Need Some Education on Insurance in Houston, TX After a Storm

[Michelle S.]

Houston TX- I obtained all my landlord insurance through Matic, with their partner being State Auto. Last year, after a storm, my tenant reported a crack in the wall and floor. I contacted State Auto, and they initially said that foundation issues were covered and provided terms and conditions for that. However, after the assessor's visit, they concluded it wasn't covered, interpreted the terms and conditions differently, and I received no payout. State Auto assured me that my insurance premium wouldn't be affected because there was a zero-dollar claim.

At the end of last year, State Auto was acquired by Safeco, and my insurance premium increased by around 190%. According to my Matic agent, this hike was due to the change in insurance companies and a reduction in insurers willing to cover the Houston, TX area last year. However, when I asked about this again today, they mentioned it might be due to the change in the company and also might be related to my zero-dollar claim from last year. Throughout this process, I received inconsistent information from different representatives at State Auto, and my Matic agent's responses were often vague and noncommittal.

Recently, another storm hit Houston, and a tree fell on my roof. I spent a lot of time finding reasonable quotes, and it took a lot of effort. The tree removal quotes were extremely high, with one company quoting $19,000, citing that I would go through the insurance company. Most roofers wouldn't provide a quote until the tree was removed. My deductible is high, around $4,200.

I'm confused about whether I should try to keep the costs under budget and avoid using my insurance. My concern is that even if I don't file a claim, my insurance premium will still increase dramatically next year because of my neighborhood's claims. On the other hand, if I do go through insurance, they might find reasons not to pay out, resulting in another zero-dollar claim.

Do you have any recommendations for where to find a reliable, trustworthy, transparent, and accurate insurance company or agent? Also, how would you handle a similar situation? Any recommendation will be appreciate!!! Thank you.