Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Steve From Stafford Virginia: 

I filed a claim to state farm for water damage to my residence after a rubber grommet that surrounds the vent pipe on the roof was damaged, opened a gash on the seal, water came in for 8-9 straight hours, ruined upstairs bathroom, and coming to rest in lower living quarters under the pergo flooring. Residence is a Split level home lower part partially underground with sump pump. 

After the storm, a State Farm adjuster came over spent about 30 minutes pointing a flashlight at various parts of the damage and said those magic words that excludes them from paying out, "sub surface water damage." 

After spending time showing the guy how the water flowed he argued and flew out in a huff, Result, they only paid for the upper bathroom ceiling area. but absolutely will not cover the down stairs, living area. I explained my wife and I witnessed the water flow into the area, It didn't come down like in buckets, but a steady stream for 8-9 hrs. He explained he had a whole 10 years experience at this,  (Adjuster Stuff) He explained he doesn't see how that stream gathered that much in a volume of water. I turned to the deep sink, turned the water on a steady stream of water, and told him let that run on your floor for a while and see if water doesn't collect on your floor. He didn't hardly speak to me after that. 

The pergo flooring was only in one room, on the whole downstairs living quarters. The water level didn't rise above the quarter inch pergo flooring, there wasn't that much water Just enough to damage the edges of the floor. State farm Agent agreed with me, but was told to stay out of the argument...I explained we had additional storms with equal intensity with heavy rains on an already saturated ground with no further incident after fixing the roof. The water was clear rain water, not stained muddy ground water. State Farm only gave me a check for half the damage. The sump pump was working as always. the water in the lower lower quarters was rain water not sub surface ground water.