ComplaintsforAvatar Property & Casualty Insurance Company

• Initial Complaint

  03/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company had been dealing since August of 3020 on paying sn insurance claim from a hail storm on 8.9.20. Both my neighbor and I are the only ones in 2 sq miles ro not have our insurance fix our roofs. (Both Avatar) Every house in the area had been repaired. They are the worst insurance company I have ever seen. Lie after lie, deny truth and facts. I had to retain an attorney who now tells me they filed for bankruptcy after stalling 17 months. I have had to repair it myself as my house was leaking water from the damaged areas.

  

  Business response

  04/11/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/03/01) */ On August 14, 2020, Avatar was notified that the above-described residence had roof damage. Avatar made arrangements with you to visit the property and conduct an inspection. During the inspection, the field adjuster noticed multiple vertical tears on a window screen and no tearing observed on the large leaf palms and plants. The field adjuster then observed dented and creased gutters, however the reported damage was located at the face of the gutter which is not typical of hail caused damage. Debris filled gutters, spatter marks, and blistering were observed. The field adjuster also noted three marks of 3/4 inch diameter at the right slope. The marks were not soft when pushed and not punctured either. Furthermore, the exposed bitumen at the reported marks on the right slope was faded, indicating the damage was not due to the recent hail storm. Avatar contacted a licensed roofer, ******* ********** LLC. ("***"), to inspect the roof. Upon inspection, *** noticed that the roof was experiencing signs of wear and tear, discoloration, loss of adhesion, blistering, and loss of granules consistent with the age of the roof. *** further noted a few spatter marks across the roof but no dents, punctures, nor softness was observed. *** further noticed worn ridge caps, a section of the roof where tree branches were rubbing the roof surface, algae on the roof surface, gutters full of debris, displaced metal soffit, a few exposed nail heads, no denting on the metal roof, rusted metal chimney cap, and no impacts nor dents on the chimney. *** did not notice any evidence of wind or hail damage on your roof. The claims determination and *** inspection report was sent to the insured to review. The subject policy insures against risk for direct physical loss from named perils. However, the normal wear and tear, cosmetic damage, and maintenance issues are not covered under your policy. The leak mentioned above was not a result of hail. It is a maintenance item. Copies of our communications were sent to the insured and the represented parties. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/03/02) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I do not agree with this report at all.For one YOUR inspector (not independent btw) put in his report of wind gusts UNDER 20mph (I believe it was 23 or 16 mph max, I could be wrong on those 2 numbers) when in fact gusts were tracked between 60-80 mph. Hail was reported to be 1.75' in size. Here are a few links proving as such: http://www.interactivehailmaps.com/local-hail-map/debary-fl/ FROM THIS REPORT HERE Interactive Hail Maps - Hail Map for DeBary, FL We see this 8/9/2020 4:39 PM EDT Media relayed report of a roof awning blown from the back yard of a home to the front in debary causing roof damage. photo provided. also reported a couple of trees dow in volusia county FL, 0.9 miles WNW of DeBary, FL 8/9/2020 4:38 PM EDT At 438 pm edt, a severe thunderstorm was located over deltona, moving south at 5 mph (trained weather spotters). Hazards include 60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. Hail damage to vehicles is expected. expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. Locations impacted include, deltona, deland, orange city, lake helen and debary. 8/9/2020 4:15 PM EDT At 415 pm edt, a severe thunderstorm was located over deltona, moving south at 5 mph (radar indicated). Hazards include 60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. Using the reported coordinates of this storm, here is the reprt: This golf ball sized hail was reported at 3:38:00 PM CDT on 08/09/2020 about 2 miles from the center of DeBary, Florida. DeBary has a population of 19320. The exact location that this hail report originated from was 28.91, -81.29. The area around DeBary and the geo link: ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Hail Report Details HAIL SIZE 1.75" CITY Debary LOCATION ************************* COORDINATES 28.91, -81.29 POPULATION 19320 NEARBY HAIL 5 Reports ZIPCODE 32713 COUNTY Volusia DATE 08/09/2020 TIME (CDT) 3:38:00 PM CDT Also your inspector also mentions damage from a palm tree to the roof, if ANYTHING