Nice little episode today at the local PD station

[CJB]

Some folks might recall, I was robbed about two weeks ago. Trying to settle up all the reports, claims, serial numbers, etc etc.

Problem is - the local PD station is only open on Wednesday. Yup. Wednesday or nothin'. I'm not gonna mention the town, they know who they are - one of the larger burbs in Palm Beach County, Florida.... (ahem)

So I'm sitting and waiting today, for my turn with the clerk, and a rather skinny and oddly clad Jamaican guy comes in... goes right to the clerks window and refuses to take his place in the queue. Things start to get heated. I don't know the whole detail of the incident, but things began to get VERY heated.

Mr Jamaican left the window, and started ranting and causing a scene. Back at the window, he very loudly threatened the clerk, then said it was all racial profiling, and promised to bring lawsuit, then said something about cutting something else.

Then he started ranting about the lobby again - which was filled with some very scared female patrons.

I looked at the husky looking hispanic guy next to me. He looked at me. It was "the look". No verbal communication needed. If one of us stood up, the other was gonna too.

Before we could act, Mr Jamaican hauled ass out the front door, damn near taking it off the hinges.

So I tell the guy next to me... "ya know...two places not to cause a scene are the police station, and the courthouse..."

Barely got the words off my lips, and two uniformed gendarmerie hauled ass out the door... taxing the structural support of the hinges once again, and escorted Mr Jamaican back inside... to the inner sanctum.

My turn in line. Clerk says "Its five bucks for the entertainment...."

I told him "Hell, I'll leave a tip too, because the encore was just phenomenal!".

He just about blew coffee out his nose onto the thick glass....

One more week. Next Wednesday I get the whole report, and can start to file claims.

[tarheelcm9]

That's a really funny/interesting event! haha

I hate to break it to you, but all your effort will likely result in nothing. My brother's house was burgled a few years ago, we reported it to the small town cops, I doubt they even did an investigation. 9 times out of 10, small community police forces are a joke. Obviously yours is too if they're only open on Wednesday...you're paying THEIR salary and they're only open to the public 1 day of the week? That's bullshit.

[CJB]

My effort will result in a police report, with details, which will satisfy the two insurance companies involved. I hope claim on insurance... thats all. I'll never see that stuff again, and if I do... God help 'em... as least as much as He helped the bloke who nicked my laundry from my apartment years ago, and had the audacity to wear it around the place. He got a lesson in civics, along with some religious education.

[OldLincoln]

For those of us with only a few guns, how does the insurance work for them? We just have the standard homeowners insurance with fire, household items & general stuff. Do you have a rider for your guns? How is the value decided? And those who have received payment, how close is that to replacement value?

[tarheelcm9]

I'm not sure about the policies, but my brother lost an older Smith J-frame in said burglary, and I'm pretty sure he got more than enough to go buy him a new hammerless J-frame with some money leftover too.

[TucsonMTB]

You seem to have all the fun . . . or is that just a Florida thing?

[TheTman]

Many standard home owner policies don't cover Guns or Jewelry very well, my policy only covered up to $5,000 worth of guns, so I had them increase the amount covered to a level I was comfortable with. It was pretty inexpensive, since they already screw me over pretty good for not living very close to a fire hydraunt. I think electronics may be another thing they don't cover well, you know how it goes, the things theives go after the most, the limit their coverage on. Saves them a heap of money. I probably need to raise my electronics coverage too, since I've added some instrument amps and recording equipment.

[wyntrout]

I have USAA and I already had my wife's rings on a personal property rider, so I added all my guns and accessories... everything but ammo. My wife's rings are valued at $2500 and my guns are nearly $9K and I pay $160 a year for the extra coverage. When I add a gun, magazines, and holster(s), it raises the cost about $10 a year... for $700 or $800 more stuff. I hope to never need to file a claim, but I have some piece of mind that I'll be reimbursed for losses. I update the details online on each gun and add any accessories as I get them.

Oh, the insurance list acts as my database and inventory, too, and I can print out everything. I maintain a small database in MS Works, too.

Wynn

[Planedude]

A good plan is to record all your properties (jewlery/electronics/Guns) SN# and a digital photo of the same onto your computer with something like Works or Powerpoint. Next you should download that file onto a little zipp/finger drive that you store someplace else. A 2 gig zipp drive ($8 to $12 bucks) is not going to attract the eye of a theif as much as your Laptop/Desktop computer will.
It save a buddy of mine alot of greif after his break in.

