Nationwide Insurance, aka Nationwide General, Nationwide Mutual Refuses to pay claim after they make me jump through hoops Des Moines Iowa

While on vacation on July 7, 2014, we received a call from the police department that our home was on fire. Upon arriving home, we discovered a lifetime of memories and memorabilia were destroyed. The fire marshal blamed an electrical appliance, i.e. room air purifier, in my son's room (he has asthma) as the culprit. I filed my claim the same day with Nationwide. Believe it or not, the Red Cross showed up before anyone from my insurance company did. When Nationwide responded, Warren showed up and declared the property a total loss, as did the fire marshal. Warren put us up in a hotel, and was most courteous and professional.

On July 11, Nationwide sent a claims adjuster, Susanna, to evaluate losses due to fire in our home. Upon meeting Susanna, she explained that she was there to inventory lost property as a claims adjuster for Nationwide. Now you might wonder, why would a claims adjuster inventory a property that was a total loss due to fire? Property, totally destroyed and unsalvagable, becomes itemized. Not where you purchased it, not for the amount you actually paid, but from discount sites like Wayfair, Walmart, Overstock.com, etc. When these items are disputed, the first thing that Nationwide asks for is a receipt where you purchased it. When you say the receipt was in the house that just burned, they give you the lowest internet price for "like quality", then subtract depreciation. Go figure. During the course of this inventory, which in my opinion was an absolute joke, we received an investory list of the property destroyed. This is where Nationwide gives you an opportunity to supplement their inventory. But the documentation I have is not good enough for Nationwide to finalize our claim. They requested appraisals, which were LOST IN THE FIRE! We went through the expense of obtaining appraisals based on the documentation that wasn't destroyed by fire, only to learn some items required a 2nd claim to Nationwide under the heading of Theft/Missing, while still some other items are still in dispute and our expert appraisals are not good enough for Nationwide. Numerous calls and emails were ignored by the adjuster, Susanna, to where we had to contact her supervisor, Larry, of Columbia, MD. Susanna visited the property once that is documented on July 11. Both Susanna and her supervisor, Larry, state that she visited the property twice to locate missing items from a total loss claim. But when questioned about the dates, they both refuse to provide dates.  

On Sept. 12, susanna sent us an updated inventory where the missing property was listed, as reproductions. We immediately told her that they were authentic. Appraisals on the missing property documented was provided to Susanna, then all of a sudden, the property cannot be located. We have repeatedly asked Susanna and Larry, Should we file a Theft/Missing property report for the missing items from our home, in excess of $22,000, only to be ignored.  On Nov. 18, we contacted Nationwide's corporate headquarters to file a Theft/Missing property report, and we spokle to have Kelly, a supervisor who refused to give me her last name, and refused to let us file a Theft/Missing property claim even though our policy is still active. It is Nov. 19th now and our claim still is not finalized, and everything we do is not good enough to satisfy Nationwide's demands.   

I have spent over an hour reviewing complaints from average Americans against Nationwide (auto, home), yet they exist and will continue to exist.  I recognize some of the same tactics in other claims as in my own.  We should ban together and make Nationwide accountable for their actions! Until then, tell everyone you know DO NOT EVER USE NATIONWIDE, not for auto, home, renters, or anything else!