Breaking news : Simon Phillips' home burned down !!

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I had not previous, but just did. Created an account.

They provide an Excel spreadsheet for itemizing everything, including serial numbers, description, price/value, and a few other things. Since I keep everything in an MS Access spreadsheet, that was really easy to get done.

Waiting to hear back from them. Will let you know.
 
Waiting to hear back from them. Will let you know.

I've used them for many years. I've never filed a claim, but they seem pretty solid and all their policies are clearly laid out. Deductible is $100.

1. Claims should be reported to The Hanover Insurance Group as follows:
Submit to The Hanover Insurance Group a:

Damage Questionnaire

or

Theft Questionnaire

2. An estimate or repair bill must be submitted for each piece of equipment damaged, and this must be obtained from a certified repair shop. The name, address & phone number of the shop and serial number of the item, if any, must be on the receipt.

3. If an item is damaged beyond repair of will cost more to fix than you have it scheduled for, this is considered a total loss with the amount it would cost to have it repaired.

4. All losses need replacement estimates. This can be from any source you will be purchasing your replacement item from, such as a store, an ad, or the internet.

5. If you do not have original bills, receipts, or purchase orders, please advise on where, when, and for how much you purchased the item.

6. It is critical that all claims be reported immediately. Failure to report a claim promptly can result in a breach of policy conditions, resulting in a lack of coverage.


In the event of the following claims, the steps listed below will need to be taken in addition to the steps above:

Theft/Misplaced Items

If an item is stolen or misplaced, a police report MUST be filed. A list of all missing items needs to be included, along with serial numbers, if any. If you are not able to obtain the report immediately, please submit the police report number, along with the precinct and phone number. The actual will still be needed.

Airline Loss

1.Submit the airline & flight destination and a copy of the stub, if available

2.Submit a copy of any complaint that was written to the airlines.

Fire Losses

1.If the loss was due to a fire, a fire report should be submitted
 
Do not buy what you cannot afford.

Do not pay someone else for risking what you can afford.

Insurance companies offer you protection for rainy days when the skies are clear, and take away the umbrella when it rains.

Plus they hire idiots to the claims depts, and a lawyer to go through them will cost you more than the annual coverage fees of a single year. Ans I win them all, it a question of extreme persistence.

Self insure, be a happy camper.

Sorry you had such a bad experience, but choosing to go without insurance is not something I would dare, especially when it only costs around two percent of the value per year.
 
Hey man, you know what they say... It doesn't hurt to ask. Unfortunately, I'm not so popular. I'll donate my proceeds to Salvation Army. My life is beyond repair (divorced).

I went through a divorce as well. If I can break on through to the other side...you can as well. One day at a time man.
 
My first real post back, & clearly I'm pushing against the tide here, but that's understandable.

Without dissecting & addressing the points raised, I can fully appreciate how the optics are contextually poor on the surface, but I'd be inclined to see how things work out rather than rushing to judgement.

Disclosure: I have donated to Simon's fund. I won't give my personal reasons for doing so, other than to say I did so on the basis of trust. Anyone who's spent time with, or worked with Simon, will know he is a modest & generous gentleman of the highest order. He's also a very private man, so his fund description is most likely not revealing full detail of the challenge he faces. I am fully confident he will do the right thing by his family, by others, & by the people who've supported him.

I'm someone who supports all manner of causes on a regular basis. Of course, I can't support / fix everything, & most of my support is random paying forward close to home, but I have donated to other causes associated with these terrible fires too.

This is in no way an encouragement for anyone to donate, nor am I trying to change anyone's take on it. Just pointing out that everything is not always as it first appears.
 
My first real post back, & clearly I'm pushing against the tide here, but that's understandable.

Without dissecting & addressing the points raised, I can fully appreciate how the optics are contextually poor on the surface, but I'd be inclined to see how things work out rather than rushing to judgement.

Disclosure: I have donated to Simon's fund. I won't give my personal reasons for doing so, other than to say I did so on the basis of trust. Anyone who's spent time with, or worked with Simon, will know he is a modest & generous gentleman of the highest order. He's also a very private man, so his fund description is most likely not revealing full detail of the challenge he faces. I am fully confident he will do the right thing by his family, by others, & by the people who've supported him.

