I am about to renew all my insurance policies. It would be a huge benefit to many Americans to know what insurance companies are the culprits in this scheme of slow response. FEMA got your message - did not take long for them to contact you. If all the residents along the Gulf Coast would name their insurance companies and rate their effectiveness, I guarantee the consumers can win this battle!

FYI REGARDING FEMA’s 1.5 MILLION in-WASTED MONEY!!!

FEMA set up three additional work locations in southern California to help take initial registration calls. I was an agent hired by a local employment company, as were some other three thousand people. We worked at Tele-Tech in North Hollywood where we witnessed an EXTREME amount of waste! Despite the people flown in from Washington State, and other parts of the country, FEMA was paying us telephone reps an average of seventeen dollars an hour. So you do the math. 3,000 people at $17 p/h for an 8 hour shift for three shifts a day for THREE days!!!! Like stated before that does not even include the overhead of the operation. To blow your mind even more there were two more centers, one in Pasadena and another in San Diego. Yet I cannot state whether they experienced the same miss management as we did in North Hollywood. We figured the math to be about 1.5 million a day in wages for the three shifts. It was very saddening to experience this and seventy percent of us hoped that once we did take calls we were really making a difference in someone’s life. Who is to really know? FEMA has never released a press statement about this operation nor its success.

To the magnificent residents of the Gulf coast,
I hope that you all overcome your burdens, re-build your homes, businesses, and lives
And I will look forward to your response when the rest of the land locked morons come to their senses, specifically when they are in need of FEMA or their insurance companies, and realize how wrong they all were.
Ms. Russell, please keep up with your posts, there are some people who read these diaries to get an idea of what you are all going through, and try to find some way to help you and not to berate you and all those who post here with their empty soapboxes.

Peace and love to you and yours, Happy Holidays

To Chuck in Omaha - Thank you for that info. Sounds like the insurance companies have been watching and taking notes as to the oil industry's behavior with regards to gas prices. Any excuse to raise them. To Colleen in Chicago - Just so you know, I'm neither Republican or Democrat. I prefer to vote on issues and elections without regard to party lines. However, with regards to your response, you said it ALL.. You said it respectfully, tastefully and most important...TRUTHFULLY. To Ms. Russell, I can only wish you the best and a hope that 2006 will be a much better year.

FEMA did a lot under the Clinton administration and James Lee Witt. I know, I was in Iowa during the 93 flood -- where, miles from any river or brook, my 'garden' apartment flooded 6" ruining most of my needleart design business inventory.
FEMA absolutely CAN be of assistance, the professionals not the appointees know what they are doing. Believe me, Clinton was hit with impeachment due to his foolishness, but no one died. Insurance companies are making high profits -- and now they have to honor their committments -- or maybe not as they drag their feet and claim being overwhelmed.
My heart goes out to LA, MS and AL -- I say get Netherlands to start the levee and have them send a statement to the White House.

As insurance adjusters working in this area, we totally understand what you're going through. Please do not blame your adjuster - we are mostly independents, and have no control over what the companies do. We have worked long and hard to get your claims paid. Unfortunately, the companies are working long and hard to avoid paying. You should definitely name the company - they need to be shown for what they are - lousy!

I’m from Pensacola Florida which was hit hard by Hurricane Ivan in Sept. 2004. I live in a subdivision that is close to the Gulf where over half the homes were destroyed. In comparison to Katrina, it was nothing … but yet it was still devastating.

I feel so much for the people affected by Katrina, because I know what they are in for; dealing with insurance companies, dealing with FEMA, dealing with local government, dealing with no material, dealing with no contractors, dealing with expensive contractors, dealing with unscrupulous contractors, dealing with substandard construction work.

