Insurer paid $13,844 for attic leak; homeowner's $112,000 claim fails

A Georgia homeowner who returned from a two-week trip to find an attic leak has lost his lawsuit against his insurer. Torry Hull demanded more than $112,000 for repairs after Safeco Insurance Company of Indiana paid him about $13,844. On November 4, the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld a lower court's ruling in favour of the insurer.According to the judgment, Hull discovered a leak from a condenser line in his attic and filed an insurance claim.

Safeco sent an adjuster to inspect the property, who assessed the damage at $17,187.02. After deductions, the company paid Hull $13,843.85.Unhappy with the payment, Hull sought an independent estimate from Leading Public Adjuster Inc. It valued the repairs at $112,401.23 on a replacement-cost basis and $104,187.45 on an actual-cost basis.Hull demanded $112,401.23 from Safeco and threatened legal action if it refused.

The insurer stood by its original payment.