Help- Insurance Claim, shattered tank, ruined home :(

[WitsNWrasse]

My custom built 120g peninsula reef spontaneously cracked yesterday morning at 4am while I was sleeping. I heard the "POP" and then a fountain of water. Obviously, I am absolutely heartbroken, this tank is my life and one of the few things in my life that brings me joy.

I was able to save all the fish, and piled all of my coral into a 24g tank that is meant for sea horses that is currently sea horse-less. The fish are in the sump, stressed AF but safe.

Anyway, I specifically asked my Geico insurance agent when i purchased the policy if anything happened to my aquarium that the damage would be covered. He said yes. I have 25k in personal property damage, more than enough to cover a new tank/stand and my lights.

My condo is completely ruined- who knew only 80 gallons of water could ruin so much(i was able to pump 40g into buckets i thankfully hadn't returned to HD yet)- 80% of my home has to be demolished. the drywall in my kitchen, living room, and bedroom all has to be taken out 2ft up and replaced, the floor in all those rooms replaced, and all the bottom kitchen cabinets taken out to get to the drywall and the bottom kickplates replaced.

They said i was SOL.


Does ANYONE have any experience in dealing with something like this ? Any advice would be appreciated. My mom wants to get a lawyer etc.

 

[ericarenee]

a know a small amount of water can do a lot of damage.. But what your describing is procedure for a home that has been flooded with GRAY Water. How did the water reach so much of the house with it only being that amount. a Company that specialized in Water damage and restoration can come in there with proper air treatment systems and dry everything out in the areas that were not under water .. Drywall that as been wet does need to come out but not up 2 feet and there is just no way that tank could have done that much damage unless it was in the middle of a small frame home on the top floor and ran down across all the floors and down the walls..

If you have been told this from a contractor or there is more involved then what your describing above you need to get a FEW More opinions...

This is the kind of thing i do for a living. I use a local mold and emergency water clean up company.If they get there Within a few ours most of the time they even save the carpet depending on its age....

As far as the tank itself. well we all live at the edge of this happening so very sorry about this. Rather or not it was just a act of nature so to speak or issue with the tank itself you may never know for sure...

Good Luck on the Clean up.. And Assembling a new TANK

Erica Renee

 

[ericarenee]

As far as dealing with the insurance company i think if you do not have the tank and Consequential damages from it Written in your policy i think you will not have any luck fighting them.. The are the nastier then a 1 year old never cleaned skimmer..

 

[WitsNWrasse]

Hi Erica !
Thank you so much for the reply. Yes, it was unfortunately in the middle of my apartment- ground floor unit. I called emergency people within 30 min and they were there within two hours to suck up the water. The area the water reached was around 550 sqft, and they had some device that measured moisture and that is what they told me (i obviously have no experience with this type of thing) It even leaked through my sliding glass door onto my porch area.

We are going to fight the claim I guess, they said that it didn't specifically "fit" into one of 16 areas, which is BS. If I had slipped and fallen and broken my leg i would have been able to make a claim, but since I'm fine and no one got hurt I'm out a home and a fish tank.

 

[windlasher]

Hi Erica !
Thank you so much for the reply. Yes, it was unfortunately in the middle of my apartment- ground floor unit. I called emergency people within 30 min and they were there within two hours to suck up the water. The area the water reached was around 550 sqft, and they had some device that measured moisture and that is what they told me (i obviously have no experience with this type of thing) It even leaked through my sliding glass door onto my porch area.

We are going to fight the claim I guess, they said that it didn't specifically "fit" into one of 16 areas, which is BS. If I had slipped and fallen and broken my leg i would have been able to make a claim, but since I'm fine and no one got hurt I'm out a home and a fish tank.

Sorry for your losses, that sucks.

GEICO - is a horrible company. I know from experience that they take every opportunity to NOT pay a claim. That said tanks are considered pets and pets are usually not covered under homeowners policy. If you find a company willing to cover a tank, it is usually a special & separate policy no matter what some dbag sales person trying to make his sales goal says. Always get it in writing spelled out in plain language.

