City wont pay??

[Kembar_Noel]

What is the name of your state? Virginia

I live in Roanoke Virginia. I just bought my house less than 6 months ago. Two months ago a watermain right in front of my house broke at 1 in the morning. My basement was flooded, along with two of my neighbors. I called my homeowners insurance to file a claim, but in the middle of doing that a man from the city's insurance company came ot my door. So I talked to the insurance man for the city.... he assured me that the city would take care of everything. They said they would pay for a crew to come clean up the mess and weed through my damged belongings.

The crew made a list of everything that was lost or damaged. We then had to edit the list and tell how old everything was. This came to close to $5,500. The city then offered me $2,300. Im outraged that the city would offer less than HALF of what was lost. They depreciated everything based on age. We were honest in making that list. People told us to 'pad' the list. Being an honest person I couldn't do that. We were a shonest as we could be.

We called the city's risk management manager, we said we needed to speak with him regarding the offer. He said he was very buys, and could we please put everything in writing. So we did, and hand delivered it to his office.

He sent us a letter which we recieved today that says the city won't pay for anything now.

Can they do that? Im outraged. I feel liek the city has walked all over me. Iv lived here for less than 6 months and the city is dumping on me. Im calling tomorrow to confirm tha tI understood the letter correctly.

What should I do next?

 

[ALawyer]

Contact your homeowners insurance company immediately. My only concern is that many policies require prompt notice.

 

[Kembar_Noel]

Well... I talked to them when it first happened and told them the city was going to take care fo things (because I had already called and let them know it happened...) and their response was "good, because we wouldn't have covered it" So, after I recieved that letter, I called them again and they said they still wouldnt cover any of it.

I talked to the city risk manager and they'll give their original offer of 52%. I still think it's unfair, and Im still very angry.

It's not like I went out there and broke the watermain myself. I had nothing to do with it, yet MY belongings were destroyed. Good, usable belongings. I have no mixing bowl now... I have to go buy a new one and it's rediculous for ANYONE to think I can go buy a NEW hands free revolving mixing bowl for FIVE dollars.

What, am I supposed to tell wallmart that since the city is only allowing $5 for it that that's is the price they should sell it for?

Someone in the city's PR department needs a good swift kick in the pants to realize they cant treat the citizens like that.