in protected the roof as it was covering OVER it, shielding in that small area.You also mention a hole in screens from said tree, there are NO WINDOWS anywhere near it. NONE! The screened enclosure did get damage and that has no trees near it either. Then of course we had a Oak tree snap a 24" limb off between my home and my neighbors home. Oaks don't break from winds 20mph or under (this also being the other person you denied). This storm as mentioned prior covered a vast area and EVERY SINGLE home on my street, as you go up and down had to get new roofs. It is ONLY Avatar in denial. You also fail to report the soffits being blown upward from the force of these winds, both front and rear of the house. You mention grainalar from the roof, this happens FROM HAIL and I had just 2 weeks before this storm cleaned the gutters with a leaf blower and by hand. To the point you could eat off it. You are sighting YOUR own inspector as your report is using, and missing GREATLY on accurate reporting.I had an independent NEUTRAL inspector, a public adjuster if you will, who also was denied by you Thus leading me to having to hire an attorney. I could NO longer wait on Avatar to do the repair, as more damage was happening. After 15 months I had to hire a roofer and to keep costs down a person for gutters. I went and got 3 quotes for each. While I was doing so my attorney was in contact with you, and meeting after meeting Avatar cancelled. Over 4 that I know of if not more. I suspect the pending bankruptcy was your reason for stall tactics. We are now 19 months since the storm. Avatar has shown to be unreliable in handling this case and my neighbors. I cant wait to hear the next reply that of all the homes on our street hit,somehow it did hit the tree and took that down, but missed both homes but all the others got hit. Give me a break. Consumer Response /* (3000, 10, 2022/03/02) */ Found out that ARC (Artisian Re-builders Construction IS Avatar here is the link to the resume of one of the employees that states JUST that so Independent inspection... PLEASE!! **************************************************************** Doaa AL's email & phone Current Position: Project Engineer at Artisan Rebuilders and Construction LLC. - Avatar Property and Casualty Insurance Location: Lutz, Florida Experience: 9 years How to contact Doaa AL Phone number: +1-xxx-xxx-6005 Last updated: 2021-07-10 Social media: Opt-Out Takes 5 seconds to join, no credit card required Analytics According to LinkedIn Doaa AL started working on 2013, then the employee has changed 2 companies and 1 job. On average, Doaa AL works for one company for 1 year 9 months. Doaa AL has been working as a Project Engineer for Artisan Rebuilders and Construction LLC. - Avatar Property and Casualty Insurance for 1124 days. If you are interested in this candidate, contact him directly by using contact details provided by SignalHire. Work Experience Project Engineer at Artisan Rebuilders and Construction LLC. - Avatar Property and Casualty Insurance Feb 2019 - Current Project Engineer at Ziad Al-Hajaj General Contractors - *****, Jordan Jan 2014 - Sep 2015 Training/ Internship - Project Engineer at Damac general Contractors May 2013 - Dec 2013 Education Bachelor's degree at Al Balqaa Applied University \ Factually of Engineering Technology ( Polytechnic ) Consumer Response /* (3000, 11, 2022/03/02) */ Upon further review of the so called inspectors I found this for Artisian Builders: ******* **********, LLC Write a review 2.65 reviews People often mention All quality3 punctuality2 responsiveness2 value1 Sort by Most relevant Newest Highest Lowest Brian L. Brian L. 6 reviews 3 months ago This company is a front for Avatar insurance. They use this company to write phony estimates and inspections. Their goal is to shift responsibility to the home owner or other contractors in order to deny insurance claims. Hire a public adjuster to deal with them. Steele G. R. Steele G. R. 5 reviews a year ago Critical: Professionalism They are a fraudulent company. When you look them up avatar insurance pops up in a google search with them. Do not use this company or Avatar Insurance. They are a fake company registered with the state to handle Avatar insurance claims to make sure they can deny there claims. If you have avatar leave them immediately it will be worth it to pay more. If you have to get a claim with them get multiple inspection and get the state involved. It blows me away how they can get away with insurance fraud. Also reading the reply is says no damage to the "metal" roof, I do not have a metal roof. I had 40 yr Architectural shingles that was 10 yrs old at the time at most. Business Response /* (4000, 13, 2022/03/04) */ We are sorry the consumer feels this way and encourage them to visit the FL tort reform website for more information regarding the industry challenges. https://fltortreform.com/