 

[ericarenee]

Hi Erica !
Thank you so much for the reply. Yes, it was unfortunately in the middle of my apartment- ground floor unit. I called emergency people within 30 min and they were there within two hours to suck up the water. The area the water reached was around 550 sqft, and they had some device that measured moisture and that is what they told me (i obviously have no experience with this type of thing) It even leaked through my sliding glass door onto my porch area.

We are going to fight the claim I guess, they said that it didn't specifically "fit" into one of 16 areas, which is BS. If I had slipped and fallen and broken my leg i would have been able to make a claim, but since I'm fine and no one got hurt I'm out a home and a fish tank.

Then i think you have done the right thing. I would of course consult a lawyer.As far as the amount of damage for sure get others to look at it.
At this point get several very well Documented Estimates.and detailed report s from the cleanup company..

What you can do yourself to prevent further damage..
1 Remove anything wet and keep fans on. .
2. Because its living space. Get a Pump sprayer and a Gallon of SHOCK-Wave.. Spray this on all the walls at baseboard and lower. being sure to get it soaked under the wall seal plates , Behind the cabinets and under them as much as you can.. Move furniture out from walls to allow the to dry out...

This will limit the damage and risk of mold spreading into the walls . SHOCK Works .I Keep it on my work van and use it every water leak i repair then i paint all effected area with OIL Base killz before i cover it back up..

 

[ericarenee]

Sorry for your losses, that sucks.

GEICO - is a horrible company. I know from experience that they take every opportunity to NOT pay a claim. That said tanks are considered pets and pets are usually not covered under homeowners policy. If you find a company willing to cover a tank, it is usually a special & separate policy no matter what some dbag sales person trying to make his sales goal says. Always get it in writing spelled out in plain language.

Actually It can also be Considered WATER FURNITURE.. That is what it says in my Policy exclusions.. We do not COVER Damage to or Damage from Water Furniture.. Including Water Beds, Aquariums,Non Permanent Fixtures and so on..

of course there is a pet exlusion as well I Have Nationwide and they are no better then Geico.. Geico is Actually Liberity Mutural Home Policy..

 

[swiftvision]

I just called USAA. They said if it's sudden water damage, it's covered (vs a slow leak).

No special rider.

 

[alton]

Google Service Master, and get them in today

 

[GimpyFin]

That sucks to hear. I also find it odd they won't cover it the repairs. Geico is pretty bad IME, but that's beside the point. I specifically asked my agent in email a while back (Am. family) what would be covered in the event of an aquarium leaking water in the house. Basically, home repair would be covered, just not equipment/livestock without a policy addendum. Good luck with everything.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

I just called USAA. They said if it's sudden water damage, it's covered (vs a slow leak).

No special rider.

USAA is indeed awesome, but not everyone can get it. We use them for everything, home, cars, life, personal property.

 

[LED Jack]

Gosh that sucks. I am so sorry.

 

[alton]

you need to find another insuarance agent. The first thing the agent should of did was tell you what and where togo to get your problem fixed asap. Also with your next agent have them meet with you and have a list what they cover and what you need to add on to make sure you are covered. I pay an additional amount each month to cover certain things.

 

[xanthurum]

I would check with the builder of the tank. If it was a new tank then you may have a better chance with them.

 

[Desert Sea]

Sorry to hear of your dilemma. First order of business is to get as much of the moisture removed. Try to get a desiccant unit setup and running to dry out everything. You're gonna need a good restoration contractor. Get multiple proposals and do your homework on each contractor before selecting one. Don't rely on references, they're pretty much useless. Nobody is going to give you reference contacts that are going to give them a bad reference.

Review your situation with legal counsel to be sure of your standing with your insurance carrier. Stay with Geico until you have closure with them on this issue. Once you have resolved your claim, go find a better insurance company. As the ad on tv says, you don't have the wrong policy, you have the wrong company. As others have said, there are much better carriers out there.

 

[neiltus]

I am going to chime in on this...and your not going to like or enjoy some of the answers.

1. You need to read and understand what your paying for with your homeowner or renter policy, and all insurance policies for that matter. It's very common for agents to sell less coverage to show lower rates.