My neighbor paid thousands of dollars in insurance each year and when his house was destroyed, he felt confident that he was covered. Flood provided policy limits but the wind insurance told him that there was no evidence of wind damage and therefore there was nothing to claim! Since flood does not pay for housing assistance, he went to FEMA for housing assistance. I could go on for pages about his dealings with FEMA, but suffice it to say that FEMA is completely dysfunctional! But I agree that the insurance companies should be investigated!

My neighbor was just one of around 21 houses destroyed in our neighborhood, and he moved into his new home last month, which is encouraging. What is discouraging is that the other 20 houses that were destroyed are not even close to being finished and it has been around 15 months since Ivan hit!

So New Orleans and Mississippi – I know what you’re going through – but hang in there and just take one day at a time!

It is a shame that the Insurance companies take so long to pay you what THEY THINK THAT THEY OWE SOMEONE....I think that the Congress should take action and began an investigation into the payment process. Good luck and God BLess You I know how you feel Hurricane Rita kicked our butts also thank God we are trying to recover we have not a dime of insurance.... we will to continue to pray for all the hurricane victums.

Naming companies with bad payment records is paramount to making them pay their dues. After all these people paid theirs whether it was monthly, quarterly, or annually. How they can let these people suffer like this is amoral. I want to know so I can be sure none of them are my insurance companies!!!

I'm here in Waveland, and had been keeping track of these happenings on MSNBC...but finally, I got so disgusted by the ignorant statements the armchair disaster experts were spewing forth with...that I decided to quit reading. Now, a week later, I see that nothing much has changed...except I have to sincerely compliment Colleen...I bow at your feet. I had absolutely no use whatsoever for George W Bush..never voted for him, never will. He is an inanely ignorant dilettante who has no clue about anything except everlastingly clearing brush at his ranch (how much brush can a freakin ranch have?) and riding his bicycle. He reads no newspapers, watches no news, and is fed information by his staff (think people like Brownie, King of FEMA) When family members heard he was coming to Hancock County, they locked me in my camper. To watch him is to realize, with frightening clarity that the Leader of the Free World is a boneheaded idiot. What kills me is now his poll numbers are in the 30's...why??? He is the same wind-up idiot now that he was the year before the election. Only in America would people vote for someone..and then, a year later realize that all the information THAT WAS OUT THERE BEFORE THE ELECTION is TRUE. During the weeks after the hurricane, the only thing that kept me going, after losing everything we have ever owned, was that the Valerie Plame incident might finally bring down the Smirking Chimp..now it seems he is knee deep in that stuff that is probably all over his ranch. One thing is for certain..I am really wanting to get out of Waveland for a breather...and I am seriously thinking about taking my daughter for a trip to Crawford at Easter time so we can join Cindy Sheehan and her group.
As for FEMA....it is necessary...although it was a dumb idea to hook it to Homeland Security, but we all know where that brainiac idea came from (Cheney/Halliburton). As for old Brownie...watch how quickly people will hire him to manage disasters...the same idiots who voted for Bush, of course! Stupid is as stupid does!

What an impressive performance our government at all levels has shown with the Katrina hurricane disaster. First, FEMA sends trucks loaded with ice all over the nation at a cost of millions, has a director who should not be running a dog-show let alone the national disaster response program; The news reports today that the La. Governor was not available to take a call from the Director of Homeland Security because she allegedly was napping, the Mayor of New Orleans does not utilize the city school busses to evacuate people who are then trapped and the busses are buried in the flood. If that isn't enough now FEMA cannot pay flood insurance claims (they are the only provider of this insurance) because Congress has not allocated the money yet (they of course have been on a Thanksgiving break for two weeks) and people are still living in hotel rooms and on cruise ships that is until next month when they get thrown out -- which was going to happen just around the holidays until someone got smart in the government for a change. None of that addresses people trying to get flood insurance checks who can't get past the red tape even if FEMA did have the money at the moment. If all of that isn't enough to convince you that your tax dollars are hard at work in Washington now comes the revelation that FEMA might not have trained their go teams as well as they should have because they didn't have the money. The confidence to react to a crisis shown by federal, state and local governments is to say the least is not overwhelming.

http://www.fema.gov/library/stafact.shtm
Not to disagree with anyone, but has anyone reviewed the Federal Law (Stafford Act)?

