Although it’s been nearly a year since Hurricane Sandy devastated coastal areas of New York and New Jersey, insurance claims and payouts are still ongoing. New Jersey’s Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) seems to have had enough and is starting to get tough with insurance claim adjusters who have treated thousands of New Jersey property owners in less than good faith.
DOBI Received 3,747 Consumer Hotline Calls & 2,523 Written Requests For Help
Thousands of New Jersey homeowners have been treated poorly by their insurance companies, agents and claims adjusters. According to NJ.com, the latest data shows that the DOBI has received 3,747 calls to its consumer hotline and 2,523 written requests for assistance. The department seems to have had enough and is getting tough – especially with out-of-state claims adjusters who came to New Jersey to represent storm-struck home and business owners in their negotiations with insurance carriers. Those include:
- ClaimStar. Marshall Perlman, a public adjuster who runs ClaimStar in Bala Cynwyd, PA was fined $20,000 and had his New Jersey adjuster’s license revoked for charging excessive fees to Hurricane Sandy victims. At the same time that the DOBI was negotiating with him to lower his fees in two dozen NJ contracts, Perlman pleaded guilty to a theft charge in Pennsylvania after he failed to turn over insurance claims checks. That action resulted in two years of probation and an order that he pay $385,000 in restitution.
- Nilda Rodriguez. Rodriguez, an insurance broker from Philadelphia, PA was fined $4,000 for selling a New Jersey man flood and homeowner’s coverage that was supposed to cover two buildings on his property. Sandy destroyed both, but his insurance only covered one.
- All Property Adjustment Services. All Property Adjustment Services owner Dennis Molette of Springfield, PA was fined $5,000 for entering into 26 insurance contracts with Sandy victims when his company was not licensed in New Jersey.
- Claims Strategies Group. Claims Strategies Group owner Craig Sienema and three public adjuster representatives of the Fort Lauderdale, FL firm were fined $2,500 for unlicensed insurance adjusting.
The DOBI has stated that these are only a few of the cases it is working on that are tied to illegal actions related to Hurricane Sandy and insurance disputes.
Bad Faith Insurance Practices Abound
Regardless of what insurance companies say they’ll do when you need them most, the chances of that actually happening are slim to none. Bad faith insurance practices abound – especially when natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy strike. Insurance companies simply don’t want to part with your hard-earned premiums.
If your insurance company has treated you in bad faith by disputing your settlement amount, improperly calculating your deductible, undervaluing your claim, proposing an unfair settlement amount or denying your claim outright, contact Belluck & Fox and let one of our experienced New York insurance dispute attorneys analyze your situation, get your claim settled once and for all and determine whether you might be entitled to other compensation for bad faith insurance practices.