Very odd phone call from my insurance co (homeowner's)

[Kathleen in VA]

Some lady who says she is from my insurance company (the caller id said so as well) just called and said she's going to be stopping by tomorrow at 9am to measure our property. She also says she wants to come inside and look at the kitchen flooring and bathroom flooring. She says it is to be able to know how much it will cost to rebuild if the house burns. Also, she asks me if this is a rental or if we live here. Um, we've lived here 20 years - don't they know that already????

 

What the ding-dong is going on? Is this something I should be concerned about?

Edited November 18, 2010 by Kathleen in VA
left out a word

[Mary in VA]

That's very weird! I would call your insurance company and make sure she is who she says she is. If so I would want someone higher up the chain to explain WHY they are doing this. Sounds flakey to me!

 

Mary

[Sophia]

 

What the ding-dong is going on? Is this something I should be concerned about?

 

Well I would be!

We know our insurance agent so I would be comfortable with him stopping by, however, if a random person from his office called, I would verify with my agent before I allowed anyone in my house.

[H.S. Burrow]

Some lady who says she is from my insurance company (the caller id said so as well) just called and said she's going to be stopping by tomorrow at 9am to measure our property. She also says she wants to come inside and look at the kitchen flooring and bathroom flooring. She says it is to be able to know how much it will cost to rebuild if the house burns. Also, she asks me if this is a rental or if we live here. Um, we've here 20 years - don't they know that already????

 

What the ding-dong is going on? Is this something I should be concerned about?

 

 

I would not trust your caller id in this instance. We have had psishing calls that HAD the name of the bank show up on our caller id. Luckily, we did not have any accounts at that bank, so we knew it was not a legitimate call.

 

Call your insurance company and verify this. It sounds that it could be a scam. We had a pipe burst and had to replace all of our floors. The adjuster came out once to take measurements. They did not make a return visit to verify the work was complete.

 

Why would they need to know this anyway? You may decide to redecorate next year!!!

[SproutMamaK]

It's entirely possible it's legit.

 

Sometimes insurance companies change their standards to be mroe exacting. Before it may have been enough for them to know the general square footage of your house, etc, for rebuilding costs. But after years they've realized that, should the house burn down, what type of flooring they'll be expected to replace, etc, will have a large bearing on their costs whould be there be a claim. They're reassessing to make sure they have your home reated properly. I've reassessed homes myself, but have ALWAYS been able to do so over the phone, simply by asking what type of flooring they had. A few times, for new customers we've had to send someone out to double check all the info, but certainly not if someone's been a client for more than a year or two.

 

That being said, I can think of no reason that they would need to measure your property, unless you're on a rural property and are insuring any income you get from the land (ie, hobby or full-time farming). With the exception of income from farming, insurance companies don't insure the land, as the land will remain even shoudl the whole house burn down. The size of your lot should have no bearing on your policy. I suppose it's possbile the company's underwriters/statisticians have determined that homes with a certain property size are more susceptible to loss or damage, but I've not yet heard of a company that puts people is separate rating categories for it.

 

In short, from someone who did this for a living - possible, but still weird. It could be done over the phone, and the land thing is just OFF. I'd call your broker and ask some questions, such as if this person is real and why it's necessary in the first place, just to inform yourself.

(Note that the responsibility for any typos in here lies with the toddler on my lap.) ;)

[i.love.lucy]

Sounds very strange to me. I know if you moved and were taking out new insurance on a new residence they would come out to make an initial visit to make sure the property they are insuring actually exists. In the case of a new purchase they typically will ask for the appraisers report that is used to verify the value for the mortgage. So they will know what kind of flooring is there, etc. I have NEVER had an agent come inside, but I would suppose that would be okay, not abnormal.

 

But after being there 20 years? Strange. If you call your agents office directly they should be able to confirm or deny this visit, and what the purpose is. I'd sure want that info before allowing a stranger into my house!

[TN Mama]

We recently received a letter from our insurance company letting us know that they would be by to check out the property (from the outside). I'm assuming they'll check to see if we have outside storage or a trampoline or something along those lines? There were several questions on the form as well, like - are you ever away from home for more than 30 days at a time.

[Tap]

Yep, call. Even if you said yes this morning, I would tell them 'I changed my mind and you will have to come back once I verify it personally with my agent' and send them away. Do not allow them to try and give you an alternate number to call. It is your land, and you have the right to verify who they are before you allow them on it. Have the phone in your hand when you tell them to shoo and let them know you will call the police if they don't leave ASAP.