Hello and this e-mail is for everyone that has been affected by the aftermath of Katrina. My children and I don't live nowhere near the coast although this has affected our lives mentally.Unfortunately in my case my children can't understand how such a thing has taken place, I know that this is nature.(they have seen all the graphic pictures unfortunatly) Although My boys don't, and their like afraid to even travel and go any where outside of Michigan. I have never seen my children so depressed and afraid to watch television. Before all this had taken place my children and I had plan to move to either Mississippi or Lousiana just for a change and a greater education. Although all this has definitely changed the thought of such, just on their behave. But as for myself I am willing actually to do so and help out I any way I can, to help rebuild these people lives and their in any way possible. I am just tryng to reassure my children that things can happen anywhere. I have prayed for so long for the people of these states after all of this,and I also pray that everyone understands how no body was really prepared for such a catastrophic event not even the Government...We all got caught slipping if you ask me. To the coast who ever your God may be; keep praying to him and asking him for the strength to get over all this...God Bless America...

For the person who suggested naming names, I will say that my husband and I are not in good hands with Allstate. It has been three months since we initally filed our claim and about six weeks since we were allowed back into our home in New Orleans. Our home was not flooded (we are among the lucky), but did sustain substantial roof damage and subsequent ceiling and wall water damage. Despite repeated requests, we have been waiting for almost a month to be assigned our fourth structure adjustor after our third adjustor quit. We never spoke to adjustor #1 and #2 since they never returned our calls and then we were assigned to someone else. Adjustor #3 did come to our house and made a report. When we recieved the report there were several errors, which shouldn't be that big of a deal to straighten out but we cannot get them resolved since we can only resolve them by speaking with our adjustor and Allstate seems unable or unwilling to assign us a new one. I have called their call center two to three times a week for several weeks and each timethe person in the call center is unable to find any evidence that our request for a new adjustor has been processed. It is so very frustrating, and of course no one in the call center can transfer to anyone who can actually help you with your claim (I don't blame the people in the call center, since they are only answering the phone for the company, except for the guy who told me that if it made me feel any better he knew of some customers who were on their tenth adjustor and so having four was not that bad). In the meantime our house still needs a new roof and everytime it rains we wonder how much additional damage is being done to our home. We had decided to pay for a new roof and not wait for the claim to be settled, but were informed by Allstate that it would be better to wait, since the new adjustor will have to see the condition of the damaged roof in order to make an assessment. To further add to the confusion we also have separate adjustors for mold, losses incurred inside the house, and for displacement expenses - not shocking that none of these claims have been settled yet either. Someone told me that I need to be patient since this was such a big storm that Allstate was having trouble keeping up with the claim. I'm sure that before all this happened, if I had called Allstate and told them that I was having a tough month and that I couldn't pay my premium and could they be paient, they would have been totally understanding......right.
It's been almost three months since the storm hit, Allstate continues to give us and thousands of other customers like us the run around. Despite what their commercials promise, the company doesn't seem to care about their customers. With all the stress and anxiety that we are dealing with living in New Orleans and wondering about the future of the city that we love so much, I could do without having the insurance claim from hell to deal with.

I have set aside what little cash assistance the government has sent me (damage from Hurricane Rita) knowing they will ask for it back, or at least will tax me for ‘our’ taxes as income.

