Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  07/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I own a rental property that was misstreated by previous renters and gutters damaged during a winter snow storm. Stillwater canceled our policy without question or conversation about my repair plan or timeline. At no point did I or was I going to file a claim. I had plans on and have since made all necessary repairs. When I received the 30 day cancellation notice I did not receive a remaining balance check. I am still owed 9 months of my yearly premium.

  Business response

  07/08/2022

  Ms. *******, we have researched the concerns you mention in your comment with our claims department. As part of the new business process, Stillwater performs property inspections. The inspection of your property revealed several issues with the property that make it ineligible for coverage with Stillwater which is why a Cancellation Notice was issued. These reasons are detailed in the Cancellation Notice and include: the gutters are damaged, the main siding is damaged, and there is missing or peeling paint. Also, the foundation is open, there is overgrowth on the premises, and there is debris and/or personal unsecured property. The front steps are damaged, and the steps are missing a railing or railings. Your policy will cancel 7/23/22. A refund of the remaining policy premium has been credited to the credit card used to pay for the policy today. You should see that credit on your card balance within the next few business days. Thank you. 

  Customer response

  07/11/2022

  I understood the original cancelation letter Stillwater sent. What I don't understand is why they would bond coverage and take a full years payment without disclosure of underwriting policy. This havs now changed my insurance schedule off of my other policy's in turn creating a financial misstep not to mention a complete waist of time. I do hope other homeowners see my reviews so they can prepare for this mess if they so choose to make the same mistake.

  Business response

  07/13/2022

  Dear Ms. *******, the initial acceptance of your insurance application was based on the information you completed with your agent when applying. Part of that application is a set of underwriting questions. The first question is one stating you were advised that your property would be inspected to verify condition and pride of ownership of the dwelling and premises; this was answered with “Yes”. The second question asks if there is any pre-existing damage to the home, which was answered “No”. Upon inspection, we discovered pre-existing damage to the home (mentioned in our previous response) which disqualified the property from coverage with Stillwater. Rather than flat cancel your policy, we set a future cancellation date to allow you time to find suitable coverage.

• Initial Complaint

  07/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Have auto insurance policy with Stillwater. Hit a deer on 6/3/2022 and filed a claim, PR on 6/4/2022. Emailed Stillwater claims adjuster assigned to my claim on 6/18/2022 on her Stillwater email account. Myself or the body shop never received response so I called on 6/27/2022 to see the status. The adjuster hadn't even opened the estimate 9 days after receiving. Opened the estimate when I called, she said that they would cover what the dealership sent for an estimate and that she would notify the body shop and would have the check in my hands in two days. As of 7/7/2022, 19 days after the estimate was received and another 10 after I was told it was approved, still nothing after voicemails being left with adjuster and then contact emails sent to the Stillwater home website.

  Business response

  07/11/2022

  Thank you for your inquiry and please accept our apologies for the unexpected delay in handling your claim.  Auto Claim Manager *** ******** has reached out directly to you and will work with you to resolve the repairs to your vehicle.
  

  Customer response

  07/12/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  It is just unfortunate that it took contacting the BBB for action to be taken because I contacted them directly through there email and website a number of times with no response.

  Regards,

  ***** *******

   

• Initial Complaint

  07/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hi, I filed a claim last year for my roof replacement, Claim#************. I have a very very hard time in getting approval for roof replacement. I don’t see any progress from Stillwater except exchange of emails. I am feeling sick and tied of sending emails & contacting still water. Every time I reach out to them they come back saying or issue a repair without any reason even though the roof is not reparable . I tried everything I can do, but no proper response from still water. I feel very very disappointed about their approach towards me, I pay insurance to Stillwater by first week of every month :(. I am tied up and not sure who can help me to resolve this issue. I hope by filling a complaint someone will reachout to me and resolve my issue. I am expecting a reply please asap!

