DEPP Insurance- Do they still exist?
- Thread starter JohnDough
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I'm reconfiguring my list of covered items as we speak, new camera and possible new housing. I WILL be renewing with them. My UW cameras don't leave home without DEPP coverage!
BTW, I've always had no problems getting in touch with Sandy at the numbers she listed. And I ALWAYS get answers to me emails.
BTW, I've always had no problems getting in touch with Sandy at the numbers she listed. And I ALWAYS get answers to me emails.
dukeh20
Contributor
I am having the same problems with DEPP. I was in Bonaire and flooded my camera on 7-4-10. I sent an email that same day to DEPPInfo@AWRYInc.com asking about the process to file a claim. Before leaving Bonaire on 7-10-10, I was able to locate the "Preliminary" claim form on their website and submitted that.
Since then I have emailed them and left multiple voicemails on their recorder since they screen all their calls (and promise a response within 24 hours). I have not received any response from them by phone or email.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Duke
I am also having problems with DEPP. My UW Photography equipment was stolen (I was robbed). I sent an email along with my claim and evidence of the police reports. I have been emailing them but I get the same answer... the claim is with the broker. I filed the claim on September, 180 days have gone by and still no clear answer... For the past 7 days I have been writing them and no response... Should I contact my lawyers?
Also, suggestions would be appreciated.
Also, suggestions would be appreciated.
dukeh20
Contributor
I finally got a check from DEPP in November (sorry for not posting this sooner).
This is the last response I got from them before I got the check:
Mr. Harris,
Please except my apologies for the extended time frame in getting your check. As an explanation, DEPP is not a refund program and when we do refunds it has always taken longer. With that said the insurance company is also now doing their own due diligence with every claim instead of only occasionally checking. This has extended all of our claim payments. Your check is mailing today #1518 for $720 which shows the $80 deductible with held.
Best Regards,
Sandy Hall
Along the way I got this response from DEPP:
Mr. Harris,
Your claim has been approved and is in the que to be paid. They are paid in the order they are received and completed. You are currently about 15 claims back in the que. I will let you know when the check is mailing and forward a check number as well.
Sandy
By the end I figured out who the insurance broker was and contacted him directly.
His name is Deane Lehrmitt and his email addresses are DWL@IPGInsurance.net and/or DWL@IPGInsurance.net. He did send me this email after I contacted him:
Mr. Harris: Your claim was authorized on 08/24/2010. It was referred to
us due to the lack of specific claim information provided on the claim
report. However, as indicated, the claim has since been authorized on
08/24. Sorry for any delay, and we appreciate your business.
Sincerely:
Deane Lehrmitt
Needless to say they never contacted me for additional information or I would have provided it. They bounce this around internally until you either give up or bother them about every other day. No way to run an airline!!!
The worst part of this whole process was the lack of communication from them. I replaced the camera that was flooded, but when my policy comes up for renewal in April I will be looking elsewhere.
Duke
This is the last response I got from them before I got the check:
Mr. Harris,
Please except my apologies for the extended time frame in getting your check. As an explanation, DEPP is not a refund program and when we do refunds it has always taken longer. With that said the insurance company is also now doing their own due diligence with every claim instead of only occasionally checking. This has extended all of our claim payments. Your check is mailing today #1518 for $720 which shows the $80 deductible with held.
Best Regards,
Sandy Hall
Along the way I got this response from DEPP:
Mr. Harris,
Your claim has been approved and is in the que to be paid. They are paid in the order they are received and completed. You are currently about 15 claims back in the que. I will let you know when the check is mailing and forward a check number as well.
Sandy
By the end I figured out who the insurance broker was and contacted him directly.
His name is Deane Lehrmitt and his email addresses are DWL@IPGInsurance.net and/or DWL@IPGInsurance.net. He did send me this email after I contacted him:
Mr. Harris: Your claim was authorized on 08/24/2010. It was referred to
us due to the lack of specific claim information provided on the claim
report. However, as indicated, the claim has since been authorized on
08/24. Sorry for any delay, and we appreciate your business.
Sincerely:
Deane Lehrmitt
Needless to say they never contacted me for additional information or I would have provided it. They bounce this around internally until you either give up or bother them about every other day. No way to run an airline!!!
The worst part of this whole process was the lack of communication from them. I replaced the camera that was flooded, but when my policy comes up for renewal in April I will be looking elsewhere.
Duke
Well I have been around and around with DEPP with my claim. I say claim. I reported by loss the first part of October when I returned from Cozumel. The loss occurred on my second day of diving on a 10 day trip. After 62 emails between myself (Not counting all the emails and phone calls to Olympus), Sandy Hall, Dixie Lehrmitt and the President himself, Deane Lehrmitt, I still have no Claim number, no idea when I will receive a check or when the check will be cut. I received an email from Deane on Dec. 15th that he had personally reviewed my claim and had approved it to be processed. Now 75 days later I have received no further communication to my 6 additional emails to the people noted above requesting information and continue to be ignored. Now, being an Insurance Professional myself for almost 25 years I have been more than patient.
There is far more to this story that I have written here and if I dont get this settled in the next 5 business days not only will I get the KY Department of Insurance involved I will post portions of the emails that border calling me a liar as respects proving my loss b/c they could not get the information they wanted from Olympus. The same information I wanted and could not obtain myself. Im not going to go into that now but I will should this rediculous claims handling process go on further. How you can so obviously ignore your customer during a claims handling process and expect to retain customers is beyond me. The way this has been handled there is no way in H@ll I could suggest anyone insure their gear with this product when I have had such a difficult time in obtaining even a response to a communication. Let alone a claim # or a check.
There is far more to this story that I have written here and if I dont get this settled in the next 5 business days not only will I get the KY Department of Insurance involved I will post portions of the emails that border calling me a liar as respects proving my loss b/c they could not get the information they wanted from Olympus. The same information I wanted and could not obtain myself. Im not going to go into that now but I will should this rediculous claims handling process go on further. How you can so obviously ignore your customer during a claims handling process and expect to retain customers is beyond me. The way this has been handled there is no way in H@ll I could suggest anyone insure their gear with this product when I have had such a difficult time in obtaining even a response to a communication. Let alone a claim # or a check.
I'm not sure what's going with DEPP these days. I signed up with them back in 2003 and they were great. Quick to respond, no problems. This was fine for a few years. Then things changed about 3 years ago. They were impossible to get a hold of. Message after message, both voice and email remained unanswered and unreturned. Then the prices started going up. I recently went to request a quote on a new piece of gear and because it was worth over $5000 they wanted to re-insure it for about 20% of the value. Out of control.
After almost 6 months after my equipment was stolen... no news from DEPP. For the past week they don't even respond to my emails. This is amazing, I have spoken to my lawyer, they will be contacting them next week.
sethgold
New
Their phone and fax numbers are disconnected (888-678-4096 / 775-640-6449).
rad21
Contributor
I tried calling that number and when it was disconnected I sent an email. I received the following reply within 2 hours:
The problem with our phone service is totally my fault. I change phone service our main number has been changed to 760-469-3869. I failed to forward our 888-678-4096 number to that number. Everything will be corrected by Friday no later than Monday. Unfortunately it appears all changes create problems.
Please understand the economy has caused our carrier to become more diligent and ask more questions delaying claims. Unfortunately you are hearing only one side of the story.
Dixie A. Lehrmitt
CFO-AWRY Enterprises, Inc.
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