[muggsy]

Don't give up hope. My son's home was broken into and the police recovered his 1911, laptop and camera.

[downtownv]

Glad to hear the Jamaican will enjoy some "Jerk-Chicken"

[getsome]

+1000 to what Planedude said....Document EVERYTHING...We had a house fire in 2006 and lost everything...We had what we thought was great full coverage, full replacement value insurance with the "Good Hands" folks...

I had over $5000.00 in mechanics hand tools in the garage and when it came time for the claim they wanted a complete inventory of every screw driver, socket wrench, ratchet, plier set etc...they wanted to know what brand they were, when I bought them and what I paid for them which was impossible for me to come up with...

Bottom line was I got $1200.00 in return and lost my behind on the rest.... Everything else in the claim went pretty much the same way...We found out just how much our so called full coverage insurance DIDN'T cover...

It's best to go over your insurance BEFORE something happens and know exactly what kind of coverage you have....There are some items that it's best to have a separate rider on such as Guns, Electronics, Musical instruments, (especially if used professionally) Camera equipment, Jewelry. and expensive Clothing and any valuable Art work or Antique items....

Basically if it's valuable or rare the insurance company will be giving you a rock bottom claim on everything UNLESS you plan ahead and prove the value and document serial numbers and back it up with video or prepare to get a major reaming if something happens and you haven't done this thinking that it won't happen to me!!!...

[tilefish]

Many standard home owner policies don't cover Guns or Jewelry very well, my policy only covered up to $5,000 worth of guns, so I had them increase the amount covered to a level I was comfortable with. It was pretty inexpensive, since they already screw me over pretty good for not living very close to a fire hydraunt. I think electronics may be another thing they don't cover well, you know how it goes, the things theives go after the most, the limit their coverage on. Saves them a heap of money. I probably need to raise my electronics coverage too, since I've added some instrument amps and recording equipment.

That's not it at all. Insurance companies are not worried in the least about legit claims on things like jewelry, firearms, electronics etc... They just want those items scheduled. Keep in mind, insurance companies also have to cover "mysterious disappearance" and not having those types of items scheduled opens the door for an avalanche of fraudulent theft/mysterious disappearance claims.
Chances are that you pay a lot due to your proximity to fire department/hydrant and any additional coverage will cost you that much more. Contrary to popular belief, most insurance companies are hemorrhaging money and taking a HUGE loss on homeowners insurance. The property side is not a money maker for insurance companies.

+1000 to what Planedude said....Document EVERYTHING...We had a house fire in 2006 and lost everything...We had what we thought was great full coverage, full replacement value insurance with the "Good Hands" folks...

I had over $5000.00 in mechanics hand tools in the garage and when it came time for the claim they wanted a complete inventory of every screw driver, socket wrench, ratchet, plier set etc...they wanted to know what brand they were, when I bought them and what I paid for them which was impossible for me to come up with...

Bottom line was I got $1200.00 in return and lost my behind on the rest.... Everything else in the claim went pretty much the same way...We found out just how much our so called full coverage insurance DIDN'T cover...

It's best to go over your insurance BEFORE something happens and know exactly what kind of coverage you have....There are some items that it's best to have a separate rider on such as Guns, Electronics, Musical instruments, (especially if used professionally) Camery equipment, Jewelry. and expensive Clothing and any valuable Art work or Antique items....

Basically if it's valuable or rare the insurance company will be giving you a rock bottom claim on everything UNLESS you plan ahead and prove the value and document serial numbers and back it up with video or prepare to get a major reaming if something happens and you haven't done this thinking that it won't happen to me!!!...

"Full coverage" is a terrible term and used carelessly far too often. The bottom line is, people just do not understand how insurance works and do not take the time to figure it out. Often with terrible consequences. The rub is that as an agent, most people do not want to hear it. When you try to explain what additional coverages/riders they need in order to be properly protected, they shut down feeling as though they are being up-sold. Its kinda sad actually. A home is probably the most expensive thing a person will ever buy, it makes sense to understand coverage limits.
The good news is that compared to medical insurance, property insurance is simple. An afternoon of reading would probably clear up a lot.

[MO_Soldier]

Wyntrout...i'm on mobile so I can't PM.
I have USAA too. I need to learn about this feature!

[OldLincoln]

Although I'm terrible about it I agree inventory is important. Just remember if it isn't in the inventory it never existed. I heard stories that you should video your house, but then other stories that they did but bought stuff afterward and insurance refused to pay for the new.