  Business response

  07/07/2022

  Thank you for reaching out with your concern. Your claim was filed on 2/25/22. We have checked with our claims department and found that upon initial inspection of your roof damage, it was determined that there were approximately 22 wind-damaged shingles on your roof with an estimated cost to repair totaling $854.12. Since you have a $2,000 deductible on your policy, you are required to pay for the repairs up to $2,000.  Stillwater has had a third-party service confirm your roof is repairable and does not require full replacement. Stillwater also provided four suppliers with the matching shingle in stock. Your contractor has claimed the shingle is unavailable. Stillwater will have the examiner reach out to the suppliers to confirm availability of the matching shingle. If unavailable, we will reevaluate our position. The examiner will reach out to you with the information.
  

• Initial Complaint

  06/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Property claim #******, ongoing since 2019, for property w/water damage. Independent adjuster, **** ********, downgraded necessary repairs after he became a full time employee of Stillwater. (ie. originally all flooring to be replaced downgraded to cleaning carpets only). Despite repeated threats to cut off our rental payments during the repairs, Stillwater has continued to pay our rent. However, Stillwater has not remitted our market rate differential of $699/mo since November 2021. Stillwater has unilaterally merged and closed claims they originally stipulated be filed as separate claims. We have requested that all our claims be reopened and fully funded. Due to industrial hygiene issues we have lost contractors, time, and incurred additional mitigation, cleaning and testing expenses. We expect Stillwater to reimburse us for those expenses. Stillwater accepted our original contractor's claim settlement of $148,286, and we expect this settlement to be honored and reflect current labor and material increases. Stillwater has made this 4 year process extremely difficult, burying us in paperwork and delays.

  Business response

  06/29/2022

  Thank you for your feedback. We have reviewed your claim to determine what happened. All known payments have been issued on your prior claim, and we are continuing to consider Additional Living Expenses via your open claim. We continue to pay your rent on an incurred basis. You are seeking additional payment for mold services, but the mold limit has already been paid. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  05/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On April 4 2022 a fire engine attempted to cross our bridge to put out a car fire on one of our family members' property. We own the bridge however the family member has to use the bridge as an easement to go over the river to access her home and property. The **** ***** damaged our bridge and got stuck and had to be towed off. I filed a claim with my homeowner's insurance, Stillwater, on the date of the loss, April 4. They have asked for numerous pieces of documentation to show that we own the bridge, that there was prior damage to the bridge that has since been fixed, and numerous pictures of the damage, the **** *****, etc. They sent an adjuster out to view the damage. We have since been notified by Stillwater that they are dropping our homeowner's insurance coverage effective June 2, 2022. It is now May 24 2022 and we cannot purchase new insura**e with an open claim with Stillwater. We now have 7 business days to have this claim paid and closed or we will have an insurance lapse. We have complied with every single request from Stillwater and they continue to stall us. They even suggested that the **** ********** pay for the damage to our bridge but that is the responsibility of Stillwater to subrogate the claim, not us. At this point, it is obvious that Stillwater is stalling on purpose to prevent us from obtaining another insurance policy so we will request that this claim is closed without payment. They are doing everything that they can to avoid paying out this claim. This is unacceptable and is fraudulent business activity.

  Business response

  05/26/2022

  Thank you for your feedback. We have reviewed your claim to better understand the situation.  On 3/28/22, you purchased a homeowner policy through your Stillwater agent. One week after you purchased your policy, you reported property damage to a bridge as a result of a **** ***** getting stuck on the bridge. When you first made the claim, you stated the same bridge had been damaged previously by ***** truck under your prior policy and that the fire truck then attempted to drive over the previously damaged area. As we have communicated to you, we need to ascertain what damage was preexisting at the time of the Stillwater claim and determine liability. Until we have further information, we cannot issue a payment. 

  Customer response

  05/27/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because:

  I have complied with every request for documentation. I have submitted proof that I own this bridge and have for almost 40 years. I have submitted pictures of the **** ***** stuck on the bridge and the subsequent damage. I have submitted proof via a report from the **** ********** that their truck got stuck on my bridge and damaged it. I have submitted proof that the prior damage via a ****'s delivery truck was fixed. Just because the policy was recently purchased in no way invalidates this claim.  So you are architecting a cancellation of our policy and our inability to purchase another policy by purposefully and willfully stalling the payout of this claim. The claims department can and should collaborate with the department that is cancelling our policy to request an extension. Stating that your department doesn’t have “control” is willful fraud. Stillwater is a business that has control to conduct business in a manner that it chooses to. It is choosing to cancel our policy and willfully prevent us from purchasing another policy by rejecting every single piece of documentation that we have complied to.
  