What a blessing for that phone call after a huge blow from the FEMA letter. Yes, people not directly affected by Katrina will begin to get numb from the disaster news and images, if they haven't already done so. It's a sad fact. Just ask the millions affected by the tsunami. But here's the thing. If people like yourself don't speak up and let the world know the truth about the relief efforts, then all we know is what we see or hear on tv or, sadly, from the government. While everyone "up top" is playing the name game, victims like you and your family continue to live in uncertainty. Keep telling us your story and tell us who these crazy insurance companies are so that we don't get our insurance from them!!! By the way, I'm a meteorologist in graduate school studying hurricanes. Yes, living on the coast, obviously gives you more of a risk for hurricane strikes, but Katrina was the BIG one. There's people all of the US who live in areas vulnerable to nature. It's a fact of life. You can't escape the weather no matter where you are. People that say it was your fault for living on the coast should just be ignored. Who knows, maybe they live in a trailer in tornado alley, or on a hillside in CA or next to a flood-prone river or even where snow can bury everything along with destruction of power grids and bursting pipes. I think that covers just about every geo region in the US...unless everyone wants to live in AZ...but then again, it is a fact that heatwaves cause the most weather related deaths!!! God Bless you and all those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Maybe, this year, we'll be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas through this tragedy.

Good to read intelligent comments. Perhaps some good will come of the horror of Katrina, but it won't be coming from the government or their friends the insurance companies. Federal tax dollars have bailed out airlines, Chrysler, New York City, the list goes on and on. I hope the idiots who spewed so much of their closed minnded hatred are happy in their warm homes (kept warm by federally subsidized heat) smoking a cigarette (made from federally subsidized tobacco) and eating hamburger (made from federally subsidized meat on a bun made from federally subsidized wheat).
I can only hope that my tax dollars are going to the Gulf Coast.

What those who were not affected by Katrina need to understand:

1. Of course, many of us had insurance.

2. If insurnace companies do not pay the forty billion in claims, then taxpayers everywhere will be footing some of that bill.

3. It is easy to see why the U.S. runs a deficit and Insurance companies have a surplus.

4. You might want to read this letter:

http://www.vstretch.net/a_little_help_in_mississippi.htm

My hart goes out to all the victims. And that is the correct term, VICTIMS! Between FEMA and the insurence companies there are no excuses for not taking care of the people...

...it just makes me sick.

Sometimes one has to wonder if it is better to have insurance or to place the money one would have paid in insurance in a savings account or other ACCESSABLE investment fund. No insurance adjusters, no serious hassle in accessing your money, no denial of claim (its your money). Perhaps instead of working on a retirement investment accounts in relation to Social Security, we should be working on Personal Owned Insurance Accounts.

I'd love to know what insurance companies actually stood up. Did the right thing and paid out!
I assure you. Information makes a difference. If not one does business with dirt bags like allstate, state farm, national and the like then they would be out of business. Speak out for god sake! Who did a good job & who did not!

Great Job! As a former Mississippian and current Floridian I have had the misfortune to see what these storms can do on both of my homefronts. I also am in agreement with the many others that have contributed to the comments placed by what sounds to be a very ignorant population of individuals. It is insulting and embarrassing to read that anyone would cast blame towards the many that have suffered and continued to suffer from this event by saying this is part of their own doing because of neglect of not carrying insurance coverage. Their comments are as ignorant as the minds that are producing them and are not worthy of any further response. I have also been disturbed of the media's forgetfullness of the devastation in Mississippi and the lack of support to the needs of affected individuals in my home state. From afar it seems as if the natinaol media's total focus and only care has been New Orleans and New Orleans only. New Orlean's problems are many but were created by the governing of that city and their complete lack of forethought of what a Hurricane threat truly means. I'm not sure that at this point blaming he and she is the best approach but I am in accordance that accountability (local and federal gov., insurance co.) should be established to remedy the situation and prevent this situation from replicating itself in the future. It is also disappointing to hear the casualness of insurance companies to commnicate to policy holders who have lost all of their possessions that their loss is not applicable for assistance, and then give them the run-around to again get away without having to pay what is entitled. I applaud you Maria for your strength during this ordeal and your sense of urgency to document and tell what is really going on in MS.

