u/North_Dust_7134

NC

1999 house

Moved in 2021

Amnica Mutual Insurance

Deductible $1,000.

We had Amica Mutual Insurance homeowners insurance since 2018: Old house from 2018 until 2021 claim free, this home 2021 - 2026 claim fre.

Last week, we noticed a smell and discovered water damage in sink cabinet.

(Same day, our hvac stopped working and we had to just invest in a new unit two days ago - huge expense!)

We have filed claim (again, first on our record), but adjuster said we do not have to pursue if we decide not to seek payment.

Amica's preferred vendor came for mitigation and is completing that portion today: $1,400 to take out most of the cabinet, some flooring and drywall, run de-humidifer and fan and scrubber for three days.

Estimate on reconstruction is $5,700 (temporarily remove counter top, build in new cabinet (frames remain), take out and reinstall plumbing and dishwasher, etc.

Total estimate about $7,100.

Q: impact of pursuing payment vs withdrawal.

We are approaching hurricane season and it is always possible this could cause an event where we need Insurance.

I'm looking for insights specifically from an underwriting standpoint as to the severity of having the claim and pursue payment vs have a zero-pay claim and we end up paying it ourselves.

Thanks.

NC

1999 house

Moved in 2021

Amnica Mutual Insurance

Deductible $1,000.

We had Amica Mutual Insurance homeowners insurance since 2018: Old house from 2018 until 2021 claim free, this home 2021 - 2026 claim fre.

Last week, we noticed a smell and discovered water damage in sink cabinet.

(Same day, our hvac stopped working and we had to just invest in a new unit two days ago - huge expense!)

We have filed claim (again, first on our record), but adjuster said we do not have to pursue if we decide not to seek payment.

Amica's preferred vendor came for mitigation and is completing that portion today: $1,400 to take out most of the cabinet, some flooring and drywall, run de-humidifer and fan and scrubber for three days.

Estimate on reconstruction is $5,700 (temporarily remove counter top, build in new cabinet (frames remain), take out and reinstall plumbing and dishwasher, etc.

Total estimate about $7,100.

Q: impact of pursuing payment vs withdrawal.

We are approaching hurricane season and it is always possible this could cause an event where we need Insurance.

I'm looking for insights specifically from an underwriting standpoint as to the severity of having the claim and pursue payment vs have a zero-pay claim and we end up paying it ourselves.

Thanks.

We had a leaking evaporator coil in our 2019 Rheem 2.5 ton single-stage gas pack. We are the second owners, so unfortunately no warranty.

House is ~3,000 sqft total, built in 1999, two-story with two HVAC systems. This is the downstairs unit. Original ductwork and distribution boxes.

Repair quotes came in around $2,500-$5,500 depending on whether the coil alone is replaced or additional work is done.

Given the unexpected coil failure, lack of warranty, and concern about future reliability, we're considering replacing the entire unit instead of repairing it.

Location: Raleigh / Wake Forest, NC.

We've received multiple quotes:

Daikin

• 2.5 ton single-stage: ~$12,500
• 2.5 ton two-stage: ~$13,500
• 10-year parts warranty + long labor warranty
• Concern: they never came out to inspect ductwork or take airflow/static pressure measurements.

American Standard

• 2.5 ton single-stage: ~$13,000
• 2.5 ton two-stage: ~$14,300
• 10-year parts, 2-year labor
• Contractor says existing ductwork is fine and no modifications are needed.

Lennox

• 2.5 ton single-stage: ~$11,500 including new distribution box and 10-year labor warranty (requires ~$40/mo maintenance plan)
• 3 ton two-stage: ~$14,600 including ductwork modifications, new distribution box, and warranty
• Contractor says return duct and distribution box are undersized and should be upgraded. They also found rust on the existing distribution box.
• This contractor was the only one who did room readings in addition to everything else.

A few questions for HVAC pros:

1. Would you repair a 6-year-old Rheem with a leaking evaporator coil, or replace it?
2. Is upgrading from single-stage to two-stage worth it if the current system was single-stage?
3. How concerning is it that one contractor says the ducts are fine, while another says they need to be enlarged?
4. Would you avoid any of these brands (Daikin, American Standard, Lennox)?
5. Are these prices reasonable for the Raleigh/Wake Forest area?

Current system is a 2.5 ton single-stage. One contractor wants to move to a 3 ton two-stage and enlarge ducts. Is that a red flag or a reasonable recommendation?

Would appreciate professional opinions or experiences from homeowners who went through something similar.

Visiting for 2-3 nights during a World Cup week, attending a game, and trying to finalize the hotel. Looking to be in walking distance from stadium, fan zone, and some sights (aquarium, coca cola world). We have not been to Atlanta before. We will be driving down (we are ok with the valet).
Please, only in walking distance, no MARTA.
Child is 9 years old and mildly autistic.
I have Platinum Elite at Marriott but am open to other brands.

At this point, I'm specifically, deciding between:
- Glenn Autograph
- Omni Hotel
- Signia Hilton
- Hotel Phoenix

I'm primarily concerned with safety and walkability and some food around.
Thank you.