Don Storino – State Farm Insurance Agent

I’ve been with State Farm Auto ever since I got my first driver’s license and had their homeowners’ policy for most of the past 12 years that I’ve been a homeowner. I’ve had to call for a tow a few times and had it covered each time hassle-​free. I haven’t filed a homeowners claim until this past summer.
On the night of April 5^th, 2010, a big hailstorm hit Chicago and the NW suburbs. While it seemed nothing got broken, the roofs took a pounding. In about a week, roofers from all over the country descended on Park Ridge, Des Plaines and Niles in search of jobs for people filing claims. While I didn’t jump on the bandwagon right away with these fly-​by-​night, «ambulance chaser» roofers, I took heed and had my trusted roofer who did prior work for me check it out.
Indeed, there was some serious damage, he reported, even a missing shingle in one area and the ridge of the roof had large welts on the shingles, missing the gravel coating and exposing the black roofing felt underneath.
I called Nuzzo & Storino’s office near Belmont & Harlem, my agents, and they had a State Farm adjuster come out to look at it. We scheduled a date and he showed up in a jacked-​up pick up truck with oversized tires, almost like the kind you’d see at Monster Jam. It was his mobile catastrophe unit, with a ladder, tools and a laptop console right on his front dashboard.
He and my roofer went up together, studied the damage and in about an hour reached agreement that the entire roof needed to be replaced. Now I heard of horror stories where an insurer covers half a roof or part of a job, but State Farm insured the WHOLE THING — full tearoff, gutters too. And as he walked past an old metal shed in my yard, he glanced at the top of it and saw some dents on the thin metal roof. I hadn’t even mentioned it to him and he snapped a photo and tacked on another $ 800 for the «total loss» of my shed!
Shortly thereafter, I got a generous check written on the spot for the cost of the new roof. My roofer’s estimate came in well below the claim check, so he was able to upgrade to architectural grade, 30 year shingles, new oversized downspouts and I still had money left over for my shed and now, possibly an extra home project.
State Farm was prompt in processing my invoice for the roof, calling me quickly and getting the check for the remaining claim $ out to me promptly.
It was a great overall experience dealing with the local branch office as well as their headquarters in Jacksonville, FL that processed my claims. This is how it should be. I will be staying with them for their excellent response and service.