Orvil, my experience with A certain insurance company that caters to militay families has changed over the years. 10 years ago they were always fair about claims. 5 years ago, I had 3 insured's On the same block all put in claims for hail damage and were told yes no question the roofs were replaced. 2 months later one of those individuals called me and asked him if I could help out his next door neighbor as she was denied for not having "enough" hail damage. I called her to discuss the situation. I found out her husband was on deployement to Afghanistan and that Insurance company sent out a adjuster who never even took his ladder of his truck and did the inspection from the ground. I had her call someone I trust and not just another yes man/storm chaser. He reported that she had over 18 hits per square (which means 18 visible hail hits per 10 x 10 area if the roof). She was owed a roof and the contractor faught for 6 months to get that done for her... All while her husband was away serving his country.

I feel This carrier (formally only allowed to insure individuals of captain and rank and higher) has probably diluted the insurance pool when they opened it to everybody... Now they have more losses as a result and in order to make a profit have had to tighten down on claims. Just my 2 cents.

The insurance industry is filled with many people who I would not invite over for beers, just be sure to have a advocate on your side!

 

Link = used

 

Did you sell your car? Did the buyer negotiate a lower price as a result of your vehicle's damage history? Was the sales price you negotiated, when compared to average market value for your vehicle, less than you recovered from USAA? Without the answers to these questions you really do not have a basis for stating you were "ripped off." Just information that hopefully makes you feel better about your negotiation.

Your cited diminution in value "expert" is less credible than a letter you could get from your local car dealer's sales manager for free. Hard to say you know a market when you are not actively engaged in that market. The fact he only offers his services to those who want to increase the payment of claims is something defense counsel would want to talk about. Be pretty easy to reduce his credibility in front of a Judge, or jury.

 

Any juicy rumors? We need to drift back to under/over/side/any boob, rfp's for narrow body, rfp's for wide body, hiring, growing organically at mainline, etc. Not knockin' insurance or refinancing, but the above is sure a lot more fun to read and look at.

 

If VIKZ09 is in your State, I recommend him. Really, an agent is an excellent ally and advisor. It does not all boil down to rates. Insurance is a financial management tool. Sounds like a commercial, but the idea of an Agent sitting down and addressing your family's needs is entirely true (particularly if you have toys ... my Agent used to get my car collection put in a limited use category which probably saved me more than $20,000 over the years)

Same with Estate Planning. In fact, there is a good article in Financial Advisor's newsletter in the Atlanta Crew Lounge on that subject.

 

We kinda beat that horse. Probably the next real news will be how Delta management finds a way to utilize Virgin's WB fleet to make a profit.

I have not heard that management has approached us on the subject. Given the Pinnacle example, this may just be something we read about in the papers after it is done.* Setting our share at 37.5% is already permitted in our contract and ALPA is the bargaining agent. Top earners at VA make about $165,000 (2011 figures) and FO's average $105,000. If having an alter ego small jet operation is such a great deal, how much better to outsource a widebody operation?

It appears Virgin's assets are underutilized. Terminal 4 is as much for their jets as ours.

* Not expected, but given ALPA's recent action to keep secrets from our MEC and reinterpret Delta flying to mean ONLY the flying we perform ... anything is possible and nothing would surprise me.

 

I'm actually surprised this hasn't got the rank and file in an uproar. I try not to comment too much on these types of situations since I am only a Delta wannabe, but I figured that would have caused some very big concerns with all DAL Pilots. Maybe I think it is a big deal when in fact it isn't..... I don't know.

regarding USAA, one thing I really appreciate (at least when I call) is their customer service. One person always takes care of me. They don't transfer me 4 times like AT&T does, each time asking me several questions to verify who I am.

 

The majority of Delta pilots are looking at their end game and figuring "this does not involve me." ALPA is trading altitude for airspeed to pander to this majority. Scope sales are called bargaining leverage. As long as pay increases, nobody cares what happens to the guy in the right seat. (this isn't universal of course, but it amazed me how open my Captain on this last rotation was about what matters and what doesn't ... even to the point of the aircraft he flies going away, he'd just bid the ER. Biggest issue to him would be having to go to school ... zero craps given ... but the Air France JV "mattered")

But there are some good Reps and good folks in the MEC. Contract 2012 could have been much worse. I think the compromise reached in section one was a win / win. (disclaimer I voted no because I did not want to breathe new life into DCI and the 717 appears to be at best an interim move ... I am concerned about 2015 with Pinnacle at the table and and the C Series on the table)

There will be a marked political change in "what matters" when we start hiring pilots who already have a decade's experience in ALPA. As with our 2007 hires, most will box considerably above their weight simply because only a few pilots nearing the end of their career are willing to be as engaged as those on this web board are.

 

To add to that, having filed two major homeowner's claims on two different houses in the last 10 years or so, I have found their customer service in that department excellent. Haven't filed an auto insurance claim in years, so I can't speak to that one.

 

Let's change the subject.

How about this rumor. I've heard it from more than one place.

Delta is going to run a category within a category in the ATL 76. It seems that they are having trouble keeping everyone theater qualified. So, they are going to divide the category into international with theater qualifications and a second group, now wait.....domestic only.

How brilliant is that? I hear that DALPA is cool with the arrangement.

No idea how they will handle reserves.