Too good to be true?

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Capt Steve

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Just received a letter from Liberty Mutual, my homeowners insurance. They are offering "wildfire response benefits" to be provided by a third party vendor - "Chloeta". Unless I opt out in writing Chloeta will have the authority to enter my property to amoung other things:

Remove needles and leaves from gutters
Remove flammable vegetation and items from around my home
Deploy temporary sprinkler systems
Apply a water based gel or firefighting foam to my home
Return combustible items moved and washing any fire gel or firefighting foam away after the wildfire event

It all sounds good and probably would save Liberty Mutual big bucks in the event of a fire but...

Chloeta makes all the calls whether I am there or not.

I had a frozen pipe burst last January that did $13,000+ in damage and ultimately Liberty Mutual paid up but it was a struggle to get them to accept liability. After far more aggravation than should have been necessary I "persuaded" them to step up and honor their policy. It was not a happy experience.

Now this "offer" drops out of the sky that sounds great... so why is the hair on the back of my neck standing at attention? I aggressively keep my property fire safe at all times so not sure I am comfortable with an outside vendor having full authority to enter and take whatever action they deem appropriate.

Has anyone out there heard of this program or had any dealings with Chloeta? Liberty Mutual states that whether I accept or not will have no bearing on my existing coverage and any services provided will be at zero cost to me so... what do you folks think? Am I looking the proverbial gift horse in the mouth or is there some basis for concern?
 
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I suspect these things would happen when a fire is in your area and they’re betting paying them is cheaper than paying for fire damage. I’d call Liberty and get the details of what this entails
 
I don't like it; smells like Liberty is trying to weasel an opening to an escape from paying a fire claim; "You didn't allow us to fireproof "our" insured property."

And whose liability is it to make you whole if Chloeta doesn't show or botches the job? These 'offers' that come out of the blue always raise my hackles, just for the way they're handled.
Besides, "Chloeta" sounds like an STD.
 
Sounds good to me. No cost to you, LiMu is definitely better off if your house doesn’t burn down, and you are too. Don’t let paranoia get in the way of a good thing.
 
From listening to their radio ads, they think we are STUPID. Just like the adds. Insulting.
 
Had Liberty Mutual (company insurance) back in 1972 when I ruptured a disc in my lower back. Fifty plus years later still fighting them, well actually I'm retired now, still have a bad back, and they have disappeared. Had a lawyer at one time, till they quit that type of insurance fights, so I just faded away.
 
I recently retired from the insurance business and this "Wildfire Defense" is offered by several carriers. It is an excellent benefit and at no additional expense to the insured! The service is provided by a third-party company contracted by the insurer.


TAKE THE COVERAGE if you are in a potential wildfire area!!!!! I knew of several houses that were saved as a result of accepting this wildfire defense benefit.

Just for the record I share many of your feelings about Liberty Mutual!
 
In some legal areas liberty mutual is called “ slippery mutual”.
Might ask a legal question, if my property is posted with no trespassing signs can an insurance company or its “ representatives” come on my property without my consent. Have no idea where you live, thus the question.
 
Alk8944 said:
I recently retired from the insurance business and this "Wildfire Defense" is offered by several carriers. It is an excellent benefit and at no additional expense to the insured! The service is provided by a third-party company contracted by the insurer.


TAKE THE COVERAGE if you are in a potential wildfire area!!!!! I knew of several houses that were saved as a result of accepting this wildfire defense benefit.

Just for the record I share many of your feelings about Liberty Mutual!
Click to expand...

Not to hijack a thread, but I have Liberty Auto. You know the one with the yellow car and big chicken ads, but I have a question.

Seeing as how you have a lengthy insurance background, who do you consider to be the a good auto carrier? I just took my son off my policy, and my rate with LM jumped 25% because I lost multiple car discount:mad::mad:
 
I'm sure buried in the very small "fine print" is a clause which states that if you do not accept the "Chloeta help", your policy is void in the cae of a fire.
 
My guess is the "our fire prevention guys can enter your property whenever they want" is to save money, so as to be efficient.

Can you imagine having to coordinate visits with each and every homeowner in a fire risk zone? Especially a bunch of touchy curmudgeons like us?

Sometimes they're in. Sometimes they're out. Sometimes they answer the phone. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes they wanna chew the fat for an hour to satisfy their concerns that you aren't a pederast scammer sent by the FBI in order to further the aims of the international conspiracy of who the heck knows....

Dealing with 'em would cost a bundle. Would not be worth offering the service.

Now if you are a shy nude sunbather, I can see needing some advance coordination. Otherwise, I don't see the issue.

Best wishes for a safe fire season.
 
I had Liberty Mutual for a couple of years. The month before my policy expired, I went insurance shopping and found a cheaper company with the same coverage so when I got the renewal from Liberty, I ignored it and signed on with the other company.

Of course I received several other notices to renew, then I received a notice saying they had extended my policy for a month and I owed them $XX.00 of money for that automatic extension. I called them and after a lengthy conversation during which they threatened to turn the matter over to a collection agency, they said if I could prove I had coverage from the expiration date of the original policy, they would drop the matter. I gave them the new company's name and phone number and told them to check themselves. I won't print here what else I told them, but you can use your imagination and it will probably be pretty close. I read my policy - something few people do - and there was nothing in there saying I had to notify them I wasn't renewing or anything giving them the right to extend my coverage without my knowledge or approval, let alone charge me for said extension.

Liberty will never see another cent of my money, even if the offered to insure my home for 1/10th of what I'm paying.
 
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Capt Steve said:
I had a frozen pipe burst last January that did $13,000+ in damage and ultimately Liberty Mutual paid up but it was a struggle to get them to accept liability. After far more aggravation than should have been necessary I "persuaded" them to step up and honor their policy. It was not a happy experience.
Click to expand...


Seems like you should have gotten the message then that it was time to change insurance companies.
 
I’m not a nude sunbather but I really wouldn’t care for the idea of them coming on my property without appropriate notice, under anything except emergency circumstances. A knock on the door would be good enough for me. That just seems like common courtesy. If a fire is raging nearby and time is of the essence, that would be a different story. Probably no sunbathing going on then anyway! :D I’d probably accept it and hope it wasn’t needed.
 
M29since14 said:
I’m not a nude sunbather but I really wouldn’t care for the idea of them coming on my property without appropriate notice, under anything except emergency circumstances. A knock on the door would be good enough for me. That just seems like common courtesy. If a fire is raging nearby and time is of the essence, that would be a different story. Probably no sunbathing going on then anyway! :D I’d probably accept it and hope it wasn’t needed.
Click to expand...

I live about a 1/4 mile off the road, up on a plateau where the mountains come down to the creek. My area is very wooded with plenty of down once you get off my land. I hopefully am well prepared for a fire scenario with metal roof buildings, cut back tree line and a standby generator to give me power to run my well for firefighting!

I have LM insurance so would not be surprised if a letter from the company hits my mail box. Been with them both auto and house for quite a while, so far it has been a very cordial relationship. Thought the last time I talked with them I did tell them that if I left the company it would happen because of those overly stupid commercials they foster on us.:mad:

As far as people coming up unannounced as you say except for emergencies, not too keen on that, but will consider all options!

I also do not nude sunbath, I imagine the descending planes dropping altitude to come into the airport would thank me!:D

Edit spelling!
 
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Lots of insurance companies out there. How much water in a drought area are they going to use getting the fire gel off you house and those big windows. Do they use your water?
 
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