I don't know if this information is of any help of not but the Department of Insurance in IL handles all insurance issues and oversees the operations of insurance agencies. I'm not sure if it works the same there but maybe if you contact them, it will help expidite your claims. My issues were usually resolved within 30 days as soon as they were contacted by the Dept of Insurance they got very cooperative. To my knowledge, every state has a Dept of Insurance so if anyone else out there is having insurance problems, this is where you will get results (I hope).

Insurance Department of—
Health Insurance Consumer Services—
1702 N 3rd St., Baton Rouge........................................................800 259-5301
Life and Annuity Division (Claims and Complaints)—
1702 N 3rd St., Baton Rouge........................................................800 259-5300
Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)—
1702 N 3rd St., Baton Rouge........................................................800 259-5301
Investigation Division Emergency Hotline—
1885 N 3rd St., Baton Rouge...........................................................800 488-2770

COLLEN

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU MR. PRESIDENT ISNT WORRIED ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WAS DEVASTATED BY HURR. KATRINA. I FEEL THAT IF HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WAS TRAPPED IN NEW ORLEANS AFTER KATRINA HE WOULD HAVE SENT AS MANY HELICOPTERS THAT HE CAN GET TO GET THE PEOPLE WHO WAS TRAPPED OUT OF THAT CITY. NOW THAT IT IS TIME TO BLAME SOMEONE HE WANTS TO POINT THE FINGER AT GOV. BLANCO AND MAYOR NAGEN IT NOT THERE FAULT THEY ONLY CAN DO SO MUCH IT IS THE JOB OF THE PRESIDENT WHO HAS ALL THE POWER TO HELP.GOV. BLANCO I DONT BLAME YOU, YOU DID ALL THAT YOU WAS SUPPOSE TO DO IF PRESIDENT BUSH WOULD HAVE STOPPED FOR ONE MINUTE AND STEPPED OFF OF HIS HIGH HORSE THERE WOULD BE ALOT OF PEOPLE STILL ALIVE TODAY.LIKE COLLEN SAID PRESIDENT BUSH IS TOO BUSY WORRIED ABOUT DECORATING THE WHITE HOUSE THAT IS MONEY THAT COULD BE USED TO REBUILT HOUSE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN TENTS.
BUT WITH THE BUSH FAMILY ITS ALL ABOUT "I" THEY DONT CARE MR BUSH MOTHER STATED THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THE ASTRO DOME DIDNT HAVE ANYTHING I THOUGH THAT WAS VERY SELFISH OF HER TO SAY THAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST EVERYTHING THEY HAD I MEAN THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES WHO ARE NOT RICH BUT THEY ARE BLESS BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL ALIVE THE INSURANCE COMPANYS ARE JUST LIKE FEMA A BUNCH OF BULL SHIT YOU PAY ALL THAT MONEY A MONTH FOR INSURANCE FOR THEM TO SAY THAT YOU DIDNT HAVE THE RIGHT COVERAGE OR THE INSURANCE YOU HAVE DONT COVER FLOOD OR HURR DAMAGES THEY DONT CARE NEITHER DOES FEMA.DO YOU REALIZE THAT IT TOOK THE PRESIDENT DAYS TO RESPOND TO KATRINA BUT MINUTES TO RESPOND TO THE TSUNMI I DONT UNDERSTAND THAT BUT IN THE END PRESIDENT BUSH AND ALL OF THE REPLUBLICANS WILL HAVE TO ANSWER TO THE MOST HIGH ONE,GOD AND BELIVE ME WHEN I SAY GOD IS NOT PLEASED WITH THE PRESIDENT AND ALL WHO HAD THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING WHEN KATRINA HIT THE CITY OF NEW ORLEAN BUT DIDNT. ITS ONE THING TO TALK THE TALK BUT ITS ANOTHER THING TO WALK THE WALK LIKE I HAVE BEEN TOLD FOR SO MANY YEARS ACTIONS SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS.THE SLOW RESPONSE OF THE GOVERMENT CAUSED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO LOOSE THERE LIVES I AM GLAD WE DONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PRESIDENT BUSH AFTER HIS TERM IS OVER TO THE PERSON WHO PLAN TO TAKE HIS PLACE PLEASE DONT BE WORSE THAN HIM TO ALL YOU BUSH LOVER GOD WILL JUDGE YOU ALSO. GOV. BLANCO I SUPPORT YOU THIS WAS NOT YOUR FAULT AND THE GOD KNOWS YOU DID ALL YOU COULD DO TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF NEW ORLEANS IF YOU DECIDE TO RUN AGAIN YOU HAVE MY VOTE!!! GOD BLESS YOU GOV. BLANCO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP!!