2. Servicemaster, or a water remediation company can help if acted on quickly. Fans (a ton of them) and dehumidifiers can save baseboard (sometimes) and drywall and cabinets. Time + the bacteria that are in our aquariums are not your carpet's friend.

3. You probably can't sue your insurance company. I don't know the laws in your state, but your policy may call for mediation only. See #1.

4. Being able to hold any insurance company liable for something someone who works in their phone bank tells you is next to impossible. Some attorneys will take your money and tell you otherwise. See #1 about in writing.

5. Geico, State Farm and other major insurers suck. I suggest after this is done looking at your states complaint database when selecting a new insurer.

6. Since your in a condo, you might need to look at what is past the drywall. This could involve neighbors or the building. This might be a reason to need an attorney.

Very sorry and wish you well. Been through this multiple times with overhead fire sprinklers freezing in my office buildings and living in hurricane prone areas. I have found it cheaper to not be covered and to pay for it myself and take steps to prevent it. Your not really out a home....trust me, roof is still there, you still have electric, plumbing and to a certain extent privacy.

 

[rocsec1]

It used to be that not everyone could get USAA, I've been a member for over 30 years but I think that changed. Maybe not be a member but can get coverage.

 

[ericarenee]

I am going to chime in on this...and your not going to like or enjoy some of the answers.

1. You need to read and understand what your paying for with your homeowner or renter policy, and all insurance policies for that matter. It's very common for agents to sell less coverage to show lower rates.

2. Servicemaster, or a water remediation company can help if acted on quickly. Fans (a ton of them) and dehumidifiers can save baseboard (sometimes) and drywall and cabinets. Time + the bacteria that are in our aquariums are not your carpet's friend.

3. You probably can't sue your insurance company. I don't know the laws in your state, but your policy may call for mediation only. See #1.

4. Being able to hold any insurance company liable for something someone who works in their phone bank tells you is next to impossible. Some attorneys will take your money and tell you otherwise. See #1 about in writing.

5. Geico, State Farm and other major insurers suck. I suggest after this is done looking at your states complaint database when selecting a new insurer.

6. Since your in a condo, you might need to look at what is past the drywall. This could involve neighbors or the building. This might be a reason to need an attorney.

Very sorry and wish you well. Been through this multiple times with overhead fire sprinklers freezing in my office buildings and living in hurricane prone areas. I have found it cheaper to not be covered and to pay for it myself and take steps to prevent it. Your not really out a home....trust me, roof is still there, you still have electric, plumbing and to a certain extent privacy.

I agree 100% I have Theft coverage and Huge Natural Disaster coverage with a High Deductible. I fought with my Insurance company Complaining trying to charge me more saying I did NOT have enough insurance to rebuild my home in case of a fire.. But the thing is i can Buy two homes just like mine for the amount they tell me i need..

Even if you do get them to pay for this.. Carpet base drywall and a few cabinets . your insurance raise because of the claim will cost you much more...

I actually have a MOLD Mildew Lead paint and hazmat osha Partnership and a few other useless pieces of paper i had to buy. OOPS take classes for to do some of the work i do in schools and gov buildings...
ITS ALL About money.

 

[kmbyrnes]

Very sorry for your loss. But glad you were able to save your livestock.
Sounds like others have offered good advice on the cleanup.
This serves as a wake up call to all of us to review our insurance coverage.
You may not get what you think you are paying for.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I had to eat the damage when my 180g broke. But it was a 30gph leak and we have concrete floors with tile, so losses in the house were under $2000. It was minor drywall damage and replacement of bathroom cabinets that were on the back side of the wall the tank leaked against.

A friend of mine had a 220g split and drop all it's water while nobody was home. His insurance covered the damage and then dropped him. He got new insurance, but it does cost more. Then his new tank, also a 220g, sprang a leak. They were home and were able to keep property damage to a bare minimum. But the tank was bought new and the maker covered the cost of everything, new tank, new stand, corals lost, fish lost, drywall repairs... it was much less than the first event, but it was still substantial.

Good luck with everything.