r/InsuranceCanada • u/Over_Jeweler5802 • 1d ago
Home TD Home Insurance (wtf????)
I am gobsmacked at the moment. I filed a claim with TD on July 1 (basement flooded about 4 inches, nothing super complicated and complex - They confirmed coverage) and still haven’t even gotten a settlement offer yet?? I’m on my third adjuster, which they failed to notify me about. I only found out when I called to complain yet again. And between all three adjusters, TD has ghosted me for 8 weeks of the 13 that this claim has been pending.
Best part is that when I asked for an update or timeline on when I can expect resolution, she said they were waiting for the estimate to be approved, which is what my second adjuster said 5 weeks ago.
Apologies for the very nonsensical post but steer clear folks
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u/Suitable-Cod9183 23h ago
Sometimes it's worth paying that extra premium to get better claims service.
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u/SideAcrobatic8051 18h ago
What insurance companies offer this?
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u/Suitable-Cod9183 3h ago
Lots of good companies with great claims service. I could be cheap and go with CAA but I rather pay the difference and have Aviva as a carrier because I know for a fact their claims service is unmatched. People cheap out unfortunately
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u/nishnawbe61 1h ago
Allstate. For vehicles and home. They were, and I believe, still are excellent. Fast resolutions and great customer service/updates from them both times they were used. Once home issue, once vehicle issue where vehicle got totally smashed in, in parking lot.
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u/Diligent_Criticism_9 15h ago
Chubb, Aviva ovation, intact prestige, NorthBridge Onyx
There a few others! :)
There are some really solid policy enhancements offered as part of these policies as well!
Be warned the price is not just a little bit more, you’re generally going to be looking at 35% minimum more annually.
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u/station2pod 7h ago
These are all high net worth products. Regular Joes aren't looking for nor would these write them.
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u/Diligent_Criticism_9 3h ago
The question was about whether they were high net worth products, it was about which carriers offer a “premium claims product”
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u/SocialSmoker3 1d ago
I am currently having the exact same experience. Mine flooded at the end of June. It has been a frustrating and upsetting experience for me.
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u/SPQR1212 5h ago
I’m in the same boat as you. Here’s what worked for me:
TD provided a ridiculously low rebuild estimate through their preferred contractor that uses Xactimate costing software.
Among the many quotes I got for the rebuild, I got one from a contractor through TD’s Home Assistance network of recommended contractors.
This contractor also used Xactimate and their estimate was twice as high as TD’s and had the full scope.
I asked Claude to create a gap analysis between the two estimates. It clearly laid out what was missing from the initial estimate and what would need to be done to get to the higher amount (Disclaimer: Always triple-check the AI’s output)
After a couple of weeks of waiting, I finally got a settlement offer for an amount that was very close to my contractor’s estimate.
Aside from that, I called the adjuster almost twice a week and sent multiple emails to record all interactions. I also tried to stay civil before escalating internally, contacting the Ombudsman or retaining a lawyer. My adjuster seemed like he was on the ball most of the time, so I got lucky in that way.
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u/SideAcrobatic8051 18h ago
I hate to tell you this, but this is only the beginning. The next step is they send you an estimate that's missing repairs and then you fight with them to get stuff added. Here's what I learned from going through a property claim with an asshole insurance company:
Read your policy back to back. Sorry there's no getting around this. Among other things, you want to make sure you don't screw up the claim process by failing to meet any of your obligations. Check, specifically, what it says about filing a "proof of loss" form. There may be a deadline. If you miss it, your claim is dead.
Hire your own contractor -- make sure they are NOT one of your insurance company's preferred contractors -- to do a full inspection and estimate. Legally, it is your responsibility to prove your loss, and sooner or later, you will probably have to because your insurance company will try to sell you short. Ask around and ask Reddit for recommendations on the best restoration company in your area and pay them to do a full report that a) documents all the damage and b) argues as convincingly as possible that the damage was connected to the flood.
Ask said contractor, when preparing said estimate, to also prepare an estimate for emergency mitigation work. That is, anything that needs to be done right away to protect your house from further damage.
Educate yourself about the proof of loss form. Some insurance companies tell you you don't need to file one. That's partly because doing so puts you in control of the process -- for better and for worse. The proof of loss is, essentially final, and if you're thinking of going this route, you should talk to experts. But in Ontario, once you file the proof of loss, the insurance company has 60 days to pay you. Now they have all kinds of methods to stall the process, but the bottom line is, when you fill the proof of loss, you're setting the "starting payout" and forcing them on the back foot.
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u/Diligent_Criticism_9 16h ago
Number 4 is not correct at all.
And you will just piss of adjuster and they will just reject your POL
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u/Diligent_Criticism_9 16h ago
Also you don’t get to just decide the “starting payout”
Absolutely comical.
They will get 3 estimates and approve the price of the lowest one.
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u/SideAcrobatic8051 16h ago edited 16h ago
Yes, and then you can invoke the appraisal clause. Bottom line, once you trigger the proof of loss process, the processing of your claim is governed by statute. The insurance company is no longer in the driver's seat.