 

 

Sending someone to measure the property is definitely suspicious. How will they know where the property markers are? Is it a survey crew? Even on a city lot, there are not always obvious markers available to know exactly where one lot starts, one ends.

 

The lot size should be on file with the county, on the deed, and many, many other places that are available to the public. There would be no reason for someone to just come by to casually measure it.

 

I suspect if they are truly sending someone out, it isn't about the measuring, they are looking for something else and just want to have access to all of your property. Looking for pools, trampolines, or anything else that could be used to raise your rates. Even things like brush around a house increases fire risk.

 

NOPE, I would not allow some random person to just stop by and give them access to my home. Looking at flooring gives them access to the entire house and measuring the land gives the access to the entire outdoor area....very suspect to me.

[elegantlion]

Suspicious, but possible. Please let us know too. I'd like to know if insurance companies are truly scrutinizing properties in that detail. My parents have had the same insurance company for over 40 years, 15 at the same house. They did remark something about wanting to check the age and condition of their furnace and AC. :001_huh:, which I thought was extremely odd.

 

As a former underwriting assistant, it's quite possible they are combing back through long term policies and finding ways to exclude certain things. All in an attempt to cover fewer claims or maintain that they are not covering homes in poor condition. Okay, I'll leave my opinion about insurance out of it. :glare: So, it's possible they are looking at certain policies, but I would not allow anyone on your property without your agent confirming this is legit.

[Kathleen in VA]

I called my insurance agent and got his answering machine - I really hate answering machines. Anyway, I decided to call the number left on the caller id and the same lady answered, "Hello." She didn't say Nationwide Insurance or anything giving me a clue she's with the insurance co. Then I asked if she had called earlier as I just wanted to verify that she was the same individual I had already spoken to. She said yes. Then I told her that I was just a little concerned because I couldn't understand why, after 20 years in the same house and 27 years with the same insurance co. and agent, did they need to come out now? She just said they were doing all the houses in my county - that she goes to about 9 houses a day - and that this was just something they were doing now. I expressed my confusion again about why after 20 years - I mean, why not before now? Just seems odd. She said I could call my agent to verify and I told her I had tried but got the machine and decided to call her instead. Then she said, "You can leave a message and your agent will call you back." OK, maybe I was a little on edge, but that just kind of struck me as patronizing to the max. As if I don't know how the whole leave a message on an answering machine thing works. I told her yes, I know that - I'm not an idiot.

 

Well, then she starts getting all testy and saying if I don't want her to come just say so. Good grief!!! I then asked for her name again and she says her first name. I ask for her last name and she seems very hesitant to give it to me, but does.

 

I then try to appeal to her common sense. How would she feel if some strange person called her and said they were coming over the next day to look at her bathroom floor? I mean, seriously, wouldn't she be a little wary and cautious? Give me a break!

 

Well, she had no sympathy for me and just repeated the "if you don't want me to come just say so" line. I just said, "Thank you" and hung up. Geesh.

 

I called my agent back and left a message asking him to verify the whole thing and also to let him know this lady acted rudely to me.

 

Do most people not have a problem with this? I mean, to me, it is highly irregular. A complete stranger identifies herself as working with my insurance company and announces she's coming to my house the next day to check out my flooring. Wouldn't you be a little surprised, intrigued, confused, concerned, wanting to know why, etc., etc., etc.?

[lionfamily1999]

I'd call the office and verify it was them. There are web sites that let you change the number and name that shows up on caller id.

[Journey]

I work for the company where you are in good hands and we don't do that. We do go and look at the outsides of peoples houses but not the inside. I would call.

[joannqn]

Definitely call and verify it. Even if it is legitimate, be wary.

 

Our PREVIOUS insurance company pulled this kind of thing. They wanted to know how the house was built, what kind of flooring, what kind of windows, what kind of heating, what the walls were made of, etc. to assess rebuilding costs. Well, we had a 90 year old house. We had wood siding, vinyl and carpeting, wood wrapped windows on the first floor and vinyl windows on the second floor, lathe and plaster downstairs and drywall upstairs, and forced air on the first floor and cadet heating on the second floor. This was because the upstairs was attic space that was later converted. They determined the rebuilding cost of building it exactly the same way. What moron would rebuild the house using both lathe and plaster and drywall, using both wood-wrapped windows and vinyl, etc. They came up with a figure $100,000 over the market value of the house, which was only $150,000 or so at the time, and increased our rates to go with their new figure. We found a new mortgage company with a little more common sense.

[AFwife Claire]

Definitely call and verify it. Even if it is legitimate, be wary.