• Initial Complaint

  08/16/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Filed a claim with Avatar on 7/6/2021. Regarding a pipe that broke in the floor of the condo next door which has been empty for almost a year. Water was coming into my condo. Damage was done to the two closets, items in closet damaged. Mold company came out tested elevated level in closet in my bedroom. The damage reported to the HOA on 6/19/21. They have done nothing even though they have the mold report from the insurance co. Contacted Avatar they claim it is the HOA responsibility to fix the mold. After numerous calls to both the HOA and Avatar and emails they have ignored all my communication with them. I had to leave the condo since the mold was giving me respiratory problems the doctor recommended I no longer stay in the condo. I'm currently staying in a hotel. I'm afraid that I will of used all of my dwelling allowance before this is ever resolved. My calls to Avatar goes unreturned. My emails are ignored.

  

  Business response

  10/04/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/08/19) */ We have reviewed the claims file. It was reported on 7/6, inspectors were assigned immediately and arrived on 7/7 to the property to assess the damages and determine the best course of action. Our Claims Manager spoke with the *** *****, board member, from the Condo HOA right after the inspection took place and they advised Avatar they were repairing the leak caused by the unit next door and they would also handle the Mold remediation. It appears from the customers response and our file notes that the Condo's HOA contractors have been delayed. The damages were caused by the other unit, so it is the HOA association or Condo building Commercial policy responsibility. Based on our review of the insureds interior damages, it's been determined that the Mold remediation work must be done before any interior work can be performed. This part of the restoration needs to be completed first to ensure there isn't any mold in the shared wall. Similar to the insured, Avatar wants this work done asap. The insured sent us invoices for $850 for living expenses yesterday. We reviewed them today and will be covering them and sending a check to the insured for reimbursement. We are also monitoring the mold remediation effort to assess and complete the interior repairs once the mold work has been completed. If there are further living expenses incurred, please send them to your claims manager, Christopher F. We also encourage the insured to contact Avatar as soon as the Mold repairs are done, so we can help return them to their home as timely as possible. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/08/20) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The HOA was made aware of this issue on 6/18/21. Photos of the damage was sent to the HOA. After muumerous emails to the HOA they never came to look at my unit. I contacted Avatar regarding the issue after weeks of no communication and numerous phone calls to Avatar they Said the HOA would be taking care of the mold issue. After staying in the condo I was informed by my doctor to leave the premises, I emailed Avatar they never responded to my emails. I am currently staying at a hotel. I was just informed By the HOA will start the work on 8/30/21. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2021/08/27) */ Update to file. We processed the insureds request for living expenses and sent a reimbursement check. Claims Manager Christopher F. left her a v/m today advising to email him if there are any remaining invoices. He also contacted the HOA again today to confirm mold remediation is starting 8/30 and requested they notify Avatar as soon as the work is completed so we can assist with interior repairs. Avatar is making a concerted effort to return the insured to their home. Consumer Response /* (3000, 11, 2021/08/30) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) As of today I have received only one week of my hotel reimbursement. I have not received reimbursement for my meals. The restoration company confirmed via email the work Was to start today 8/30. I was at the condo they didn't show up. It has been two months now since I filed the claim and 21/2 months since the HOA has been aware of the problem. Business Response /* (4000, 13, 2021/08/31) */ Avatar has received this BBB communication. The HOA is responsible for the mold remediation which did not show up on 8/30. We've thoroughly reviewed the request for living expenses and the interior damages incurred. Our claims manager is the process of preparing a release for the $10k policy limit. He will be reaching out shortly. Please note the delays have not been due to Avatar. Consumer Response /* (3000, 15, 2021/09/09) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The work started on 8/31/21. Expected to finish on 9/13. I've submitted all of my expenses with receipts. As of today, I Only received reimbursement for one week hotel stay. Business Response /* (4000, 17, 2021/09/16) */ Avatar was able to settle this claim with the insured on Sept 15th, right after the HOA mold remediation work was completed on Sept 13th. It's important to note that the prior repair delays were outside of Avatar's control, and we made every effort to help move them along more timely. On more than a few occasions we also reached out to obtain property access and were not able to view it. This caused additional living expenses from the policy due to the HOA and property access issues, however, we felt it was important to take care of our policyholder. We hope the insured appreciates these decisions that were made and the agreed upon settlement offer. Consumer Response /* (3000, 21, 2021/09/23) */ The claim has not been resolved. I have not gotten any Compensation towards my claim. A representative from Avatar called on 9/15 regarding the claim. They will be Emailing me a letter that needs to be notarized and sent Back. I called on 9/22 and emailed and have not Gotten any response. Business Response /* (4000, 23, 2021/09/24) */ Avatar discussed a settlement offer with the named insured on 9/15. The offer was sent via email on 9/15 right after the discussion to the named insured. She has not signed and returned the offer. We have resent the offer again on 9/22 to the named insured and her attorney.

