We are Helpless Victims of Big Business

[Hautex]

   I'm sure most who read this have hate in their heart towards big untouchable mega-companies with un-American farmed out customer service. What's your story?   Here's mine...
   
     I hate insurance companies especially. My towns population was 400, middle of nowhere, then make a left, but I loved it. Until.... I find out the house on my modest ranch was rated at 16, meaning no fire protection available. Bullshit... My good friend was fire chief of our well equipped volunteer company, 3 blocks away, we had some hydrants...about 10, and Pecos, TX,  8 miles away, covered us also. The insurance companies had us having a responding fire department in Monahans, TX, 35 miles away. They had never needed to respond to our city, ever. No one at the insurance company could, or wanted to help. I found the insurance rating company, ISO, who said they review fire coverage every 5 years, and although our volunteer fire company was certified  for over a decade, said that nothing would change any time soon. Sooo, took my research to a local tv station, asked them to verify what I found and 2 days later they were at my door with cameras and an equally frustrated reporter in a suit, rare thing in our little town We didn't even have a gas station traffic light or mini mart... They looked at all our trucks and 4x6  pumpers, some donated by the local oil companies that had wells nearby, interviewed the chief (who is also a deputy sheriff), great story to see, but as of yet, nothing has been done to reduce the rating which increases our annual costs tremendously. Did I mention that my insurance was mysteriously cancelled and no other company would give me any for blowing the whistle. Their exact words...

[albrecht]

   I'm sure most who read this have hate in their heart towards big untouchable mega-companies with un-American farmed out customer service. What's your story?   Here's mine...
   
     I hate insurance companies especially. My towns population was 400, middle of nowhere, then make a left, but I loved it. Until.... I find out the house on my modest ranch was rated at 16, meaning no fire protection available. Bullshit... My good friend was fire chief of our well equipped volunteer company, 3 blocks away, we had some hydrants...about 10, and Pecos, TX,  8 miles away, covered us also. The insurance companies had us having a responding fire department in Monahans, TX, 35 miles away. They had never needed to respond to our city, ever. No one at the insurance company could, or wanted to help. I found the insurance rating company, ISO, who said they review fire coverage every 5 years, and although our volunteer fire company was certified  for over a decade, said that nothing would change any time soon. Sooo, took my research to a local tv station, asked them to verify what I found and 2 days later they were at my door with cameras and an equally frustrated reporter in a suit, rare thing in our little town We didn't even have a gas station traffic light or mini mart... They looked at all our trucks and 4x6  pumpers, some donated by the local oil companies that had wells nearby, interviewed the chief (who is also a deputy sheriff), great story to see, but as of yet, nothing has been done to reduce the rating which increases our annual costs tremendously. Did I mention that my insurance was mysteriously cancelled and no other company would give me any for blowing the whistle. Their exact words...

I know this sounds crazy- but it just might work. Call, and write, or better yet have your local official(s) at the town or county level do it to your State Rep. Being a rural county he might listen to his constituents and it is likely this type of issue is effecting other people in your area (or in other rural areas.) Include the information/link to the report on the news.

I don't what legal claims you might have but, maybe, consult with an attorney. If there is something illegal, discrimination, 'redlining', going on you might have some claim...or even class-action if done across the spectrum maybe? It is hard to fight but, then again, those kinds of companies have very deep pockets but also like to settle due to costs, so maybe a lawyer would try on a contingency?

[Hautex]

I know this sounds crazy- but it just might work. Call, and write, or better yet have your local official(s) at the town or county level do it to your State Rep. Being a rural county he might listen to his constituents and it is likely this type of issue is effecting other people in your area (or in other rural areas.) Include the information/link to the report on the news.

I don't what legal claims you might have but, maybe, consult with an attorney. If there is something illegal, discrimination, 'redlining', going on you might have some claim...or even class-action if done across the spectrum maybe? It is hard to fight but, then again, those kinds of companies have very deep pockets but also like to settle due to costs, so maybe a lawyer would try on a contingency?

Thanks for the ideas, talked to an old friend who is a lawyer in Houston. We determined that this fight is way too big and costly for us. Figuring that the entire country is being overcharged, especially the "rural little people" who can afford it the least and have little to no power to affect change. Then, to actually determine who is at fault is daunting. Is it ISO for not updating the ratings, the municipalities, who I'm sure had no idea that they needed to verify correct ratings for their area, or the insurance companies who make an unearned killing on this situation and make absolutely no effort to correct it? Grew up about a mile from Love Canal and saw the futility there to make a large corporation feel at least a little responsible. My brother-in-law got his mesothelioma settlement a month before it killed him after a 5 year battle...
   I suggest that, for the heck of it, everyone tries to verify that their insurance ratings are correct. Just remember, every improvement in your rating will save you money, but may cause the insurance company to punish you in other ways... and probably will.... frustrating, to say the least

[albrecht]

   Thanks for the ideas, talked to an old friend who is a lawyer in Houston. We determined that this fight is way too big and costly for us. Figuring that the entire country is being overcharged, especially the "rural little people" who can afford it the least and have little to no power to affect change. Then, to actually determine who is at fault is daunting. Is it ISO for not updating the ratings, the municipalities, who I'm sure had no idea that they needed to verify correct ratings for their area, or the insurance companies who make an unearned killing on this situation and make absolutely no effort to correct it? Grew up about a mile from Love Canal and saw the futility there to make a large corporation feel at least a little responsible. My brother-in-law got his mesothelioma settlement a month before it killed him after a 5 year battle...
   I suggest that, for the heck of it, everyone tries to verify that their insurance ratings are correct. Just remember, every improvement in your rating will save you money, but may cause the insurance company to punish you in other ways... and probably will.... frustrating, to say the least

It sucks. For what it is worth (for you or anyone:)
http://www.tdi.texas.gov/
http://www.tdi.texas.gov/commish/index.html
It still might be worth a shot for your County/Area politicians, lawyers, and people in general to make a complaint or write letters? If the assessment is bad by ISO, or others, it also effects the insurance companies and they do want to have accurate assessments for their planning and for their underwriting so maybe if they got complaints or investigations on them they would be motivated to pressure ISO to be accurate? Maybe not but worth a shot?

[FightTheFuture]

The sooner you realize this one unmistakable fact, the better off you`ll be:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH2w6Oxx0kQ