My opener today

[GBW]

Well this was NOT the opener I was expecting. My parents live on the lake and by this time we have 2 or 3 sections of dock in yearly and the boat lift so we (any of us from my folks to my kids and I) can get out and fish. This year, they came home to a destroyed basement due to a flood. I had been there a week before they got home (they got home 10 days ago) and the hydro was on and the wifi was working and nothing broken (windows or doors and zero missing) on the main floor so I left thinking all was well. Not knowing the basement was a POOL! So the kids and I went for a visit today. The basement has been gutted and the place is going to be 2 months before it's maybe able to be a livable space again... My folks lost a TON of items, food and all appliances. Sitting at $12K to remove the floor, walls and all the items in the basement so far. Estimated at another $46K to put the whole thing back together. Then the items on top of that... I lost a few things like a FISHTV unit (tv was full of water), 46" plasma TV and the playstation, dvd player and a bunch or other MISC items.

So after seeing it all and hearing the costs I needed a smoke and a cast or 10 down at the lake. Wasn't was I was after but it felt good to have a big fish pull on a line again... Seeing it was and OOS fish I stopped casting right away and went back inside. And because I didn't plan on fishing I used a rod I gave to my daughter with a 1000 series reel on it; I need to get my daughter a new reel now too... What a day...

[Old Ironmaker]

Man oh man. That is a shame. No one needs that. I stopped into my parents home to check on it many years ago when they wintered in Florida every year. I saw steam coming up from the basement. Long story short the vent popped open on the hot water heater, it must have happened when I pulled into the driveway. Lucky no damage but a wet floor.

 

Were they away for an extended period when it happened? I don't know about all insurance companies but now if we are away for a period of time and all the utilities are left on I must ensure someone is either at my place full time or someone is checking "regularly" what ever that is to mean. I hope they are fully covered. Maybe our insurance Guru can pipe in. After I found out about this clause we started to comply with their requirements until that wasn't an option and paid a higher premium when they or we were down south for the winter. You don't get this info from a broker it comes from the company proper. House sitting is becoming a big business.

 

A warning to our long term travellers here, are you fully insured for damages when you are away? Most are not and don't know it.

Edited May 15, 2016 by Old Ironmaker

[GBW]

Yeah they don't know about the "items" yet but the fridge and freezer were on but the washer, dryer and hot water tank were off (still dead now). I went when I could at random times but the person two doors down was doing the same for them, go in, test the hydro and make sure the fridge on the main floor was cold (they have lost hydro a few times in the past and lost a LOT of food between two full size fridges and an upright freezer!). They were not away long; a month. My dad also has a webcam set up so he can see if things are not right, the cam never picked it up as it was on a desk facing a thermostat to show them temp's in either me or the guy two doors down from them needed to run over. Ins is covering the damage removal and rebuild but that's all they know as of today...

 

*edit to add* the cam kept working as an outlet is 14" off the floor as an avg and the water marks on the walls hit about 6" up. This is a LOT of water for a 1,400 sq ft raised bungalow.

Edited May 15, 2016 by GBW

[chris.brock]

Not a good opener for sure, but stuff is just stuff and can be replaced or forgotten about, hopefully the insurance guys aren't pricks, give your kids a hug, that's all I've got

[manitoubass2]

Brutal geoff. Sorry to hear.

 

Sounds like my bad luck streak found its way towards you.

 

Sorry brotha

[GBW]

Not a good opener for sure, but stuff is just stuff and can be replaced or forgotten about, hopefully the insurance guys aren't pricks, give your kids a hug, that's all I've got

Yes that's true, but it was sad to toss the full record set of every Beatles record and many more just like it...

 

Brutal geoff. Sorry to hear.

 

Sounds like my bad luck streak found its way towards you.

 

Sorry brotha

It's all good. I have my own bad luck... I figure when your last name ends a letter high in the alphabet like mine with a W the luck was shared with all the others before it had a chance to get to me...

[Steve]

property insurance claims generally go well....no calculating deprecation costs.

 

like usual, old ironmaker is on the mark. most policies contain vacancy clauses.

 

if someone is coming over to check on your place when you are out, have them fill out a schedule with exact times and dates they visited.

 

or better yet, call your broker and inform them of your long term absence. Depending on the company you may be able to have your waiver removed (for a cost I'm sure).

 

I specifically work in construction project insurance and our policies have 30 day waiver clauses stating your project cannot sit idle and unattended for more than 30 days or your policy will automatically lapse.

 

Construction companies use cell phone videos to show an employee attending the job site every 30 days in order to satisfy this clause.