• Initial Complaint

  08/05/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I filed a homeowners insurance claim on 5/11/21 and I have no idea what is going on with my claim. 8/4/21 will be 90 days since I filed my claim and my house is in deplorable living conditions. My claim adjuster (Analuz G.) and the claims supervisor (Clint C.) do not answer the phone, do not return calls, or respond to emails. When I first filed the claim, they had a plumber come out and partially fix the problem and left a hole in my kitchen wall with thousands of roaches coming out of it, an overwhelming smell of mold, flies, a sewer smell, my bathrooms backing up and overflowing with feces coming up from the shower drain. I have 3 kids (one with asthma) and we are suffering in these conditions. We were told our pipes under our house are cast iron and need to be replaced. We pay homeowners insurance to be protected not to be ignored.

  

  Business response

  12/09/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2021/08/20) */ Avatar has been working with inspectors and contractors to assess the damages and provide repairs to the insured. The initial cause of loss was due to plumbing issues which we've advised are the insured's responsibility. Upon further inspection and assessment of the Mold concern, it was determined that we need to mediate and treat the Mold prior to the other affected water damage areas. Our claims management team reached out and discussed this with the insured on 8-5 and 8-17. There were multiple outbound calls and voicemails left for the insured between these dates to try and schedule the appointments. We are scheduled for the mold remediation work today 8-20. Consumer Response /* (3000, 9, 2021/08/20) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Avatar's response is 100% false and they should be held responsible for providing a false statement to the BBB. I was never informed that the cast iron pipes will not be addressed or the damages it has caused to my home. Multiple phone calls????? I have to hunt people down to be able to speak to anyone and get any information. I keep my phone on me day and night because of this exact situation. Trust me, they are lying. I have everything documented and can show you ALL of the emails that I have sent to them. I can show you my log of anything that has transpired on this case. Furthermore, after MULTIPLE phone calls, voicemails and emails, I was finally able to get a hold of someone from Avatar and they advised that a right to repair letter was mailed to me on 7/29. Today is 8/20 and I've yet to receive this email. It is coming from Tampa which is 4 hours away from me. I receive mail every single day and have never had an issue with not receiving something. It is very suspicious that they are claiming they mailed this letter to me but they really haven't. We are past the 90 mark and by Florida statute, my insurance company was to notify me in writing of exactly what they are agreeing or denying. I have no clue what is being covered. I have asked multiple times for this documentation including DETAILED estimates and the only thing that I finally received after MUTLIPLE requests and efforts was a very vague "estimate of repairs" It does not give details or enough information to clearly convey what is actually being covered. In addition, it does not cover all of the damages in my home that were caused from this occurrence. Avatar's workers broke kitchen tiles in my kitchen and they are not accepting responsibility. My kitchen has mold actively growing in it for over 3 1/2 months. I can never get a hold of anyone and never receive any type of communication until I make several threats and several phone calls and have to be very persistent to get a hold of anyone. They are agreeing to replace my kitchen cabinets, counter tops and damaged wall however, they are failing to mention that this claim was filed 100 days ago and I am living in actively growing mold and a roach infested kitchen. My bathroom toilets and showers are backing up and flooding my bathrooms. I have sent Avatar pictures and videos of the water over flowing, the feces all in my shower with now ruined tiles. I have sent them videos and pictures of the cockroaches taking over my kitchen and got NO RESPONSE what so ever. Avatar is a joke and their response is all a lie. Again, after calling the customer service # and demanding to speak to someone in charge, I was able to speak to someone and workers came out this past Tuesday 8/17 to "remediate" the mold. They