To: Sec. Bill Nelson Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner Dept. of Insurance- Consumer assistance request Orlando Service Office 400 W. Robinson St. Suite N401 Orlando Fl 32801

Dear Sir: Re: Complaint against Southern Family Insurance Co. (home)

On the 12 th of August my wife and I with our 1yr. old grandchild went to our daughter�s graduation from the U.S. Navy boot camp in Chicago at the Great Lakes base. The trip turned sour on the 18th of August when my son called to advise us that our Air conditioning was hit by lighting ( plus other damage which was nothing compared to the hot house I was entering but I still told them of the other damage) . We immediately ended our trip and went home. It ruined my Vacation...worrying about my son and the extent of the damage!

We arrived back home either on the 20th or 21st of August to an unbelievable HOT & HUMID house, so we immediately called SOUTHERN FAMILY INSURANCE COMPANY PO Box 3829 Sarasota, Florida 34230-3829 and left my name, address, telephone number and my claim. NO RESPONSE! I have a bum heart and have difficult time breathing in 98 degree temperature in the house with high humidity! So I immediately called Sears on an emergency basis. They sent a man out to my house about 11pm and worked on it for about an hour and came to the conclusion that the compressor was burnt up by lighting. He had no idea how much it was going to cost us but he ordered the compressor upon my request because as yet the Insurance Company never called.

Two days go by and Sears calls my wife and Sears said: � they could not locate the compressor anywhere�. So much for Sears which I always counted on in an emergency. NO RESPONSE STILL FROM SOUTHERN FAMILY! I knew then that my family and I were in for it... unless I made an quick decision...that would healthy benefit for my family and myself! So I called a local A/C company to put a unit in. Still as of that time, I received absolutely no help from my Insurance company or my agency!

I was told that it waste of my money to put a new compressor in a 14 year old machine! They said because the compressors would probably burn up within a year. I got a second and third opinions from my friends that are builders and A/C mechanics and they also agreed... you don�t swap out a NEW compressor in a 14 yr. old unit! They also said I would be buying a whole new unit within a year or two. This all made sense to me... because I had over 9 years of refrigeration work under my belt ...working as a air conditioning and heating engineer�s mechanic as a young man in New York City.

So I made the decision without help from the insurance company and gave Daniel�s A/C the job. Still no call or advice from Southern Family Insurance Company (remember this company). I called my local agent THE HAGER GROUP and they advised me that Southern Family did not take over my policy until 10-1-97, and I then understood the �no calls� from the Insurance company. Now... I THOUGHT I DID!!!

The agent immediately sent a Fax to JUA Insurance and lo and behold the next day an independent adjuster Pat Myers (remember that name) came over to the house representing Southern Family Insurance Company. Now ...I was really confused and this is while the A/C men were putting in the new air conditioning unit. The adjuster Pat Myers said he�ll talk to the A/C company and have them fill out a lighting affidavit. Myers also asked us why we didn�t go to motel? This is some time to tell us after going through over week of hell ! (remember what this bum asked us about a motel and you see later why I went ballistic.

I informed theMr. Phillipsalmost gave me a stroke when he said that my claim for a new outside unit was not going to be paid. I then flipped out on the phone and I dare not tell you what I told him and the independent adjuster of Southern Family. Now remember Myers telling me to use a motel. Do you really think they would have paid for the motel when that bill for the motel would be as much as the claim itself ! He was denying my case because the job could be done cheaper ...this was a slap in the face of a disabled man that made a righteous decision! This decision was made because no one from the Insurance company was there to help me in that emergency. This bum Phillips (of Southern Family) also never told me that I have the right by law to go to arbitration, if I felt the decision was unfair

I called the Hager Group back and unloaded on them! I also advised HAGER GROUP again that Southern Family was my group... this is something that my agency should have had at their finger tips...why am I paying the Hager Group when I handled everything but was turned down!

I asked what is the responsibility of my agency (Hager Group) and why do I pay them . I got the usual answer that they represent the client in dealing with the Insurance Company. I told them they failed miserably in my case!

They also denied ever receiving a letter... to confirm Ken Phillips story (of Southern Family)..about the takeover of my policy as of 11-96. Hager Group said the only letter they got from Southern Family was that Southern Family will takeover my policy on 10-1-97 and that is it! I demanded that the Hager group do their job and represent me NOW, as their client, and get to the bottom of this scandalous, cruel denial by Southern Family. They agreed ! No news as of 9-22-97! ! The Hager Group then entered the picture for me well after the fact... acting as my agent as they should have done from the very beginning..

I am as a disabled person and watched my family suffer weeks of tumultuous hardship and disgust and then to top it all, to be illegally and morally cheated by Southern Family and the adjuster, because of my decision! And like I said there was NO HELP FROM THE INSURACE CO.!

Somebody cares!