  Make no mistake I will escalate this to regulatory authorities.  You are doing this to us on purpose and I and my family will not be a victim of your purposeful business abuse. We have paid our premiums we have complied with your requests.
  
  ***** *********

  Regards,

  ******* *********

  Business response

  06/03/2022

  We have heard from the claims department today and understand you have been contacted and informed that Stillwater is moving forward based on the information we have. The adjuster has been asked to correct the estimate and payment will be issued based on that adjustment. You can reach out to the claims examiner if you have any questions. Thank you.

  Customer response

  06/06/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because: The ONLY reason that they agreed to pay out this claim is because I went over all of their heads and contacted the Vice President of claims directly. The Stillwater employees in the claim department handling this claim are rude, incompetent and didn't even recognize an official government document (Plat) with the state seal of ** on it as valid. It's pathetic really. It wasn't our fault that a ****'s delivery truck damaged the bridge back in Nov. of 2021 and it also wasn't our fault that a **** ***** also damaged our bridge a few months later and only a few weeks after we purchased the policy. The claim was valid but we were treated every step of the way such that we were attempting to commit insurance fraud. The process unnecessarily protracted, the communication disjointed and unprofessional. We complied with every single request for documentation yet were instructed to continue to "forward paperwork." whatever that means. They looked for every single reason that they could attempt to find to not pay out this claim. 

  I'm glad Stillwater has dropped us since I was able to purchase a policy with an insurance company that won't require that I contact their senior executives just to get a claim paid out. 

  Regards,

  ******* *********

• Initial Complaint

  05/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  APRIL 2022, I have my home and auto insurance through Stillwater Insurance company, my car won't start, I called the dealership/service to complain and they towed it in. I was told to the issue with the car was electrical damage by a rodent and I had to notify my insurance company. Its been over 2 weeks going back and forth with Stillwater insurance agents and adjuster, they refused to cover the bill from the dealership and insist that I tow it to another unauthorized roadside mechanic or I cover the cost but they won't pay what the dealership- who are authorized Mercedes Benz mechanics and electricians for the repairs. i have been insulted and yelled out and even told "you can go the legal route if you want to but we won't cover the cost that is being quoted. I am left stranded in the middle of this.

  Customer response

  05/10/2022

  Claim number: ************: In April 2022, my car suffered rodent damage to the wiring, it wouldn't start, I called Merceds Benz and complained and they towed it into the Mercedes Benz dealership and service shop. I was told about the problem after they examined the car at Mercedes Benz dealership (where I purchased the car from). I was told to contact my insurance as this was an insurance problem. When I contacted Stillwater insurance to file a claim, I sent them the same pictures that I had received from Mercedes Benz. ****** ****** was assigned as my adjuster. I finally got in touch with him and he told me "Mercedes sent a ridiculous amount and we will not cover what they are asking for, we will cover only $5000 for the repairs." His supervisor *** ******* told me the same thing, saying "Mercedes benz quote was three times the amount that their adjuster came up with." Both men traumatized me by yelling at me and refusing to pay, they also insisted that "I should tow the car to a random shop to get a proper estimate since Mercedes Benz is not working with them." I have been distressed, my blood pressure is super high and have been having sleepless nights because of this battle between Stillwater Insurance and Mercedes benz. Tim also said to me " I don't care if you take legal actions, if you insist that Mercedes Benz should fix it, then you have to pay the balance, we will only pay $5,000 for the repairs." I have never missed a payment since I switched to Stillwater insurance, now I am treated unfairly and cruelly. I just want this resolved and that Mercedes benz should fix my car. I have currently switched our home insurance and other auto insurance from Stillwater to State farm because of this fraudulent behavior that Stillwater insurance has exhibited. They cannot be trusted. They have refused to take my calls nor respond to my emails.

