Insurance Quotes After a Flood

I recently experienced a flood when diving at Wakatobi. It was my fault and I know exactly what I did wrong to cause it to happen. Needless to say, I won't make the same mistake again The good news is that I had, in my infinite wisdom, purchased a backup camera specifically for this trip and, most importantly, that I had it with me. The additional good news is that I was able to get the electrical connections in my Subal housing to work again with my backup camera. Move forward to things back at home ....

I contacted my insurance company, H2O insurance, which I had wisely decided to renew just before departing for my Indonesia trip. I explained to the claims adjuster that I had flooded my D70S camera, my 105mm lens and my 1.4x Teleconverter and that they were not repairable and I asked her what I needed to do. She said if the equipment is not repairable, a copy of replacement estimates/quotes on dealer letterhead or from an internet website is needed. She said I could take the items to a local camera store and that would be fine. I contacted my local camera store, Pro Photo Supply, here in Portland, OR. They told me to contact another shop called Camera Solutions, who does all of their repair work, for the estimate on dealer letterhead. I contacted Camera Solutions who told me it was cost the following to examine the equipment and provide a repair/replacement estimate:

For D70S camera: $49

For 105mm lens $42

For 1.4x TC: -0-

Total Cost: $91

I've contacted my claims adjuster and asked her if the $91 is covered. So far, I haven't heard back from her. This got me wondering what you all do when your equipment is flooded and not repairable. Do you ever pay for an estimate of the cost to replace it?

I would be very interested in hearing about your experiences when a flood results in the loss of equipment (camera, lenses, etc) that cannot be repaired.

Thanks.

Ellen

PS Maybe this is a blessing in disguise, as I've decided to move up to the 105mm VR lens to replace my flooded 105mm non-VR lens.

Never mind that I'll have to spend another $700+ on a new port for the new lens :-)

I had a similar situation in the UK. I went to Jessops a large chain and they wanted about £100 to examine the kit even though the guy in the shop told me there was no chance of repairing it.

I went round the corner to Wildings a local chain where the guy in the shop took one look said it was scrap and charged me £5 for an estimate for replacement kit.

My advice shop around for a store with a more reasonable policy.

I've contacted my claims adjuster and asked her if the $91 is covered. So far, I haven't heard back from her. This got me wondering what you all do when your equipment is flooded and not repairable. Do you ever pay for an estimate of the cost to replace it?

 

I would be very interested in hearing about your experiences when a flood results in the loss of equipment (camera, lenses, etc) that cannot be repaired.

 

Thanks.

 

Ellen

 

PS Maybe this is a blessing in disguise, as I've decided to move up to the 105mm VR lens to replace my flooded 105mm non-VR lens.

Never mind that I'll have to spend another $700+ on a new port for the new lens :-)

Ah yes Ellen, the never ending acquisition of expensive toys. Sad for your loss. I have not made a claim for an underwater loss, but I did use my home owner's insurance to replace a very expensive large format lens that a friend of mine drop on a concrete floor. I send the lens to State Farm with a quote for a replacement and they sent me a check. State Farm then required me to schedule any of my photo equipment that I wanted covered.

If you have several insurance policies with a company, the schedule costs are fairly reasonable. I don't recall what I am currently paying.

Regards,

Bob

You don't need an estimate for repair, you need a quote for replacement.

Any shop that wants your business should be glad to give you one for free. The problem is that the D70s is out of production, as is the older 105. So you may have to check around to the used places or something. Printouts from online sources should work. Here in Seattle, Kenmore Camera has both new and used Nikons and is reputable.

Jack

The couple of floods I had were covered, all I had to do was send the items to the shop where DEPP told me to send it and I do not recall having to pay for any estimate on it.

Of course I could have told them myself that it was beyond repair

Sorry about the loss and glad you had the back up

I had to make a claim with H20 Ins earlier this year. I just faxed them a stack of retail printouts that I pulled off the internet and a few pictures of the loss....Of course the pictures I sent them showed my camera swimming away in a large tiger sharks mouth, never to be seen again.......Once they realized that I wasen't joking about how the camera was lost they sent me a check right away.....My hats off to H20 Insurance

Hi Ellen,

I use H2O Insurance also and have had a couple of small claims. For floods there is a $250 deductible that you must pay out of your pocket. At least that was the case with my policy. I would not pay for an estimate, but if you have no other options you might ask H2O if the cost of an estimate is included in that deductible.

I also found them to be difficult to reach and non-responsive, but when they did finally respond I got the answers and settlements I wanted. They do a good job of hiding their phone numbers on the H2O website, but be persistent and keep calling until you get through to a human being. Below are a few of the people I dealt with when submitting my claims over the years. I'm not sure how many of them are still there, but I'm sure they would be happy to find the correct person for you to talk to if you kept bugging them.

Michelle Timmins

Marine Claims Adjuster

Fireman's Fund Insurance Co.

3301 Rider Trail South

Earth City, MO. 63045

Phone: 314.513.1114

Fax: 888.243.0976

michelle.timmins@ffic.com

Nancy Spearman, AIC

Specialty Claims, Charlotte,NC

704-540-4053, fax#704-540-4031

nspearma@ffic.com

Danielle Hoversten

dhoversten@senndunn.com

Ann Campbell

General Adjuster

Fireman's Fund Specialty Claims

13777 Ballantyne Corp. Pl., Suite 505

Charlotte, NC 28277

704.540.4034

Fax 800.715.9411

acampbell@ffic.com

Hope this helps!

Bonnie

I would not pay for an estimate, but if you have no other options you might ask H2O if the cost of an estimate is included in that deductible.

 

I also found them to be difficult to reach and non-responsive,

 

Michelle Timmins

Marine Claims Adjuster

Fireman's Fund Insurance Co.

I finally got in touch with my claims adjuster today. It is Michelle Timmins. Like you, I've found them non-responsive. I did receive an email from her after I initially submitted my claim online, but she didn't respond to my phone calls/emails until today when I expressed dissatisfaction to another person in her company that Michelle wasn't getting back to me. After that phone call, I heard back from her in less than 5 minutes :-) I guess it takes a little complaining to get a response She did tell me that links to quotes on the Internet would be good enough for the items that aren't repairable. So that's what I'm going to do for the D70S + battery, the 105mm lens, and the teleconverter. Interestingly, I won't be getting quotes for the 8 Gig CF card I was using at the time of the flood, because it seems to be working fine.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Bonnie, with H2O.

Thanks to everyone, too, for your input.

Ellen

Of course the pictures I sent them showed my camera swimming away in a large tiger sharks mouth, never to be seen again......

I take it that this was not Photoshopped