taped off my entire kitchen with plastic and left a zipper entrance. You cannot even walk in the kitchen now as it feels like a sauna, much less cook. The smell of mold is worse than ever and smells like it's spreading even more in the heat. I asked how long it will be like this and nobody could answer me. This experience is nothing short of a nightmare. I can't use my kitchen. We have to eat out constantly which is a HUGE expense for a family of 5. I have asked multiple times about being reimbursed for this and have not received an answer. I know this is covered in my policy but they will not address it even after 100 days. I have three kids and one has asthma and we are being forced to live like this. Anytime I've asking about "loss of use", nobody can give me an answer. We shouldn't even be living here. An ethical and professional insurance company and claims examiner would provide assistance to us and work with us not against us. They would assist us in finding a temporary place to live. We cannot afford to just move out and be stuck with the expenses. The eating out expenses are already taking a toll on us. We are being held at their mercy since they are a "right to repair company" and they are trying to pay as little as possible. I've attached pictures to put into perspective as to how we are living. Attached are pics of the feces all backed up in my shower, the hole in the cinder blocks and wall that the plumber left in my kitchen and all of the roaches coming out of it and a picture of my kitchen taped off in plastic. I've also attached what they are calling the "scope of work" to show how vague and useless this document is. AND BY THE WAY, NOBODY IS SCHEDULED TO COME TO MY HOUSE TODAY PER AVATAR'S RESPONSE. IT IS 3:36 PM AND NOBODY HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ME TO SCHEDULE ANY APPOINTMENT. THEY WERE LAST HERE ON TUESDAY 8/17 WHEN THEY TAPED OFF MY KITCHEN IN PLASTIC. Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2021/09/01) */ We've reached out again to the insured to make sure the claim is moving towards resolution. There has been some misunderstanding in regards to the cabinets and moisture. Our records, photo documentation, and meters showed they were dry and unaffected. During the follow up conversation, we agreed to re-inspect and to utilize another contractor to confirm there aren't any moisture concerns. Our additional inspection is scheduled for 9/2. We are actively working with the insured to settle this claim. Consumer Response /* (3000, 13, 2021/09/07) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) This is a cat and mouse game. Since I have contacted the BBB and the Department of Financial Services, I have started to receive communication from Avatar. Prior to this, Avatar has failed to acknowledge and act promptly upon communications nor have they followed the code of ethics. The contractor (******) that came out today partially removed cabinets and they had visible signs of mold. It was very disturbing to see this. It was not one cabinet, but multiple and a lot of mold that my family and I have been exposed to for a long period of time. I brought the mold smell to the attention of Avatar very early on and they blatantly ignored me. It wasn't until several comments were made by me (which I have all documented in emails) that finally, Avatar ordered a mold test. The mold test was done 3 months after my claim was filed even though, I mentioned it very early on. Also, I think it would be customary to automatically order a mold test when there is a water claim. I don't need to be an adjuster to know this so why did I need to make several comments to even have the test done? Now who knows what affect this will have on the health of my family and I. This new contractor also found moisture on the other side of the wall and in my tiles which the prior contractor never addressed. I have cracked and lifting tiles which again, is another sign of damage caused by the water but it has not been approved to be replaced. It appears that Avatar is trying to avoid the issue. It is frustrating to hear that the prior contractor stated that the cabinets were unaffected when they were never properly inspected to begin with, and considering they came to my home several times for "inspections". What a waste of time for myself as well as the multiple people that came here. There are still several issues that have not been addressed. Again, I filed this claim 4 months ago so I don't understand why there has been such a long delay in settling this