I'm someone who supports all manner of causes on a regular basis. Of course, I can't support / fix everything, & most of my support is random paying forward close to home, but I have donated to other causes associated with these terrible fires too.

This is in no way an encouragement for anyone to donate, nor am I trying to change anyone's take on it. Just pointing out that everything is not always as it first appears.

So....your post left me thinking this-if what you say about Simon were "as true" as you make it seem... Wouldn't a "modest and generous man" quietly go about the business of "rebuilding his life"...and shouldn't the people who have been touched by the life of the "modest and generous man" take up the torch on his behalf?

But maybe this represents a generational and a cultural shift? I know that in my life I was raised NOT to ask for help in non-life threatening situation. You dug in and you dealt with it. Not saying people didn't help-they did. But it is the asking part that has changed. I see GFM pages for people who want to send their kids to soccer camp... Soccer camp? Really? You liive in a $500,000 house and you want people to send your kid to soccer camp?

I think this may have something to do with the reaction you are seeing. They "haves" asking the "have nots" for help....
 
I think this may have something to do with the reaction you are seeing. They "haves" asking the "have nots" for help....

I agree. And in addition to the class element, perhaps there's a pushback against social media and the obscene celebrity culture it nurtures.
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I think this may have something to do with the reaction you are seeing. They "haves" asking the "have nots" for help....
I get that, I really do. I'm someone from very humble beginnings & a tougher background than most, so I'm cut from the same cloth in terms of getting stuff done yourself.

As for the motivation for Simon to put up that funding call, I really can't answer that, other than to believe he felt he's doing the right thing in a greater context that perhaps we don't yet appreciate. Donating was a pure leap of faith / trust for me, based on my (limited) direct experience with him. Sometimes, I just follow my gut & roll that way.
 
I get that, I really do. I'm someone from very humble beginnings & a tougher background than most, so I'm cut from the same cloth in terms of getting stuff done yourself.

As for the motivation for Simon to put up that funding call, I really can't answer that, other than to believe he felt he's doing the right thing in a greater context that perhaps we don't yet appreciate. Donating was a pure leap of faith / trust for me, based on my (limited) direct experience with him. Sometimes, I just follow my gut & roll that way.

Hey-I have no problem with people doing what they feel is right.... That is what separates us from the animals...lol.

I don't know how I actually feel about it other than pointing out some aspects of it that may have to do with the differing responses to it.
 
So after chatting w/ a couple people about this who are talent-buyers and booking agents, I've adjusted my perspective. The conversation was long and went in different directions but they made a salient point that made me delete my post above and my tweet to him.

If Simon was responsible for managing projects and businesses, he probably had to deal with security deposits, bonding, and other out of pocket financial obligations that may not always have backing from a financial institution. Yes, he's probably insured properly but those checks don't always payout immediately when the claim is made. If he's trying to keep projects going, contracts honored, and people employed, he may be very well having to come out of pocket w/o any guarantees of getting that money back. So while it may appear the money is for him, it may actually be to help make sure others connected to his music business don't financially suffer.
 
So after chatting w/ a couple people about this who are talent-buyers and booking agents, I've adjusted my perspective. The conversation was long and went in different directions but they made a salient point that made me delete my post above and my tweet to him.

If Simon was responsible for managing projects and businesses, he probably had to deal with security deposits, bonding, and other out of pocket financial obligations that may not always have backing from a financial institution. Yes, he's probably insured properly but those checks don't always payout immediately when the claim is made. If he's trying to keep projects going, contracts honored, and people employed, he may be very well having to come out of pocket w/o any guarantees of getting that money back. So while it may appear the money is for him, it may actually be to help make sure others connected to his music business don't financially suffer.

And therein (possibly) lies the problem...

A GFM page that made a statement to that affect-written by someone close to Simon, with a brief explanation detailing what you just stated, more than likely would have resulted in a much different response-and probably a significantly better chance of donations.

A statement that says "this is Simon and my finance' and I just suffered the loss of our home and studio please donate so we can rebuild our lives" doesn't exactly carry the same weight-or sympathy.

