USAA Insurance, Lindsay Dillon, Michael Cox, Teresa Raymond USAA hid that we had a leaky roof, exposed us to toxic black mold and costing us $60,000 in repairs. San Antonio Texas

June 30, 2009

OFFICIAL COMPLAINT

To All Concerned,

USAA Insurance Company is basically a military endorsed company who enjoys profits to the tune of 40 to 50 million dollars. USAA insurance company takes monthly and quarterly premiums, have no serious oversight to regulate them, put families in financial ruins, conduct business strictly on bad faith, withhold pertinent information from homeowners, place families at risk by exposing them to toxic black mold for a year and a half all to save money.

They have been amoral, allowed personal feelings to overrule professionalism, interfered with the safety of my family by disclosing personal information to companies and telling the companies not to come to my home to repair or conduct certain actions because they will not pay. They have exclusions in their policies that allow them to take money from Consumers and pay the least amount of money and use the term mitigate to absolve themselves of any responsibility.

My complaint is that USAA had knowledge for a year and a half that my roof and atrium leaked when my home was hit by a tornado in early 2008. They with held this report and told me it was internal documentation not privy to the homeowner. As a result, USAA made a conscious decision to withhold this information for a year in a half. This decision caused me and my son great illnesses. Mushrooms were growing out of our wall from behind the wall paper which is what alerted us to the toxic black mold (In February 2009). We were hit by tornados and bad weather for three consecutive weeks and water damage consumed my entire home in February and March 2009).

However, for a year and a half that we lived in our home, we were breathing 15 toxic molds (which is now at a rate of 356,973 count/m3 for 15 different molds) in my home and I have been told to vacate. I have had severe medical problems as a result. I want to know who is going to hold USAA accountable for their actions. I had a right to know. I should have been afforded the opportunity to have access to that report, since I didn't, my home has got to be gutted or condemned. My money went into repairs; I will have three households to support, the mortgage, my spouse apartment in Augusta and a place for me to live.

Now I find that amongst the other medical problems, I have an ovarian cyst. I have loss my hair; broke out in rashes, extreme fatigue, vomiting, red eyes, passing out inside my home, and swollen feet, medications have stop working, and etc. My pet has been hurt because by the time I finished following all of USAA'S representatives instructions, I have been living on exposed concrete floors and in substandard conditions by following USAA Representative Instructions. They are not omnipotent and do not have the right to play God with people's lives. I get to pay them thousands of dollars for a non-functioning insurance policy.

Who gives them the right to decide that just because they want high quarterly earnings and profit, that they can just with hold reports that endangers my family' life for a buck. Because as Ms. Lindsay Dillon, Adjustor for USAA, (1-800-531-8722 ext. 44738) says, if we pay every claim, we would not have any money. I don't want to hear, the contract is not flawed and is in their favor and I just need to move on with my life as Teresa Raymond, Public Relations has told me (1-210-282-1823) and Mike Cox, Director of claims (1-800-531-8722) has told me.

I was purposely due to bad faith left in this house so they would not have to repair a roof( wear or tear or marring, this house was remolded when I used my Veteran's certificate to buy it and it is not the original as they claim of 35 years) or atrium. If I had the appropriate information, I would have repaired it myself. Who will tell them that withholding information is wrong? Just because they think they can does not make it right. Their behavior have been at a minimum certainly amoral with bad faith with clauses strategically placed in sub-sections of a contract and they get millions of dollars to cover our homes and autos in which if condemned the Fannie Mae has to cover the substantial loss. They took away my right to repair my home, by giving me erroneous information, intentionally misguiding me, thwarted efforts of repairs, and I trusted them.