claim. ******, the new contractor that we are now working with, has been the most helpful at this point and we are pleased with them. Finally, someone that is able to get the process moving. We would like to see the other issues/damages addressed in the same fashion. This complaint will not be resolved until Avatar fulfills its obligation to provide the contractually specified insurance coverage as outlined in my policy. Perhaps, we need to exercise the appraisal provision or enter into a mediation, or both. Business Response /* (4000, 15, 2021/09/17) */ Update: Avatar is making every effort to take care of the policyholders concerns. We sent an additional contractor to inspect and mitigate the water/mold concerns mentioned in the complaint. The areas of concern have been taken care of this past week by the new contractor assigned. The last remaining item is to rebuild the affected area since the dry out work is now completed. We contacted the new contractor again today requesting that this be taken care of asap. Our claims manager has been actively keeping the insured informed and responding to emails. We are working closely with them in an effort to avoid any further delays in order to resolve this claim. Feedback was also provided to the previous contractor to avoid this situation in the future. We appreciate the insureds patience and understanding as we try to finish the remaining work. Thank you. Consumer Response /* (3000, 17, 2021/09/20) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) THIS IS SO FRUSTATING! This company doesn't deserve to be in business. They are entirely built on a web of lies! Avatar is painting a very different picture than actual reality. They are making it sound a lot better than what it really is. Let it be known, they are only doing the very minimum to cover themselves. They're trying to say that they are working with us and have contacted a new contractor but since 9/7 I have had half of my kitchen cabinets missing. It is now 9/20 (2 weeks later) and there's been no change at all. No one has contacted me to provide a rebuild estimate. All my kitchen items are in boxes in my dining room. My kitchen is not functional. In addition, four months later, Avatar is now telling us that another claim must be opened for the cast iron pipes to be addressed under our house. This was our original reason for filing a claim and if it was not the intention of Avatar to address this issue under this claim, then we should have been made aware as soon as possible, not FOUR MONTHS LATER. They even had a plumber come out on more than one occasion to run cameras through the cast iron pipes and snake our master bathroom so at what point was this issue no longer part of this claim? We were never notified that they were no longer going to address this issue under this claim, and that it needed to be addressed under a separate claim. If we knew this, we would've opened a new claim IMMEDIATELY. How were we supposed to know this? We've been under the assumption for over four months that it was being addressed. Everything is a run around. I have eating out expenses and have sent statements to multiple people, multiple times and it has never been addressed nor have I been compensated. Every time I bring it up to someone, they always seem surprised and tell me that they were not aware that we had eating out expenses. There's no communication or organization at all there. I asked about needing to relocate to a hotel as the current conditions in my home are unhealthy, unsanitary, and not functional however, I was told by Avatar that I can't utilize my loss of use limit just because "I'm uncomfortable". Completely appalling to say the least. At all costs, they are trying to avoid every issue possible. They are trying to find ways to get out of handling our claim properly, but they are contractually obligated to provide the coverages as stated in my policy so I will not give up on this fight. We have been more than patient but there is no reason it has taken this long, and we are still nowhere near resolving anything. Avatar needs to be held accountable for their unethical handling of my claim. We can go back and forth forever, I don't care. All I'm asking is for Avatar to fulfill its obligation as stated in my insurance policy. Something they have completely failed to do up to this point. I can't wait to read their next deceitful response. Business Response /* (4000, 19, 2021/09/27) */ We continue to work with the Named Insured regarding the original cause of loss and claim