Jury Deliberates Farmers Insurance Lawsuit

An Oklahoma jury has started deliberations in a Farmers Insurance lawsuit stemming from insurance claims after a 2013 tornado. The Farmers Insurance lawsuit alleges that the company failed to provide policy holders Gabriel and Claudia Becerra with adequate funds to rebuild their home after a tornado destroyed their home in May 2013. Since the couple could not afford to rebuild their home, the city of Moore, Oklahoma, condemned the property and demolished the structure. The city also billed the Becerras for the costs of the demolition.

Details of the Farmers Insurance Lawsuit

The jury heard 17 days of testimony from 18 witnesses in the Farmers Insurance lawsuit. The couple’s Farmers Insurance lawsuit alleges that the insurer and its subsidiary company, Foremost Insurance, acted in bad faith. The couple claims that Farmers violated the terms of its policy by failing to pay the full value of the property. The Becerras also allege that the company gave them a “lowball” offer of less than $54,500 and filed the suit in August 2013 to recover the costs to rebuild the property.

Demolition Prompts Farmers Insurance Lawsuit

The Becerras’ Farmers Insurance lawsuit claims that the company did not provide them with sufficient funds to start repairs on their property. Elizabeth Jones, the community development director for the City of Moore, testified that she condemned the Becerras’ home when she noticed that no repairs had been started. Ms. Jones’ office gave the couple notice in September 2013 that the structure had to be demolished or the city would tear it down. The city demolished the remnants of the structure in October 2013.

Farmers Insurance Lawsuit Claims “Humpty Dumpty” Practice

The couple’s Farmers Insurance lawsuit alleges that the insurance company undervalued the cost of their home repairs when they paid the claim. The Becerras’ attorney called the move a “Humpty Dumpty” approach, alleging that the company knew that the claims payment would not be sufficient to enact repairs on the property. Attorneys for the insurance company testified that the firm would have paid the couple more to complete the repairs if they had started when they received the original claims payment.

Homeowners Nationwide File Farmers Insurance Lawsuits

The Becerras are not the only couple to file Farmers Insurance lawsuits against the insurer. Homeowners across the country have alleged similar actions of bad faith in Farmers Insurance lawsuits. Allegations against the insurer range from underpayments, to unfair claim denials, to breach of contract. The volume of cases against Farmers has prompted many of these plaintiffs to join in class action suits against the insurer, allowing for faster processing of similar cases than individual lawsuits would allow.

Source: Norman Transcript (1) (2)

Get Answers For Your Farmers Insurance Lawsuit Questions

To find out how we can answer your questions about Farmers Insurance lawsuits, contact one of our attorneys today. Our intake team will take down the details of your case and quickly connect you to an attorney who understands how to get the most from your Farmers Insurance lawsuit. You can also fill out the “Free Case Evaluation” form at the top of this page.