In February I hired Dirk DeWitt of DeWitt Construction to frame my house. I was acting as the General Manager for all construction. (I have over 30 years experience.) Prior to hiring him, one of my requirements were that all contractors MUST be insured. So Mr DeWitt produced a Certificate of Insurance' to me from DeWitt Construction, issued by Farm Bureau Insurance Co. Of North Vernon, Indiana.
While Mr DeWitt was constructing my home, I noticed some costly mistakes that he and his one man' crew was making. So I called Farm Bureau to file a complaint. I asked them (Mr Jeff Wettrick) to come down or send over an adjuster for a claim. That never happened.
Fact is, Jeff called Dirk and told him about this and Dirk was so mad that the next morning he cursed me out like a mad man'. I asked what was wrong and Dirk told me that Jeff and himself are cousins and Jeff called him and told him (Dirk) about Jeff & my conversation. Dirk then loaded up his pick up truck with my OSB board and drove around the job site slinging out the 4' x 8' sheets, busting them up. At the time, I paid over $17 per sheet for them. Along with other damages Dirk did that day, it totaled up over $400. That was the last time I saw Dirk. He left about a half hour later (which was still only 9am) and Dirk never came back.
He left my job and went to another one, would not answer my phone calls and 2 weeks later I finally took the hint and figured out that he quit.
So once again, I called Jeff @ Farm Bureau Ins. To come down himself or send an adjuster to assess the damages to my property. But once again nothing took place. Finally I was told by Farm Bureau's adjuster (Larry Jones) that I did not have a claim and to (in more or less words) go take a hike!
Well to make this a little short, 6 months and almost $12,000 later, Larry finally agreed that I had a claim and offered me $198 for full and final compensation. And this was based on this:
1) A Farm Bureau representative NEVER set foot on my property / job site.
2) Farm Bureau NEVER discussed any matter of damages with me.
3) I have digital and conventional photos to show (and prove) damages done by Dirk. I even have photos of Dirk while he's doing the damages, but Farm Bureau REFUSES to look at them. They act like they don't even exist.
4) Larry & Jeff called (cousin) Dirk and asked him about these issues and based their offer to me on Dirk's word and account of what happened.
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