for the kitchen repair. Correspondence was exchanged on 9/17, 9/24 and again today 9/27. The water mitigation and build back estimates were completed. We attempted to complete the work with Servpro, however, they were delayed so we assigned Insurance Repair Solutions to expedite the process. Once this is completed, we'll commence with settlement. The insured is mentioning areas which are not related to the cause of loss reported in this kitchen claim. We have advised that other damages referenced in this request are unrelated, to submit a separate claim to investigate them separately. Consumer Response /* (3000, 21, 2021/09/30) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) It is being said that we are mentioning areas that are unrelated to the claim however, we did not know that Avatar changed their position on the claim and decided this needed to be addressed under a separate claim. It wasn't until just recently that we learned this and therefore we will be filing a new claim to address the other issues. It would behoove Avatar to advise their insured of something like this as soon as possible, not over 100 something days later. As of 9/7, my kitchen cabinets were partially removed (they were full of mold) and my kitchen has not been functional for multiple reasons. Today is 9/30 and we are anxiously awaiting Avatar's response as to when and how we will be proceeding. I will concur with Avatar; the communication has been better but only since our claim was transferred to a mediation & litigation adjuster. However, it shouldn't have taken so long or had to get to this point. Furthermore, our claim should've been handled differently, and I believe Avatar can attest to this. Business Response /* (4000, 23, 2021/10/11) */ Avatar Update: Our Claims Managers have been in regular communication with the insured. We are working on the cabinet build back, and the tiles in front of the affected area. Our field inspector picked up the damaged tile sample yesterday, so we can confirm if lab matches are available. It appears very few tiles are affected and we may be able to reseal them. We are making sure matching tiles are available before we proceed. The insured did report an additional claim on 9-30 for the showers backing up in the bathrooms. We have sent an additional plumber/leak detection specialist to inspect and it has been noted that there is a hole/breakage in the p-trap which is causing the slow drain. The repair will require chipping the floor to access the pipe and complete the repair. The insured has sent us photos of the shower back up. We are actively working through these items and checking their cast iron pipes. Consumer Response /* (3000, 28, 2021/10/25) */ We are still awaiting a response from Avatar on the status of the tile sample. I still have half of a non-functional kitchen. My bathroom shower is still backing up. Nothing has changed since my last update. Just waiting (which is what we've been doing for 5 1/2 months and counting). Business Response /* (4000, 30, 2021/11/04) */ We have had numerous communications with Mr. & Mrs. ****** regarding both claims along with completing additional plumbing inspections. At this time, we are still negotiating settlement with them and having discussions regarding the right to repair option vs. providing a monetary payout. Our estimates have increased in an effort to try and satisfy our customer for their first claim, including purchasing all new cabinets rather than repairing them. Regarding the 2nd claim submitted for the bathroom, we have determined that this is normal wear and tear and plumbing maintenance. There is not a breakage or leak, the pipe and p-trap simply need to be cleaned and unclogged to allow the drain to flow more efficiently. We have advised the insured that this 2nd claim is not a covered peril. Contractor and material support has not been easy this past year due to the pandemic, and supply delays/shortages. We appreciate the insureds understanding and ******** as we work together to settle their first claim. Consumer Response /* (3000, 32, 2021/11/08) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I would love to know who is behind the computer typing these fabricated and deceitful responses. You are trying to paint a very different picture than actual reality and it's quite nauseating. In the end, if this goes to trial, which most likely it will, Avatar will end up paying out a lot more than what we are willing to settle for. This claim has been handled in bad faith and Avatar has dropped the