 

Our PREVIOUS insurance company pulled this kind of thing. They wanted to know how the house was built, what kind of flooring, what kind of windows, what kind of heating, what the walls were made of, etc. to assess rebuilding costs. Well, we had a 90 year old house. We had wood siding, vinyl and carpeting, wood wrapped windows on the first floor and vinyl windows on the second floor, lathe and plaster downstairs and drywall upstairs, and forced air on the first floor and cadet heating on the second floor. This was because the upstairs was attic space that was later converted. They determined the rebuilding cost of building it exactly the same way. What moron would rebuild the house using both lathe and plaster and drywall, using both wood-wrapped windows and vinyl, etc. They came up with a figure $100,000 over the market value of the house, which was only $150,000 or so at the time, and increased our rates to go with their new figure. We found a new mortgage company with a little more common sense.

 

Yes, USAA did this exact thing with us maybe a year ago. (Well, we don't have a 90 year old house, with those issues!) But they sent someone to take pictures and measurements to make sure their rebuilding costs were accurate. Then they used what they came up with to raise our rates incredibly. My dh was VERY displeased, and he had many heated conversations with them about how ridiculous the numbers were that they came up with. Finally they knocked it down some, but we still were highly annoyed.

 

So yes, legitimate insurance companies do this, but I would not trust their motives! Look for higher rates soon, ones that have nothing to do with real prices in your market.

[Kathleen in VA]

Yes, USAA did this exact thing with us maybe a year ago. (Well, we don't have a 90 year old house, with those issues!) But they sent someone to take pictures and measurements to make sure their rebuilding costs were accurate. Then they used what they came up with to raise our rates incredibly. My dh was VERY displeased, and he had many heated conversations with them about how ridiculous the numbers were that they came up with. Finally they knocked it down some, but we still were highly annoyed.

 

So yes, legitimate insurance companies do this, but I would not trust their motives! Look for higher rates soon, ones that have nothing to do with real prices in your market.

 

Lovely.:tongue_smilie:

[Hypatia.]

If it were me, I would call the number on my policy for questions, not the one on the caller ID. Maybe I'm a little overly suspicious, but that just sounds odd!

[TheReader]

I would call the non-emergency police number in your area and ask if there have been any reports of scams, break-ins, daytime home thefts, etc. and explain what happened. If it's a scam and she's already victimized people in your area, the police are likely to know.

 

and I'd definitely not let her on my property without confirming directly with my agent. The fact she says "if you don't want me to come, just say so" seems suspicious to me -- if your insurance company NEEDED to do this, I doubt you could get out of it so easily, ya know?

[wapiti]

Yes, USAA did this exact thing with us maybe a year ago. (Well, we don't have a 90 year old house, with those issues!) But they sent someone to take pictures and measurements to make sure their rebuilding costs were accurate. Then they used what they came up with to raise our rates incredibly. My dh was VERY displeased, and he had many heated conversations with them about how ridiculous the numbers were that they came up with. Finally they knocked it down some, but we still were highly annoyed.

 

So yes, legitimate insurance companies do this, but I would not trust their motives! Look for higher rates soon, ones that have nothing to do with real prices in your market.

 

Thanks for the warning (we have USAA but this hasn't happened to us - yet - knock on wood. Though we have been taking other financial business elsewhere lately because USAA hasn't tried hard enough.)

[MyBlueLobsters]

Weird that she didn't answer with the name of your insurance co. I'd be suspicious. Let us know what your insurance guy says!

[mom2abcd]

 

Well, then she starts getting all testy and saying if I don't want her to come just say so.

 

I would call her back and tell her since she offered not to come, you'll take her up on it!

[HRAAB]

When I worked as an underwriter, we would occasionally have homes inspected: this was usually after a major remodel, though. The arrangements would always be made through the agent. If you have guaranteed replacement cost on your policy, it is important that the insurance company has your home insured to value in case of a major fire.

 

I would be very concerned about the call as you described it. Contact your local agent (if you have one locally), and make sure this is indeed a legitimate inspection. We've had scams in our area where people were posing as inspectors, so be very careful.

[Jean in Newcastle]

She may not actually work directly for your insurance company. She may work as a free-lance contractor who is hired specifically to do just the inspections. That would explain why she answered her phone the way she did. I would want to know what the ramifications would be if you refused to let her inspect your property.

