A Staten Island couple who lost their home to Hurricane Sandy were surprised to see it pictured in an Allstate TV ad saying how much its agents care for its clients and touting its slogan, “You’re in Good Hands….”
Surprised, because even though the couple’s home was totally demolished, Allstate had offered them only about $10,000 for the damages.
The couple explained to news sources that they had heeded warnings to evacuate before Sandy hit, and while they were away, a neighbor who stayed behind called them to report that wind gusts had blown the roof off their house and toppled it before flood waters rose to finish it off. The wind had also knocked down a tree across the street, they said. But Allstate, to whom the couple had paid premiums for over 40 years, claims flooding was the cause of most of the damage.
And this isn't the first time this has happened. Another Staten Island couple claimed Allstate paid them less than $200 for extensive wind damage on their home.
Tell Allstate, don‘t short-change Hurricane Sandy victims!
We, the undersigned, believe Allstate should live up to its slogan and take care of its clients. It should pay reasonable settlements for losses.
Some whose homes were damaged or lost completely to Hurricane Sandy, like the Trainas of Staten Island, had paid insurances premiums to Allstate for decades -- a lot more than the measly $10,000 Allstate offered them after their home was completely demolished by the storm.
And It’s not like Allstate has been suffering financially. In fact, reports Insurance Journal, for 2012 “Allstate Insurance reported a first quarter profit of $766 million, up by about 46 percent from a year-earlier profit of $524 million.”
The Journal also reports that Allstate had more than doubled its profit in the fourth quarter of the previous year partly due to lower catastrophe losses.
Reports say the Trainas have had to file a lawsuit just to get what they deserve from their long-term policy with Allstate, and it is unconscionable that Allstate would put them through such stress having already lost their home of over 40 years and most of their possessions.
We request that Allstate pay a fair settlement to its clients who have suffered damage due to Hurricane Sandy - and do so without further delay.
Thank you for your time.