  Business response

  05/11/2022

  Thank you for your feedback. We have inquired into the issues you are having with your vehicle repair. Due to an issue with the unsupported labor repair time quoted by the Mercedes-Benz dealer, Stillwater has obtained two appraisals, completed by two different vendors. Both appraisal services felt the 80 hours of repair time that the Mercedes-Benz dealer quoted you was unreasonable and unsupported. We attempted to reach a resolution with the dealer, but they declined to adjust their estimate or to provide documentation supporting their hours of repair. As of 5/10/2022, a letter has been sent to you advising you of your options and the amount Stillwater will pay. This letter states Stillwater will pay the amount of the highest estimate we received (from NCS), less your comprehensive deductible; this estimate is significantly less than what Mercedes has estimated with half the labor hours necessary to complete the repairs. We have included the estimate with the letter for your review. You have three options going forward: you can pay the difference between NCS & Mercedes, have the vehicle moved to another repair facility, or invoke the appraisal clause within your policy. The letter provides more information on the appraisal clause of your policy. Stillwater has made multiple attempts to work with the dealer – who is your shop of choice. The claims manager assigned to your claim has exchanged emails with you and the shop contact on 5/10/2022, specifically seeking the documentation to support the labor hours allotted by your shop. Stillwater has not received a response. We have acted in good faith to provide the coverage to repair your vehicle. Your claims manager is available to answer any further questions you may have.

• Initial Complaint

  03/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My house was set on fire November 2020 and I filed a claim and they said a company name ******** **** ******* to boarded up the house and they told me and my wife they where there to repair the house and when we told the insurance adjuster at the time that the contractor didn’t have the man power and he told us to find another contractor and every contractor we found didn’t do any work so we can get back into the house. I had talk to other people who did insurance claim they said they supposed to find the contractor not us but they didn’t tell us that. The insurance adjuster Mr. ***** ***** told my wife that we need to be out of the rental property my the end of April 2022. And when we try to contact Mr. ***** he doesn’t answer the phone or return phone call.

  Business response

  03/24/2022

  Dear Mr. ******,

  We have reviewed the file. To date, Stillwater has paid more than $461,000 on this claim to provide temporary housing, board up service and repairs to your home. Stillwater arranged for you to be in 3 hotel rooms from the date of loss on 11/9/2020 through 11/17/2020 at which time our vendor had arranged for a long-term housing solution while the repairs were completed on the home. This long-term housing began 11/16/2020 and is approved through 4/22/2022. Your policy allows for temporary housing (Additional Living Expense) for the shortest, adequate amount of time to complete repairs.  Stillwater has allowed almost fifteen months of temporary housing for the repairs to be completed.  This is an adequate amount of time for repairs to be completed, had you not voided contracts with two contractors, causing delays in the repair process. We understand you have most recently hired a third contractor mid-February 2022.

  Stillwater is not mandated to provide you with a contractor. This has been communicated to you and your spouse throughout this process. ******** **** ******* was for a board up only, not a repair. The payment of $17,989.15 for temporary board up was issued on 2/19/2021 and sent directly to ******** **** ******* for their completed work.  Stillwater sent payments for the dwelling repair directly to you, for you to hire a contractor of your choosing. We issued the actual cash value payment to you on 2/3/2021 in the amount of $159,573.30 and issued two supplemental payments on 7/29/2021 ($45,779.12), and 1/12/2022 ($16,054.26). These payments were sent to you, with both you and your spouse and the mortgage company named.

  Our records indicate numerous phone calls between Mr. *****, you and your spouse. We have had several phone calls with the property claims supervisor, the contents adjuster and you and your spouse reiterating information about your claim. In short, we have provided substantial payments for temporary housing and repair of your home over 15 months and in that time, you have received the payments without securing a contractor to complete the work on your home. You have been provided with adequate time to repair the home. With the temporary long-term housing expiring 4/22/2022, we understand you are faced with a deadline. As stated earlier, your policy allows for Additional Living Expense for the shortest, adequate amount of time to complete the repairs. Stillwater has provided adequate time for this process. 
  