[FaithManor]

I had a free-lance worker for our insurance company call once and wanted to "drop by" any time between oh 8.am. and 3 p.m. no set appointment, just waste your whole day waiting on her. I called her supervisor and told her that since I don't routinely let strangers wander around my house, she'd need three forms of photo i.d. and I wanted a copy of her federal background check since my children would be home or, if they preferred, they could send my agent whom I know quite well and is a lovely, lovely person.

 

They sent my agent and at a specified and mutually agreed upon time too!

 

Oh and when we set up our building inspections, I told the secretary, who was not being very flexible with the scheduling, that she could either agree to an appointment when DH would be home because I wasn't having strange men asking questions of my homeschooled kids. She hastily gave us a mutually satisfactory appointment and the building inspectors were practically apologetic and about as nice and demure as they could be throughout the whole visit!

 

Pssst....I bet you all didn't know I could be so difficult!

 

Faith

[Kathleen in VA]

I called the sheriff's non-emergency number and the dispatcher is having a deputy contact me. I still haven't heard back from my insurance agent. The longer I sit here, the more frustrated I'm getting. I just felt like this lady was not telling me everything - even if she is legit - she seemed to be hiding something. I don't like it. Not one bit.:glare:

[ealedger]

I would say, "No thank you."

[Tammyla]

I'd call her back and say, "Don't come, I've changed my mind."

 

I called the sheriff's non-emergency number and the dispatcher is having a deputy contact me. I still haven't heard back from my insurance agent. The longer I sit here, the more frustrated I'm getting. I just felt like this lady was not telling me everything - even if she is legit - she seemed to be hiding something. I don't like it. Not one bit.:glare:

[holdoll]

I agree with pp, take her up on her offer not to come.

[Kathleen in VA]

Ok, my agent called and was very, very nice and explained that yes, this inspector lady is legit. She said she was sorry for the inspector's rudeness and that if I don't want her coming in the house that was perfectly fine. I told her what kind of floors we have and she is going to call the inspector and tell her not to come in the house. She also said it was perfectly fine for me to be concerned and that I was not over-reacting at all and that she understood my point of view completely. Whew! I'm glad that's over.

[Tess in the Burbs]

well if it's the same insurance company as my mom it's legit.

 

they were in the middle of painting their house when they got a call from insurance saying they canceled their insurance! Apparently the insurance people came by the house on a day they weren't painting. Half the house had been sprayed to remove previous paint and half wasn't done yet. They said with peeling paint it was a fire hazard and they canceled insurance.

 

My mom was ready to go with a new company but my stepdad called and had them come out to see it finished to prove it wasn't always like that. He said they are doing this more often now so they aren't insuring dumps and places with high risk of claims :confused:

 

so i would call and get more info directly like person's name coming out but apparently it is more common to see this happening now.

[Kathleen in VA]

I would be suspicious, too, and I would verify. That said, I have a friend who does *exactly* this job as a part timer for an insurance company. It is "piece work"--he gets paid for each house he does, and darn little, I might add. (Not saying anything about YOUR response here--ti's just a really low paid job). The company doesn't give him a phone or car or anything--so it is his home phone he uses.

 

But I would totally be verifying, like you are.

 

He probably realizes, though, that he needs to be nice to be people even though they may not trust him to be who he says he is right away. It would have been nice if this lady could have at least acknowledged that her inviting herself over to inspect my bathroom floor was rather random and that the average person might be somewhat cautious and wary with a phone call like that. She seemed to think she was entitled to just announce her arrival with less than 24 hours notice and seemed astonished that I felt a need to verify her legitimacy.

[Melissa in NC]

I just purchased this house and they sent someone out to look around. This is my 4th home and the first time someone stopped by.

[mcconnellboys]

I would have questioned her at length when she called and I'd certainly call back and ask them what is going on....

[In The Great White North]

I called her supervisor and told her that since I don't routinely let strangers wander around my house, she'd need three forms of photo i.d. and I wanted a copy of her federal background check since my children would be home or, if they preferred, they could send my agent whom I know quite well and is a lovely, lovely person.

 

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

[Robin M]

I used to work for USAA and there isn't anything suspicious about inspecting the house. This is done periodically and they used a private inspection company. Many times you can just fill out a form and they will re-evaluate the building costs. Cost to rebuild does go up over the years and you just have to make sure you agree with the costs they come up with. You do want to make sure that in case your house is totalled, it is rebuilt in it's entirety. Which room would you want to live without? I'm surprised they took this long to check the value of your house. If it's been 20 years at the same coverage. Hopefully you have a rider than increases the value a bit per year to keep up with the cost of building.

 

The woman could have handled things a bit better, been more communicative and your agent should have warned you in advance. Sorry to hear this is stressing you out.