At a time when many big name insurance companies are still having settlement issues, even from as…read morefar back as when Katrina hit, it's wonderful to know that the other end of the insurance company spectrum can make one mighty proud and grateful that there is that other end. That other end that one can only find out about from first hand experience that one would surely have rather never had been forced to experience the hard way. Farmers/Foremost insurance is that other end of the insurance company spectrum. The one you can depend on, count on, when things go terribly wrong, and a comfort to know that you have standing guard when things are just fine. Maybe Farmers needs to change their logo to the militiaman farmer, a plow in one hand and a rifle in the other. Ready to serve in time of trouble.
On 23 June 2016 my wife and I, along with our two dogs, barely escaped our home in the middle of the Erskine fire in South Lake, California. The fire swept through leaving nothing behind and with the burning embers floating in the air in a dark thick cloud of smoke I was the last one out after having failed two attempts to save our cat before it was too late. The losses where overwhelming and only after having fled does one begin to realize what all has been lost. Everything we ever had in our lives was gone. From our home to all our clothing, food, personal papers, my wife's wedding dress she stored so diligently, pictures, memories, everything. We were moved into a make shift refugee camp at the Kernville elementary school. The not knowing what the final loss was the worst part. It wasn't until the second day there that we found out that all was completely destroyed, but we were not alone. Hundreds of families had suffered the same fate and one family was lost in the fire.
It's hard to have to relive those final moments, but the one other thing that made sure we were not alone in the aftermath was two dear sweet ladies from Farmers insurance. Allison Kitchen and Nicole Thompson. Two Angels that got the ball rolling and set us up immediately with the best Farmers insurance adjuster in the world, Geoff Dopheide. Don't ask. I couldn't pronounce his last name if my life depended on it so I just call him "Jeff".
What I do know is there was someone up above watching down on my wife and I as he sent us the finest Angels to take care of us and quickly so. We had nothing but the clothes on our backs. The only food we had was at that make shift refugee camp that night and the next day, but the following day, and without discounting the Godsend of the first responders, the many volunteers, and donated supplies, the cavalry arrived with money, hope, and a place to stay with a roof over our heads. Farmers to the rescue.
While Allison and Nicole took care of making the contacts, Geoff was setting us up for a place to stay, money for food, clothing, personal items, and running the numbers quickly to cover the finals for our loss. He saw to it that we were paid out the maximum of our insurance coverage and between FedEx'ing the checks and direct deposit, we had the means to at least start our lives anew within the second day of the fire.
I'm too old to start over again, permanently disabled, and will never be able to replace all that was lost. No one could. However, Farmers insurance did everything humanly possible and then some to get us back on our feet and for all of their wonderful personalized timely service I can never repay them. There are lots of things that money just can't do, lots of things that money just cannot replace, but for the things that can be done and with a caring that one would might only expect from immediate family, there's Farmers, Allison Kitchen, Nicole Thompson, and Geoff Dopheide. (whose name I still cannot pronounce)
Angels, one and all.
All of our insurance is with Farmers at the Allison Kitchen's Farmers agency in Bakersfield, California. There it will always be.
Our heart felt thanks,
John and Gabriela Campbell
