After serving 3 years overseas as a Military Law Enforcement Officer, I return home and rent a house. I find out my girlfriend is pregnant and she moves in. I go to reputable State Farm and purchase a policy which I prepay for the year to cover us in the new house. May 13 some items get stolen from my garage. I imemdiately report th ehteft to the local sheriff. I call the agent who takes the report and asks if the police have been notified.
I respond affirmatively but let them know the police declined to physically respond to the incident. They chose instead to have a deputy call me at a later time for details. The Agent also told me to expect a call form their claims team.
I received the call and was told that all I had to do was create a list that named the items lost and produce a few receipts. I did this imemdiately and faxed them. After a week of no word, I call back to check the status... I was told I needed additional information with more receipts and values to replace. I went to work again. Weeks go by I was told I needed more detailed breakdown of items lost by individual piece and model number and exact cost to replace with model number. I again went to work.
June 12 my daughter passes away at 37 weeks: (...
Sometime after I get a call from a local claims representative who tells me her assistant would be giving me a call to expedite the claim. Shortly thereafter, I get a call from Arthur Velasquez. Velasquez represented himself as the claims representative associate who had questions (out of Bakersfied, CA Office 866.240.4819).
When I speak to Velasquez I immediately feel as though I am being interrogated. Velasquez informs me that I must force the police department to complete a full report. He also says I must admit him into my house for inspection of any damage. He says I must provide even greater detail into my items lost and he will confirm each purchase with the origonal retailer. This guy made me sick. A claims associate flipping FBI on me.
I googled Athur Velasquez. I find a long history of Special Investigations to include Arson. I immediately telephone Velasquez to determine the reason for the misrepresentation, the reason for our conversation and the reason he though he was some kind of peace officer. Velasquez was unavailable and did not return telephone calls.
At this point, I am fed up so I file a complaint with the California Department of Insurance. Doug Burke calls me (Team Manager 909-942-2347) Burke tells me that since I had a new policy and filed a claim in the first year, I have become the subject of a criminal indicator investigation. I ask why Velasquez is involved and Burke restates his position that my policy is new and I filed a claim so they were investigating.
I inform Burke that I satisfied my obligation according to the policy and felt no further action was required. Burke said I just needed to speak to Velasquez again. I informed Burke that I attempted to re-contact Velasquez and he did not return my telephone calls. I further elaborated that when I contacted the office I was told noone else could assist me. Burke assured me that Velasquez would be in touch.
Sure enough 1 hour later Velasquez calls me. I inform him of my family death situation and the fact that my girlfriend will not be engaging in any interrogation with him. I also tell him I will do whatever is required by the policy. I inform him I met the condition of notifying the authorities and they refused to respond but create and incident report telephonically. Velasquez states he is willing to take telephone deposition to which I agree. Velasquez however, refuses to proceed unless I take my detailed spreadsheet to the police and insist they create a full report. I agree on the condition that the police cooperate. They did not.
I immediately leave a message for Velasquez and Burke that the Police did not cooperate. A very fat Desk Sergeant plainly tod me he would not be able to assist me in my matter. I further elaborate that th epolicy does not distinguish between incident report and full report. It just states I must notify the authorities.
September 4 I get a letter my claim is denied. This seems to be the current modus operendi for State Farm. I am willing to support any class action litigation or mutual support cases.
These investigators are not law enforcement! They do not have the power they assume. The policy language is specific for a reason. It spells out expectations and obligations. We can't arbitrarilty change our expected benefits and the Company can't do the same for expectations during a loss.
Michael
San Jacinto, California
U.S.A.
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