  

  Business response

  03/30/2022

  Stillwater is not mandated to provide you with a contractor. This has been communicated to you and your spouse throughout this process for the past 15 months. You have hired three contractors and fired two. This was your decision. We have provided more than $461,000 for temporary housing and repair of your home over the last 15 months. You have received the payments without securing a contractor to complete the work on your home. This is not the fault of the insurance company. Your temporary long-term housing will expire on 4/22/2022 and we will not be granting an extension.

  Customer response

  03/31/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because: I don’t see Stillwater paying over $400,000.00 for temporary housing for that much the house is not that much and we still haven’t got paid for all of our contents, I’m still waiting for the payment for my watch and my wife haven’t got everything that they inventory we got the run around from Stillwater and there adjuster, the adjuster Mr. ***** ***** don’t answer his phone or return phone call the contractor also stated that they been trying to contact him and wasn’t able to the inspector had to email him and I also emailed him and didn’t get no reply. They can take your payment but you can’t get the service you pay for.

  Regards,

  ***** ******

• Initial Complaint

  03/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had a flood occur at *** ****** ****** on August 5, 2021 from a water main that burst through the floor creating a massive slab leak at approximately 8 AM. Within the day I was assigned to an insurance adjuster named **** ********. They approved my claim as the water main that day as the water that physically busted through the floor was not my fault - however from the moment that the insurance claim was approved he refused to answer any and all calls from me or my lawyer. **** ******** and his upper management refused to disperse funds to me but instead dispersed funds without my consent to a contents company knowing there was an issue of lagality - this was without my knowledge and without my agreement. **** and his upper management have continued to refuse/ignore and deny any and all calls and emails as well as my Hired lawyers calls and emails all the while still charging the insurance fees monthly up until now knowing that the insurance claim and my move out date was August 6, 2021 it is currently March 15, 2022 . **** and still water insurance has continually tried to wear me down and has complete disregard for my losses that I have suffered. he has refused to pay anyone for my loss except for the contents company without my agreement. - this company must be stopped please help me.

  Business response

  03/17/2022

  Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry you were unhappy with the service Stillwater provided you in conjunction with your claim. I would like to take a moment to respond to your comments.
  
  You are correct in that Stillwater did issue payment to the contents handling company on your behalf. You signed a work authorization with the contents company agreeing to direct payment, and as they completed the contents handling and storage services, you/we are obligated to pay them for their services. Records show we advised you via written communication of the payment, including a copy of the corresponding invoice for your records. Also, Stillwater did provide temporary accommodations for you during the entire time you were displaced from the loss property because of this event.
  
  Our records show that Stillwater was not informed that you did not return to the insured property. We checked with our Customer Service Department and there is no record of you having called us to cancel your policy or move coverage to another address.  Your premium was not billed monthly, but annually and our records show your policy expired on 03/12/2022.
  
  Regarding your personal property loss, required documentation to support your claim was mailed to you on August 5, 2021 advising you had 60 days to complete and return it to us. This documentation was necessary to determine coverage and determine a value of the covered damage you would be claiming. Reminder letters were mailed to you on six separate occasions, over a five months period, advising you of the outstanding documentation. Despite the reminders and numerous extensions, the required documentation was not received by our office.
  
  As all other payments had been issued, and since you failed to return the required documentation, your claim was closed on January 5, 2022. We are sorry were not satisfied with the handling of your claim, however our records show that you were afforded the available coverage under your policy.   

  Customer response

  03/18/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because: no papers were sent to the proper address ? You resent them to the home that flooded and I had no access to it at all - I did not receive proof of loss  forms. You knew I wasn’t living there as the flood damages were so bad but continued my policy?  . You refused to answer any emails or calls from me or my lawyer until the bbb got ahold of you. You wouldn’t answer me or my attorney ever ! . I never signed anything to dispurse funds To the contents company. You’re lying ! and basically purposely wore me down over months of calling with no answer. And then closed my case ? Where was this mail sent to ? My address that flooded and that I could not go back to? This is not fair I lost half of my belongings in they flood and did not receive a DIME!  that flood and Stillwater destroyed my life - you played games constantly by not answering any correspondence- sending papers to the address that I lost access to on the date of my claim - I specifically said do not  do not disperse funds to the contents company !!! 

