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insurance company doesnt want to pay on claim for garage items stolen

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michigan2006

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? michigan

i have full replacement coverage on home and contents and have for the past 30 plus years. items in my garage were stolen. made a report to the police. filed claim with insurance company. they are insisting i have to have booklets,warranty cards, what ever comes with items. most of the items were purchased 6-7 years ago for a store my husband and i were going to buy. we were stocking up on all kinds of tools and had duplicates of several of them. we had been buying them for approx. a year to a year and a half before he died. we paid cash for most of these items. there were some large ticket items also. the day we put in a offer on the store my husband was killed. so i withdrew the offer but still had the items, i have since moved and have no receipts. insurance company insist i provide proof. which i only had for a few items. the insurance company says my claim is to large 25,000-30,000. i was then questioned like i had commited a crime. where do i work where do i get my money from where do i bank call my credit card people and have them send me bills from those years ( i already told them we paid cash for most items and the credit card would only provide a store we charged at and not the item purchased) wanted a copy of my bank statements to show withdrawls and after telling them i had not worked in years they said they wanted to see my bank statements.and continued to question me about where my money comes from. i told them that was all personal info they did not need to know. they assured me they do. i need to show proof of money in and money out. i told them money wasnt the issue and how i spend my money is none of thier business. again i was assured it was. i gave them no personal info. this is the short version. this has been going on since feb of this year. i am looking for an attorney to help me but have found no luck in what type of an attorney to get. any suggestions. appreciate any help. thank you
 


Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? michigan

i have full replacement coverage on home and contents and have for the past 30 plus years. items in my garage were stolen. made a report to the police. filed claim with insurance company. they are insisting i have to have booklets,warranty cards, what ever comes with items. most of the items were purchased 6-7 years ago for a store my husband and i were going to buy. we were stocking up on all kinds of tools and had duplicates of several of them. we had been buying them for approx. a year to a year and a half before he died. we paid cash for most of these items. there were some large ticket items also. the day we put in a offer on the store my husband was killed. so i withdrew the offer but still had the items, i have since moved and have no receipts. insurance company insist i provide proof. which i only had for a few items. the insurance company says my claim is to large 25,000-30,000. i was then questioned like i had commited a crime. where do i work where do i get my money from where do i bank call my credit card people and have them send me bills from those years ( i already told them we paid cash for most items and the credit card would only provide a store we charged at and not the item purchased) wanted a copy of my bank statements to show withdrawls and after telling them i had not worked in years they said they wanted to see my bank statements.and continued to question me about where my money comes from. i told them that was all personal info they did not need to know. they assured me they do. i need to show proof of money in and money out. i told them money wasnt the issue and how i spend my money is none of thier business. again i was assured it was. i gave them no personal info. this is the short version. this has been going on since feb of this year. i am looking for an attorney to help me but have found no luck in what type of an attorney to get. any suggestions. appreciate any help. thank you
C'mon - even to YOU, your claim must seem suspect. A garage full of $25,000 to $30,000 for a business you were going to start 6-7 years ago, but decided not to at least 5 years ago...and you just left it all sitting in the garage?

You will need to PROVE that you had the items you are claiming. If you can't PROVE it, then you lose...period.
 

Antigone*

Senior Member
C'mon - even to YOU, your claim must seem suspect. A garage full of $25,000 to $30,000 for a business you were going to start 6-7 years ago, but decided not to at least 5 years ago...and you just left it all sitting in the garage?

You will need to PROVE that you had the items you are claiming. If you can't PROVE it, then you lose...period.
Pictures of all the belongings in the garage even would have helped. I've learned to photography everything of value in my home and keep an inventory record as well because I WILL have to PROVE to my insurance company that they even existed.

YOU have to PROVE these items were actually owned by you. They are not going to just take your word.
 

JustAPal00

Senior Member
Items purchased for a business probably won't be covered any way. You would need to have commercial business insurance.
 

michigan2006

Junior Member
the items were purchased for thecurrent home and future/home/ business. the items were tools not specically related to having a business some of the items we had already used air compressor etc, large tool chest, tools etc, i was told and get replacement prices if i had to buy new today. one item i paid 1500 hundred dollars for and today to replace it new is 4500.00 so it doesnt take long to get to the 25-30,000 amount. also same goes for items we had prior some of it was 30 years of acquiring so again the price back then compared to the price now is much higher. after speaking to my own insurance company. i asked my agent did he have receipts and pictures of all his stuff he said no. but he like so many others that i have talked to since then do not have pictures or receipts.they say they will at least get pictures. but like so many of us our intentions are good, but it still wont get done. maybe this posting will help some others and they will at least get pictures . i have already gone to a elder relatives house and taken pictures of his stuff.and now i take pictures of everything. hopefully never to be robbed again.
i was looking for a attorney who handles this type of situation. i have found one ...thank you for all of your input.
 

JustAPal00

Senior Member
But, there was no actual business...
Well they hadn't opened a store yet, but I took the statement to read that they had started stock piling supplies. When I opened a resturant years ago, I stored alot of my equipment in my garage while my construction was going on. I called my agent to see if I was covered. I was told I had to take out a commercial policy to cover my equipment. I guess the op could make the argument that since her husband passed the tools were now personal property. Still she has to be able to prove what she had.
 

uswcdh44

Member
Look at your policy to see what is required to get a settlement. if it says receipts, booklets, etc, then you have to provide them. if it does not, they may grill you for information, which, usually, you MUST provide, and then make a settlement.

It seems that the business property will nt be an issue, as it is no longer business property, but they can make you go through all the hoops they want to until they are satisfied that you have a valid claim.

stick to your guns, and give them all the information they ask for. if you feel they are being unfair, file a complaint with the department of insurance.

good luck.
 

DDDDDD

Member
I'm new here, and have reviewed some of these threads, but this one sticks out like a sore thumb.

...Paid all cash for expensive equipment for a business, no reciepts. How were you planning on filing taxes and declaring business expenses?

...Garage "cleaned out" during a burgalry? Compressors? Heavy equipment? Did the thief bring a box truck with a hydraulic lift?

... you have not worked in years... let me guess, life insurance ran out and now you need an income?

I dunno, I hope I'm wrong, but nothing about this smells right.
 

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