INCIDENTS
a. The first flood happened in early 2008 of last year. Adjusters for the insurance company USAA could not find the source of the problem and provided me with faulty information therefore not leading to the proper repairs that could have been taken by my family.
b. The Adjuster stated the home flooded from torrential rains that came from the street and seeped underground and up through the concrete slab therefore flooding the home. The home has an atrium and the adjustor did not inform me that the Atrium was or could be a problem. For approximately two inches around the atrium on three of its sides were dry and the water had completely flooded the foyer which is located in the front of the home. The damage was in the middle of the carpeted floors. The adjuster checked the roof and did not inform me that the roof could be another source of the flooding of the home or any wear or tear of the roof. There were water spots on the wall and that is what the insurance company paid for (wet spots on the wall). No report was ever forwarded to me. He also did not tell where the water could be coming from. Information I received was stated verbally over the phone during several conversations with USAA Representatives. There was no crack in the foundation of our home when it was checked at that time.
c. Equipment was bought to dry vac to clean up the water and the areas on the walls repaired.
d. During the February 28, 2009 flood, our house was flooded on three different occasions for three consecutive weeks. On the first occasion of 2009, a new adjustor came out and reported to me that the roof on the home was the original roof and that the insurance would not pay for the repair of the original roof. The adjustor stated the roof was 35 years old. First the house was remolded when we moved in and there are parts on my roof that were not available 35 years ago.
e. Unlike the adjustor who stated the roof were unstable, erosion had been occurring before we moved into the home. I take issue with that because my home was inspected by the VA because I used my VA certificate to buy this home. Also, what did he aspect after several tornados in 2008 and 2009. The last time I checked, tornados and severe weather storms does damage. The Adjustor also stated the carpet had water damage and the insurance company would only pay for the cleaning of the carpet. The outside fence was damaged and USAA depreciated the cost of the fence and would repair that. However, the adjustor did not put the carpet on the report and I called Lindsay Dillon, of USAA and reported after conversations that the carpet was also damaged. Miss Dillon stated she would send the adjustor back out.
2. During the second week, we were flood before the same adjustor came back out. Before the initial flooding, our yard men cleaned off the roof and gutters to include the atrium. Also during this storm, it began to rain inside of the house. The furniture was damaged and the floor soaked.
a. The USAA representative stated to me when I immediately had the problem and called into USAA, to pull all the padding up from under the floor that was wet throughout the home and leave the padding outside of the home to show the adjustor.
b. I complied although I have not been working due to the fact that I am waiting to have three surgeries at one time. (My spouse is stationed and lives in Augusta Georgia therefore incurring expenses for two households). On the second visit from the adjustor, he found leaves in the gutter of the atrium and on the roof which occurred from the second storm.
c. More damaged from the second storm, the nails that were in the gutters of the atrium were ripped from the wooden foundation that kept the gutters intact. The rain came too fast for the Atrium to drain all the water incurred that came from the rains into the house via the atrium and roof.
d. Again, I complied with all instructions, cleaned as much water as possible over the week end and awaited appointments for companies to be scheduled to come to look at the home for repairs that USAA stated they would not pay for. Also, during the waiting period, USAA Representatives told me I should have went on the roof and place plastic over the roof during the rain and tact back up the gutters during the storm. I could not do those task due to the dangerous conditions because of the bad rain and had no knowledge of how or what to look for on the roof, nor had the ability handle the gutters alone.
e. During the third week, the house was flooded again and damaged the complete house with the exception of the three back bedrooms. Professionals' final showed up, some came and others did not make their appointment. USAA initially called Service Pro the third time and first gave permission to tarp the house and then pulled permission to tarp the house by a supervisor named Marta, because we had disagreed on who would pay for the tarp. The house was finally tarped in the area where there was no damaged; the three back bedrooms. I complained and was told to tarp the rest of the house with plastic from home depot and that I was responsible for all the damage and if USAA paid every claim they would not have any money, per Lindsay Dillon.
f. I was also told to pull up the carpet and move all the furniture, if I did not comply, I would be responsible and liable to pay for my own belongings, in which USAA didn't pay anyways, however, following their instructions has left me worst off.
g. There is no carpeting throughout the house except in the back of the home and part of the front where mold is highly concentrated along with the master bedroom (where I sleep each night) and there is furniture and other items which were damaged such as televisions, wooden tables, and entertainment center.
3. USAA will only repair the fence. The atrium gutters and wood have to be repaired and the boarders around the windows of the atrium. Every day I find something new wrong cited by the contractors from the tornados.
SITUATION:

1. It is mandatory as homeowners to have insurance. Our choice after being lied to and manipulated by our previous insurance company, we decided to go with the military endorsed company USAA. In short, USAA withheld documentation from the first water damage that we had in early, 2008. Teresa Raymond, USAA Public Relations informed me that USAA had knowledge during the first incident that we had a leaky roof; the atrium was a problem, and a crack in the foundation of the home. USAA's policy is not to be released to the homeowners because it is not their responsibility to tell homeowners how to maintain their homes. This information was with held and I was told that the water leaks on the ceiling were from air condensation from the air conditioner in 2008. We looked for a crack in the foundation and could not find it. The adjustor sent to our home said it was a crack in the foundation and mentioned nothing about the roof or atrium.
2. I have been fighting with USAA since February 2009. They did not disclose the 2008 report which would have allowed me the opportunity to fix the roof, the atrium, and possible find the crack in the floor because we were not able to find it at that time, because it was none. That is an act of Bad Faith and a violation of the Right to know Law and negligence among other violations committed by USAA.

3. As the alleged number one insurance company in the U.S., it was predictable for them and foreseeable that a leaky roof and atrium would produce mold in the walls and throughout the house. However, for a year in a half, USAA made a conscious decision not to disclose this information so they would not have to repair a roof. As each tornado and bad storm came, I would call into their office terrified and horrified that my roof would collapse on me and my family, crying on the phone for them to help us. As usual, they ignored my pleas for help. Furthermore, because they did not release information that they knew could affect our health, my family has lived in a house full of black toxic mold which has affected me and my son medically.


4. MEDICALLY : My medications have stopped working since I have been in this home, which is why I believe I have to have surgery from living continuous black toxic mold. I have no place to go. The mold is so toxic, I have had to move stay at hotels to give my body a break from the mold and excessive vomiting.

a. Symptomlogy: Medication is no longer effective. Uncontrollable coughing and choking, and frequent headaches. I have had respiratory problems, bronchitis twice , fevers, and treated for pneumonia. My hair has fallen out up to two inches, unexplainable rashes, extreme fatigue and passing out while in the home. Swollen feet, red eyes, vomiting, memory problems. I found out within the last two months that I now have an ovarian cyst and my thyroid is four times its normal level. Currently, more tests have now has to be run.


5. How is it that I pay them thousands of dollars a year to protect my home and yet they get to avoid over $60, 000 of work, because they didn't want to pay $11,000 dollars during the first tornado in 2008, all they had to do is tell me what the problem was and send me a report. Not only did they with hold this information purposely, willingly, and with malice, but thwarted efforts for me to repair my home by disclosing personal information they had no right to disclose to companies, financially they had cost us more than we ever thought it would cost.

6. Furthermore, my son and I have been breathing this putrid air for over a year and a half. Medically, I have to have surgery and have been turned downed by three surgeons to include military surgeons because no one can figure out what is wrong me. The other two surgeries cannot happen until they know what the third problem is. The only reason why I believe I have to have to first two surgeries is because my medication has been become ineffective. Even if I did have surgery, there is nowhere for me to recoup. The only thing that is not affected by mold is the attic. All the walls are wet and have to be gutted from the floor to the ceiling, treated for mold. USAA is an amoral, greedy, and doesn't deserve to be in business. What kind of company does this to people? USAA! I want them to live up to their agreement, repair my home, replace my belongings, and be dealt with by governing agencies.

Remedies:
1. USAA investigated
2. USAA Financially sanctioned
3. USAA Prohibited from doing business in Georgia
4. USAA Responsible and to pay all of my medical bills
5. USAA be placed under an oversight committee
6. My home repaired
7. Hotel Stays
8. PAY FOR Third Rental Property while my home is repaired
9. VET BILLS


Kim
columbus, Georgia
U.S.A.

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