  Regards,

  ***** ***** ********

  Business response

  03/21/2022

  As stated in our previous response, we have extensive documentation of our correspondence with you via phone, mail and email while attempting to handle your claim. The file is noted each time we email, hold a phone call and send mail. As a policy holder you have responsibilities to provide requested information for us to review. We can only act based on information provided by our policyholders.

  
  On 8/5/2021 we advised you by mail and email, you had 60 days to complete and return the proof of loss documents to us. The email was sent to *********************** which is the same email that we received correspondence from you. Despite 6 reminder letters and numerous extensions exceeding the 60-day requirement, the documentation was never received by our office. Without this required documentation, our adjuster was not able to determine what the coverage would be nor the value of covered damage you would be claiming.

  
  Mail was sent to the loss property because we were not notified of an alternative address. No mail forwarding was set up through the US Postal Service either. Stillwater provided temporary accommodations until you advised you no longer required them, which was September 26, 2021. You did not notify us you had moved to another apartment permanently. Our expectation would be you would inform us of a new address.

  
  In addition to providing temporary accommodations, we released a payment to the contents company because the work authorization signed by your attorney, ****** *******, specifically authorized us to pay that company directly. We will gladly provide a copy of the work authorization to you.

  
  In regard to attorney phone calls, the claim examiner participated in a phone call with you and your attorney on 11/19/21. That is the only call received from a reported attorney. Stillwater never received a letter of representation from any attorney.

  
  We did not close your claim prematurely. Our records indicate we made more than a good faith effort to assist you with the claim as is our goal with all our valued customers. Stillwater paid out $21,000 on this claim.  Since you failed to provide the required documentation to show the value of other possible damage coverage, your claim was closed on January 5, 2022 six months after our initial request for proof of loss documents. We are sorry you were not satisfied with the handling of your claim, however our records show that you were afforded the available coverage under your policy.   

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We were on our vacation in Jan. Our son went in and out and checked the new house every once in a while. It was a freezing weather in East Coast around the 01/17. The pipe burst and caused a water damage from the basement ceiling/wall and the area in the kitchen and bedroom. On 01/21, the firemen came in through the window to shut off the water and power. By the end of Jan, we went to the house then saw a note at the door. I called Stillwater and they gave me a claim# ************. 4 days later, a field adjuster came. She mentioned we have enough oil, the temperature is set to 60 and our son goes in and out, and it's highly recommend that the mitigation should be done by contractors referred by the insurance company. "Mitigation is needed" will in her report. None of the company contacted me. I called in, DA asked for the cause of loss. The plumber came to my house on 02/12 and I sent an invoice with detail. "Tech inspected for leaks and found a heat loop pipe that blew apart. It's possible the pro-press fitting defected and blew off or froze. This most likely caused a loss of heat and the house froze up while the homeowner was on vacation". On 02/22, I and the mitigation team called DA supervisor and told her that we started to put some dehumidifiers to dry out the house and we need to know if I am covered and we could move on. Her response is that it's my obligation to have the home fixed. Well, it's their due diligences. They sent an engineer to my house on 02/24 and said this is the last waiting item. The engineer checked the electrical systems and opened up the wall and found a burst pipe. No update until today, 03/06. I paid for the insurance with my dollars which have an upper hand, not fake currency and they have agreed to the contract which is an obligation for them to follow and fulfill. Their delay in addressing the claim is imposing additional cost on our emotional and monetary. We might have a public PA and/or attorney to start looking into this claim.

  Business response

  03/16/2022

  Thank you for your feedback. I have reviewed your claim to determine what happened. We have completed a thorough review of the timeline since you filed the claim on 10/27/21. You provided us with an initial contractor estimate at the end of December that predated the date of loss and included repairs outside the scope of loss as well and undamaged areas of the home. At that time, we advised we would require further review of the claim and estimated repairs with more details from your contractor. Stillwater’s adjuster’s supplemental report was dependent on your contractor responding to him in a timely manner. Upon receipt of the revised report, a supplemental payment was sent on 2/28/2022, which has resolved the claim. Upon review of all the information provided to date and after careful review of your policy and all applicable endorsements our records show that we completed a timely and efficient investigation of the loss; and provided coverage for the warranted repairs necessary to restore the dwelling to the pre-loss condition.