I am a resident south of the tracks (beach side) in Waveland. I have nothing but a slab left. Yes, I had flood insurance (not in a flood zone) and Homeowner's insurance. I received full settlement from my flood insurance and currently am waiting to hear from the MWUA about my wind and hail policy, but, from what I have heard, they are paying claims at least half to full policy amount, and I have hope that they are going to do the same for me. Considering the magnitude of this disaster, common sense would tell you that just processing all of these claims is a monumental job and I hope that the insurance companies will take care of their policy holders including myself. We just have to have some patience. As to all of you naysayers, I have a few words for you! No. 1, my family has lived here for generations. We could move anywhere, but it wouldn't be home. No. 2, what even gives you the right to say where we live? No. 3, If we shouldn't live here, then all coasts of the United States should be closed and everybody living there should be moved inland. Better yet, lets close all coasts of the world, so there are no hurricanes, tsumnamis, typhoons or anything of the like that might disrupt your everyday existence. Of course that would be kind of hard to do considering how many land masses are surrounded by water. No. 4, if we do close all of the coasts in the United States, consider this, no more gas, no more seafood, no more petroleum products, the list would go on and on. So sell your SUV's, get all electric houses and eat more chicken. NO. 5 and the most important of all is that you don't have a right to say where we live and we choose to live here because WE LOVE IT HERE AND IT IS OUR HOME!! As for Colleen, a lot of what you said is right, but to blame one person, that person being the President is a bit ridiculous. I shudder to think what John Kerry would have done in this situation. It seems like everybody has to blame somebody for this disaster. The President, FEMA, SBA, Red Cross, Insurance Companies, even GOD. Mother Nature caused this, none of the above deserve the blame. Could things have been done better, you bet, but can you honestly say all of the above are not even trying. Give me a break. Never has there been a disaster of this magnitude. There was no manual on what to do in a situation like this. Hopefully we as a nation will learn from this and be better prepared to take on a challenge as this has been. I won't argue politics, its obvious you are a liberal democrat and I am a conservative republican, which means anything Mr. Bush would have done would have been wrong, but the last time I checked, we are all americans and need to work together to get us all back on track. Blame never solves a thing. A nice note from ground zero - The citizens of Waveland received a letter from Santa asking what we would like for Christmas. Our response was "a cleared lot so that we can put a temporary trailer in and rebuild our house and our lives". Well lo and behold, my lot was cleared 2 days ago. Thanks a million COE. By the way Colleen and all of the other Bush bashers, the Corps of Engineers works for Mr. Bush! They have been the most wonderful people you could possibly imagine. They actually take the time to call you before they clear your land to ask if there is anything they can help you retrieve before they being the clearing process. Its amazing what these small acts of kindness can do for you. Its what keeps us going. To all of the people from all over the country that have been here to support us and everyone else who has contributed to the rebuilding effort here, we don't know how to thank you enough. One last note for all of the naysayers! Tonight when you climb into your nice warm bed, plese remember the people still living in tents, gutted out houses and mud, and thank your lucky stars or God above that its not you living this nightmare and remember, the next time it could be YOU!!!