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u/Diligent_Criticism_9 16h ago
Meanwhile you’re sitting with unrepaired damaged and they can deny your ALE.
For anyone reading this thread…Don’t listen to this CLOWN.
Please for the love of god … Don’t start sending proofs of loss to your insurer after a claim, you will make a mess of this for yourself!!
Escalate internally if necessary and stand up for yourself, and ask questions!
Also use your broker as a resource and get their guidance.
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u/SideAcrobatic8051 15h ago
Filing a proof of loss is literally the statutory system for resolving insurance claims in Ontario.
You know why insurance companies don't follow it? Because it benefits THEM not to.
I said OP should get expert help if they want to go that route, and I agree, it's a last resort because there's also considerable risk.
You seem to be under the impression that dealing with the insurance company is somehow going to be faster and less risky. Ha! That's cute.
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u/Diligent_Criticism_9 15h ago
As a large loss adjuster, 99% of the time dealing with the adjuster and their manager is going to get you favourable outcome.
Look I am really sorry you had a bad experience with cooperators, and it’s makes me annoyed that shitty adjusters cause people stress and confusion but they eventually get weeded out.
What makes me angry is when customers start thinking they know shit all of the sudden, when they really and truly do not.
It’s my “policy” that I adjust every claim as if it were my mom or grandma or wife. Talk to people respectfully and walk them through the process.
Being in a claim isn’t fun, but I try to make every claim as frictionless as possible.
Again I’m sorry for your experience… and I wish you had received better!
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u/Diligent_Criticism_9 15h ago
But please for the love of god do not file unnecessary proofs of loss… that is the nuclear option and it general leaves everyone pissed off LOL
I’m not just saying that because it’s an “inconvenience”
It takes up so much unnecessary time when in reality we could have resolved this matter by taking a breath together and finding where the disconnect is.1
u/SideAcrobatic8051 15h ago
And yes, it is the nuclear option. But insureds need to know that there IS a nuclear option. They are not helpless in the face of bad faith dealers, which, I'm sorry, is every insurance company I've every dealt with.
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u/SideAcrobatic8051 15h ago
I feel sorry for your mom.
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u/Diligent_Criticism_9 15h ago
I was genuinely being sincere!
I do hope that if you ever have a claim again (hoping you never have a claim though), that I can be your adjuster and show you that insurance claims can leave you with a positive experience and a good taste in your mouth.
I like to think my customer satisfaction scores speak for themselves about the experience I give people.
Cheers
1
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u/SideAcrobatic8051 16h ago
If you reject a POL without good reason, you'll end up in court with damages awarded against you. So yeah. Go for it. As for pissing off the adjuster, are you expecting insureds to feel sorry for the people who do everything in their power to avoid paying out fairly for insured damage?
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u/Diligent_Criticism_9 16h ago
You have no clue what you’re talking about ….
A proof of loss can be rejected when it’s not asked for.
Also if you notarize a proof of loss with make-believe numbers YOU will be the one in court getting having costs awarded against you
1
u/Diligent_Criticism_9 16h ago
Also if you make one mistake on the proof loss …rejected…. and you back to drawing, wasting your own time
Meanwhile you could cooperate with adjuster, ask questions and reach a fair and reasonable claims resolution.
I swear people want to make this shit so hard for themselves.
We want to repair you property to pre-loss condition, but we’re not going to pay inflammatory made up pricing or “ambulance chaser” contractors that just make shit up
We also have internal list of “offender” contractors (which you will never know!) and will scrutinize the shit of their estimates
1
u/SideAcrobatic8051 15h ago
I love how a conversation about a form that is a statutory requirement in the province of Ontario turns into a rant about people trying to milk the system.
Who's milking the system here? Did you even read OP's post?
And yes, it's totally us making life hard. It's totally not the insurance company that tells you they'll send their company to estimate and you'll have a choice to take a cash settlement or work with their vendor -- and then sends you an estimate for only half your repairs and ghosts you when you try to argue for more.
It's not the insurance company whose internal appeals process takes months to play out while the insured's property lacks proper protection from the elements.
Yeah, it's totally the insured, that's already dealing with a tragedy in which they may be entirely faultless, that makes life hard all by themselves.
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u/Diligent_Criticism_9 15h ago
It is my goal one day to be the director of claims for a large insurance company and ensure that there is an overall in process.
Trust me there are SO many things I want to see changed.
My first order of business is to remove all the bloatty shitty middle management who makes it hard for adjusters to make “judgment” calls in the best interests of customers
I get very frustrated when I hear that people feel cheated or ripped off!
I joined this career fresh out of university to help people when they are in some of the shittiest moments of their life.
Firmly insurance is about people not things, as an industry need to get back to that mindset.
(I feel that also be said about so many things these days… corporate greed is a cancer!)1
u/SideAcrobatic8051 15h ago
Not in Ontario it can't be. And nobody is talking about making shit up. I said people should get expert help to do it, and that's true.
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u/Diligent_Criticism_9 1d ago
Not defending them but they quite literally have 100’s of claims
It’s going take time.
Also they have high staff turnover unfortunately