• Initial Complaint

  02/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Stillwater is not providing a fair assessment and reimbursement for the cost of repair for water damage. Prior to starting the work, I asked for several quotes from contractors to repair what I thought to be a leak under the tub. That work required: 1. demo of tub and tile 2. making the area water tight 3. retile of the tub area The contractor I employed gave the best quoted price ($16,000) for the limited scope of work. A couple of contractors interviewed would take the job unless I wanted the entire bathroom redone. The employed contractor was willing to change the tub to a walk-in shower at no additional cost. Given my initial thought that it was a leak at the tub connection, this seems like the safer option. When the tub and tile was removed, it was found that the leak was extensive and there was significant water damage, It extended under the subfloor half way across the bathroom, into the walls half way across the bathroom and behind the wall and floor of the shower pipes, It required removing the flooring tile, vanity, and dry wall to expose the extent of the damage. The sheer wall studs were so rotten, the integrity of that wall was in question. The additional work as a result of the discovery was retiling of the bathroom floor, removal and replacement of wall studs, replacement of dry wall, and paint - basically redoing the entire bathroom. The new cost would be $26,000. This doesn't include the finish materials and was less than the quote from the two contractors who wouldn't do the job without a complete remodel. Stillwater says the entire cost of repair from the water damage is less than $10,000. The difference is astounding, given the initial scope of work was more than that amount. Their behavior seems in line with how all of the media coverage has portrayed some insurance companies.

  Business response

  02/24/2022

  Hello Mr. ****,
  
  Following our initial assessment of your loss, you submitted several estimates for consideration. Our process is to review those estimates to ensure they include the necessary repairs to restore the dwelling the to the pre loss condition and nothing more. As you stated in your email, some of those estimates included a full remodel of the bathrooms, meaning they included repairs outside of the scope of the loss. We have been working with the adjuster to review your estimates and revise our estimate to include any repair items that may have been missed initially. We recently received that estimate and will be issuing you a supplemental payment.
  
  As for your demand of a flat payment, we are unable to consider it. Your policy coverage is based upon the actual cost to restore the dwelling to the pre-loss condition.
  
  We will be in touch shortly with information regarding the revised repair estimate and our supplemental payment amount.

  Customer response

  02/26/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because:

  Stillwater continues to use stall tactics and want to hinge their argument on my original quote having alterations, despite the fact that my contractor told me the cost is no different than repair. The detail of the timeline is as follows:

  1.  10/27/21 claim opened. I reached out to Stillwater prior to this date and there was concerted effort on the part of Stillwater to discourage me from filing a claim. The reasoning was that I had a high deductible ($5000) and that they didn't think what I described was covered. 

  2. 12/13/21 Stillwater closes claim, sends check

  3. 12/28/21 After discussions, sent quote to Stillwater.

  4. 1/5/21 email sent to Stillwater asking whether they have received the quote because there was no response.

  5. 1/18/22 email sent asking Stillwater progress.

  6. 2/13/22 still no response so sent another email.

  7. 2/14/22 email received saying they will get back to me in the next few days. 

  8. 2/23/22 still no response, complaint sent to BBB

  9. 2/25/22 Stillwater responds through BBB by saying they will send update soon

  I will hire an independent adjuster to evaluate the cost. I will also ask for quotes just for repair for the bathroom across the hall with the exact same finishes and dimensions except that it is the mirror image. Those will serve as my comparison whether Stillwater has been using every way possible to lowball and not reach a fair settlement.

  Regards,

  ******* ****

  Business response

  03/01/2022

  Thank you for your feedback. We disagree with your assessment that we are using stall tactics. The delay in getting the supplemental report was dependent on your contractor responding to our requests. This did not happen in a timely manner. Once we received the revised report, we promptly issued a supplemental payment on 2/28/22 which has resolved this claim. Upon review of all the information provided to date and after careful review of your policy, our records show that we completed a timely and efficient investigation of the loss; and provided coverage for the warranted repairs necessary to restore the dwelling to pre-loss condition. Thank you. 

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