SENIORS BEWARE.........THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU TOO!

About one month ago, I received notification from Allstate Insurance, NJ, my Home-owners insurance carrier, advising that my policy with them would not be renewed.  This after 28 years; never once having filed a claim; and having my insurance premiums escrowed by my mortgager and paid directly to them.  An amount totaling over $21k.  Never late, no claims, then why?

The initial letter of notification advised that this was being done because I'd failed to purchase their auto coverage.  Upon receiving my written response, they amended this to include that not only had I failed to purchase their auto coverage, but the protection limits on my property now exceeded the $750k protection limits that they somehow magically applied to a multi-family frame dwelling.  Limits unilaterally increased  by them each year to the level they said they could no longer insure.

My home is a converted mother/daughter cape cod consisting of two units. Its occupants are me (age 73) and my two sons. A handicapped son and I occupy the main unit,  while my other son occupies the second one.

It was suggested by Allstate that I pursue the matter by filing a complaint with the State of NJ Dept. of Banking & Insurance, Consumer Protection Services. I did so but that's the fox guarding the hen house since they quickly wrote back letting me know that Allstate had broken no laws. So I'm out here searching for a new insurance carrier. 

If the letter of the law has not been broken, certainly the spirit of any law allowing this is morally corrupt. Moreover, it needs to be pointed out that if this is, in fact, legal, the likely class adversely affected is seniors, since we are the ones most likely to have had our protection limits hiked by our insurer over a substantial number of years.  We are also more likely to be comfortable with our auto insurer and not likely to want to switch.  Thus, the legality of these actions becomes debatable.

I’d like to know what others think of this, how they might feel if it were happening to them and suggested actions that can be taken.  I have written to my Congressman and Senator but have not heard back from either of them.

Thank you,

J. Hinds