I have learned that if you have insurance, there are companies (not lawyers) that represent you against your insurance instead of dealing with the insurance company on your own . I found this out from an adjusting agent that was hagging around the building in hopes of picking up an insured client to represent them against their own insurance company. In my case I will be going against another insurer's liability as a non insured. In this case I have to have a lawyer. Either with a lawyer or one of these adjusters you will probably get more, even after their fees than you would on your own. Like netting more with less work by selling with Bruce, Grey, David, or Rich vs. ebay.
Something to think about if you feel you are getting the shaft from dealing directly with your insurance. I knew nothing of these adjusters before this fire.I'll bet your insurance company won't tell you about them. I just couldn't use them in my case. Thanks again to all the well wishes. There were no really offensive critisisms. Mainly just very nice coments and concerns. Again I hope some things can be learned from this discussion. Cheers, Brek ----- Original Message ----- From: David Kusumoto <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:19:49 -0000 (UTC) Subject: Re: [MOPO] movie posters lost in fire video link Exactly. Because dealing with insurance companies is such an "iffy" thing - (they do whatever they can to avoid paying a claim, whether it's over "subjective value" vs. "market value" vs. "sentimental value" vs. "plain paper value" vs. "replacement value") - we felt we had to cut down the number of "carry out in a flash" posters. And this assumes we're even around during an impending fire or some thief is able to bypass our security alarms. If a calamity happens when we're not home, we're screwed. So out the posters and lobbie cards went, sold to happy new owners - and replaced with low-ticket posters - or popular titles in smaller, more portable formats. Hell, in many cases, the frames I have from Sue Heim are worth more than the posters we have left. (And you already know how inexpensive Sue's "museum-standard" frames are in the first place!) -d. Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2012 00:50:12 +0000 From: [email protected] Subject: Re: movie posters lost in fire video link To: [email protected] Similar here, never got round to it. But recent experiences with insurances companies (on more minor matters) where I've been screwed hasn't helped motivate me. Also cut down a lot on what I own. Probably down to half a dozen that I'd hate to lose. Date: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:11:26 -0800 From: [email protected] Subject: Re: movie posters lost in fire video link To: [email protected] What Rick says is true, at least for us. We didn't have time for appraisals and hunting for receipts for everything we owned. Insurance? Puhh. Yup, it's a roll of the dice and we never got around to it. And what Bruce said earlier is also true. For us, as I've written here before - the two wildfires that forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people in the San Diego area in 2003 and again in 2007 - were absolutely key to our decision to liquidate our giant collection. We still have posters, but they are no longer heirloom titles or formats; many are re-issues or Oscar posters. Remember that exercise we went through that I suggested that others try? Do it again. If you have only 10 minutes to get out after getting an evacuation notice - what would you take? Even if you HAVE insurance? (Just do it in your head because I'm not suggesting people reveal what they own.) For us, they were family pictures, a $100 value pet cockatiel and posters to Pinocchio, Gilda, It's A Wonderful Life, Casablanca, City Lights, Lawrence of Arabia, A Hard Day's Night, etc. We took only 10 items out of the more than 600 posters and lobby cards we once owned. Both evacuations forced us to make tough decisions about what to take with us - and what to "let burn" - which would've included our vast collection of vintage lobby cards and Hitchcock posters. Even though we ended up losing nothing - we never want to go through that again. We owned these things long enough and it was time to get out. Brek, our sympathies go out to you and hang in there. -d. Date: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:29:00 -0500 From: [email protected] Subject: Re: movie posters lost in fire video link To: [email protected] Collectors who don't have more than homeowner's or renter's insurance on their poster collection are most likely totally screwed if their house burns down. But those who don't have separate insurance on their poster collection---who roll the dice thinking "it won't happen to me" most likely won't admit they don't have insurance on MoPo on any other forum. Nobody wants to have a bunch of other collectors and dealers descend on them like some have descended on Brek. Hey, more people "roll the dice" in this world and in this hobby than you think....especially with the economy the way it is... I know in the past decade or so I've sold posters to Brek. He's a really good guy and my heart goes out to him. Hey, pardon me sounding like Father Flanagan (who they're putting up to be canonized as a saint!) ....but, "There but for the grace of God go I..." Godspeed and good luck, Brek, Rick In a message dated 2/29/2012 1:04:44 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes: Do most collectors have insurance on their posters? I would think that would be easier said than done. Good luck to you Brek. Give 'em hell. JW From:Brek Anderson <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 3:10 PM Subject: Re: [MOPO] movie posters lost in fire video link Thanks Bruce, And thanks to the many that have expressed sympathy. As I have said I hope others can learn from this. As I have been blasted before when I first got on MOPO about 7 years ago, I am hesitant to even post on MOPO. I was very close to leaving MOPO back then. After a few that seem to want to bring you down if you are up or down on MOPO who don't even know you has made me come close to leaving several times. I am very close to leaving the forum now based on the few, but the many great members keep me hanging on. But don't be surprised if there one less member soon. Most have no idea of othersinvestments, but my loss totaled over 3 million and wiped me out. So I don't take kindly to those who makes them feel better to tear you down. It's not the critic that counts. The large law firm that has taken my case on contingency is very confident I will re-coop some of the loss. It will take about a year to find out. Brek ----- Original Message ----- From: Bruce Hershenson <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:33:44 -0000 (UTC) Subject: Re: [MOPO] movie posters lost in fire video link First off, I think you guys really are being insensitive to Brek's massive loss. Of course he wishes he had done so much differently, but now is not the time to tell him that. I can tell you that this has caused a fair number of consignors to send me large consignments. I have had some major consignors who had never planned to sell anything in their lifetime, but after a theft, or a fire, or a broken pipe, or a flood, changed their mind in a hurry and gave me some or all of their collection. And all told me later that there was a major sense of relief once they no longer had to worry every time they left their house that their collection would be there unharmed when they returned. Bruce Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