Now, admittedly, under the duress of their loss, they could\should be understood and forgiven for a hastily written request like that.

I think everyone knows or can tell from his videos etc. that Simon is definitely NOT a "celebrity" when it comes to attitude or demeanor...

I appreciate your post Lee, as it has given me a few things to ponder.
 
while it may appear the money is for him, it may actually be to help make sure others connected to his music business don't financially suffer.

He should say as much on his go-fund-me campaign then.

https://support.gofundme.com/hc/en-us/articles/115011597367-7-Tips-for-Writing-a-Captivating-Story

What to Say:

For a complete story that covers everything your readers will want to know, we recommend including the following:
•Introduce who or what are you’re raising money for. If not for yourself, how do you know the person you’re raising funds for? This is where you want to make a personal connection with your donors.
•An overview of what happened (or, your cause).
How the money will be spent. We recommend getting specific, and sharing the costs associated with your goal. Donors appreciate being in the loop about where their funds are going.
•Why this cause means so much to you.
 
I think everyone knows or can tell from his videos etc. that Simon is definitely NOT a "celebrity" when it comes to attitude or demeanor...

You have surrounded the word 'celebrity' in scare quotes, so I'm left to assume you're referring to my post above in which I used the term. And that's all good. But since context is absolutely important, consider this hypothetical: You live in Mr. Phillips' neighborhood, and you've also lost your home to the fire. And coincidentally, you also posted a GFM. Do you think you would have $45,000 pledged to your account by 600+ people in two days? That was one half the context of why I used the word celebrity; the other half refers to the hangers-on of social media who would imagine themselves celebrities too.

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DSOP, all very good points. I'll add that I'm not sure I'd have the full presence of mind to be so clear about it immediately. When my basement flooded one year ago this month, I made some decisions about how to deal w/ it afterward that I wish I had thought out a bit more. At the time, I had the fog of the unknown and never having had this happen to me and felt that I needed to do something. None of the decisions or actions were wrong, but if I had more mental clarity, I would've done a few things differently. I was dealing with about 10" of water in a part of the house I really don't live in. I can't imagine my entire household and all of my possessions going up in flames, my significant other barely getting out, all the while I'm miles away, unable to do anything.

So yeah, the GFM page should and could be more clear and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt given that my experience, I can empathize as to where his mind is or isn't at the moment.
 
So yeah, the GFM page should and could be more clear and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt given that my experience, I can empathize as to where his mind is or isn't at the moment.

Yes, but you don't come up with a number like $200,000 out of thin air. There is obviously something behind it. He doesn't need to be explicit, but something would help.
 
You have surrounded the word 'celebrity' in scare quotes, so I'm left to assume you're referring to my post above in which I used the term. And that's all good. But since context is absolutely important, consider this hypothetical: You live in Mr. Phillips' neighborhood, and you've also lost your home to the fire. And coincidentally, you also posted a GFM. Do you think you would have $45,000 pledged to your account by 600+ people in two days? That was one half the context of why I used the word celebrity; the other half refers to the hangers-on of social media who would imagine themselves celebrities too.

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Honestly, I never gave your post a thought when I typed the post your reference above...wasn't even, and still not thinking about it in the slightest....

As to "scare quotes" (did it again....lol), I am (again, quite honestly) nit even aware that they are or were even called "scare quotes". I merely wanted to set the idea of a "celebrity" apart from who I take Simon to be-an artist, musician, and producer... To me a "celebrity" would be more inline with how someone like Gene Simmons behaves, as opposed to how someone like Simon Phillips behaves.

No harm....sorry if I offended you.
 
There is this assumption that Simon is rich. Who here is aware how much he earns, or is familiar with his expenses? It's all speculation. Don't judge another man until you walk in his shoes for a while. I hope that Simon and his loved ones are able to rebuild their lives and home. They have my sympathy.
 
There is this assumption that Simon is rich. Who here is aware how much he earns, or is familiar with his expenses? It's all speculation. Don't judge another man until you walk in his shoes for a while. I hope that Simon and his loved ones are able to rebuild their lives and home. They have my sympathy.

Well said, sir. :)
...
 
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