ball on numerous occasions and yet, we have still given the opportunity to make things right and you have not. The treatment you have given us is unfair and insulting. All we want is Avatar to fulfill its contractual obligation as any policyholder would expect. First off, you mentioned you are willing to pay for new cabinets rather than repair them? HOW DO YOU REPAIR CABINETS THAT ARE FULL OF MOLD????????????? Are you kidding me? You're making it sound like you are doing a favor. You're not doing a favor when it is IMPOSSIBLE to repair cabinets full of mold and ruined from water damage. There was no option other than to replace them. Secondly, how did you determine that there is not a breakage or leak when I have the copy of the plumber's report from Mike the Plumber that specifically states that there is a crack in the p-trap and the tiles will need to be chipped up to repair the issue????? I am attaching it to this response as proof. And explain to me why my plumbing is worse when it rains, and when the ground is saturated with water if there aren't any leaks or breaks. The water has no place to go when the ground is saturated with water and it just sits in my shower and sink. My bathroom shower tiles are chipped and lost their color from the water, feces, debris and who knows what else from backing up into it and sitting for long periods of time. But you're trying to say this is all normal wear and tear and maintenance? Not according to the plumber's reports it's not. You're posting to the Better Business Bureau that you advised us that this is not a covered peril, but did you forget to mention that the only reason we found this out is because we kept asking for a status (haven't heard anything for weeks) and finally Sam looked it up even though it's not his case and read the notes to us this past Wednesday evening. That was the first we heard of this. We have NOT received any formal letter or anything in writing advising that you are suddenly considering it not a covered peril. I don't know how you can determine there are no breaks or leaks when you have several plumber's reports indicating otherwise. In one conversation, we were told it was being covered and now it's not? Once again, we are told one thing and then you back track and tell us another. It sounds to me like professional counsel will need to determine this. Additionally, we were just informed on Wednesday that this claim has now been transferred to someone else. This is Avatar's track record; they keep bouncing us around from person to person and nothing ever gets accomplished. Furthermore, you mentioned "still negotiating settlement" on the first claim, but perhaps you should elaborate on that topic a little more. Do NOT try to use the pandemic as an excuse for "supply delays/shortages". Not once have you ever tried to do any repairs other than fix the leaking pipe in the kitchen. For the record, we have no part in why this is taking so long. We have never denied a contractor from stepping foot into our home during this entire pandemic. We have been nothing but patient, cooperative and accommodating. All of this could have been and should have been settled by now, but you are trying to avoid proper handling of this claim and trying to pay as little as possible (acting in bad faith). As previously mentioned, we have several lifted and cracked tiles in the kitchen from the water damage. We provided a tile sample to Avatar who sent it to ITEL for a match. They were unable to find one, so Avatar is trying to get out of replacing the tiles by offering to reseal the lifted tiles and to "harvest" tiles from under my fridge or stove to replace the cracked tiles. I do not even have full tiles under my fridge or stove for this to be a viable option. It also sounds absurd and very unprofessional. As for the lifted tiles, I do not understand how a tile can be resealed after it has been exposed to extensive water damage. In closing, to date, we are 6 months in since we filed the first claim. No payment at all has been made not even for having to eat out for 6 months and the only repair made was to fix the leaking pipe in the kitchen. We are still waiting for the estimate from Avatar. We already know they are trying to get out of replacing the tile and are denying the 2nd claim, so we expect to invoke mediation. If the mediation does not work out, then we are prepared to seek counsel. Business Response /* (4000, 37, 2021/11/29) */ Avatar update: This claim has been settled.

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