are scarily close. Is that the game; give them 30% of whatever they ask for? Or perhaps it's an effort to wear us down and wear us out. We have been out of our home for 4 and 1/2 months now and nothing is happening. If we didn't have any savings or support system, we'd we'd be broke and panicked. Or maybe it's a way to stress us out as we watch the clock tick-away at our living expenses. We only have a year and now 1/3 of it has been eaten up by busy work - OH WAIT...I didn't tell you...that list that took us soooooo long to prepare was completely disregarded. Here let me share a few of my favorites....

An original signed oil painting worth thousands of dollars - Allstate will replace it with a POSTER that cost $29.99 but not exactly cuz it's depreciated to $26.74.

Mikes $1,200 bullet proof vest, they'll cover it with a black striped vest from JC Penny's for $25.72 - that ought to stop a bullet.

The hand carved secretary desk from the 1800's (our most cherished piece of furniture), they'll pay for one just like it from Homedecorators.com at $29.25.

Ok, you get the idea and I am getting really mad so I think I'll stop there. My point is, we have paid them on time every month since we have been married (19 years this month!) under the assumption that when and if anything ever happened they would pay us. Especially since we had the Deluxe Premium Homeowners coverage. Obviously that is not the case. If I were you, and I had Allstate, I'd find some one more trustworthy to do business with.

We're Moving

If you missed the Year Long Vacation post, a few back, check it out, it explains what we're up to.

Make sure you check in with us for our new address before you mail anything :)

Eating My Words

Today, June 14th, marks 4 months since the fire. I'm not as surprised by how much time has passed as I am by my reaction to seeing some fire trucks in route earlier today. I was on my way to pick up Alyssa, who is officially a teenager now, when I saw a fire truck headed in the opposite direction, lights and sirens blazing. I hoped everything was OK and proceeded on my way. About a minute later, I saw a second, headed in the same direction. It occurred to me that that was likely how it had been with our fire, and my heart sank. I said a prayer for the family who was in distress, and hoped it was a false alarm.

As I continued on my way, I just couldn't shake the sadness that had overcome me. It made me wish I had cried when my house burned down. I flashed back to the drive down the hill from Big Bear. I remembered preparing myself to arrive calmly (I felt strangely calm about the whole thing) and then fall to my knees in hysterics when I walked through the charred remains of our house, like you see in the movies - but that isn't how it happened. I didn't cry. My friends cried. They told me I was in shock and that would explain why I wasn't crying. At the time I thought they were crazy. Certainly that is not how people in shock felt. They always looked so dazed and confused. I didn't feel either. I felt grateful. Not grateful that my house burned but grateful for all those things I have mentioned in earlier posts. But today I wished I had cried, I was certain that if I had cried then, I wouldn't feel like crying now.

When I arrived home I snuggled up to Mike who was watching a golf game on TV. And when he asked my what was wrong, all I could say was "I'm sad that my house burned down". I know it seemed strange to him but I didn't think my explanation would make it seem any clearer. "Really, still?" he asked. But the thing is, it's not the kind of thing that just goes away after a certain amount of time and there really isn't any way to anticipate what will conjure up feelings about it.

I have really been trying to "keep my chin up" and "get over it". I did not want to be one of those people who said "I will never be the same because _____ happened to me" I did not want to be defined by this fire. But what I realized today is that we are "forever changed" by lots of things and it doesn't have to be bad. For example, I am not the same person now that I was before I had kids, they changed me forever and I think I am better for it. I am growing and changing constantly, and that's a good thing. There are somethings that are markers, some would call them defining moments, and I supposed it's denial to pretend this period of my life wouldn't be one of them. So, here is yet another example of me eating my words and a caution to you, never say never:

I am changed forever by the events that surrounded my fire, yup I've said it, I will never be the same. BUT I am better for it because, I have a greater understanding of what it means to show love in tangible ways, I am more compassionate to those that are hurting, I realize that time may not heal all wounds and that the things that seem so important in one moment may not seem at all important in the next.

I think they are all important lessons that if I hadn't learned by now, I wouldn't have learned in enough time to make a difference in any one's life - including my own.

The waaaaaiiiiiting is the hardest part!

It's been two weeks and unfortunately we do not have much to report. Our move is scheduled for June 23rd. The good news is we get our old phone number back - woo hoo!

We have yet to hear back from Pro-Tech or Allstate on the revised bid for construction.

Our contents adjuster is on vacation this week and we really don't have any idea how long it will take her to go through our list, depreciate the items, and get back to us.

So we wait. Beleive me I'm as anxious for some news as you are!