USAA / stolen ring update

[Rubymal]

Unfortunately, insurance companies will only cover you for what will make you "whole." Similar to a totaled car, the cash replacement value will be the car exactly as it were right before the accident. It won't be the amount you paid for it (unless you have the kind of car insurance that explicitly says this).

You may have paid a certain amount for the ring but the insurance company will only replace the ring to make you whole. To make you whole, it should have the exact same 4C's and setting (assuming your appraisal specifies Simon G setting # or "hand forged 6 prong solitaire by Victor Canera"). If the appraisal is not detailed enough, this is where you can get screwed. I think this is why many people advise folks to have the appraisal specify not just the 4Cs, but "A Cut Above" (or "Brian Gavin Signature" or other super ideal line) diamond.

Wishing you luck, and hopefully this gets resolved soon!

Second on the car thing. I had a brand new car that was barely a year old when it got rammed by a lady while it was parked on my street. The damage was so bad that the insurance company would not let me keep my car and considered it totaled since cost of repairs would've been more than the cars currently value. They cashed us out but the amount was not nearly around what we had originally paid.

 

[Lookinagain]

So the next question would be, after replacement do you insure it for 6k or 11k knowing they can replace it for 6k?

When I get an appraisal I ask that it be for "replacement" value. One of my local jewelers always gives two appraisals, one for "replacement" (which is what the insurance company generally will pay) and one for the retail value. I'm not sure what I'd ever use the retail value for other than to make me feel like I got a bargain, but I insure for the replacement value. I guess you could insure for a bit more to account for inflation. Also, my insurance company lets me pick out the replacement pieces. They don't do it for me. I tell them what jeweler I'm using and they have always approved it. I believe they have arrangements with many of the jewelers here in the jewelry district so they get their wholesale pricing but I get to pick out the stones, settings etc.

 

[whitewave]

" I don't understand how I can pay for a policy on the e-ring alone for $11k+ and it be worth only approx. $5k."

If they knew precisely what they were insuring and they knew they could make it/replace it for $6k, then why didn't they base the premium on that $6k valuation? That was the extent of their exposure/risk.

Okay, I admit it, I know, it's because they collected more money using the $11k number.

First off, we are back to many people believe the appraisal amount is what their jewelry is worth. It is not.

Op was paying insurance on 11k because that is the appraisal she submitted and wanted insurance on.

Diamond prices fluctuate, so appraisals tend to add in a certain amount of up value in case you bought low and filed a claim when prices were up. This would accommodate that additional increase in like for like.

Severely overpriced appraisals might make people feel good, but in the end it only serves to make you pay more premium for an insurance policy.

I took all of my inflated appraisals to Ira Savoie, an independent appraiser outside of New Orleans and I asked for much more realistic value appraisals. They all were more than I paid, but they were no where near the 2x and 3x appraisals I had.

It’s just something people don’t understand.

Now, if OP had custom work like from Victor Canera, or CVB ID or had superideal branded diamonds, then like for like would be these same things.

When you get in a car wreck, you have to get you car fixed where the insurance company tells you to go.

When you file a claim for jewelry, you have to do what the policy says you have to do. In this case USAA has their own jeweler, who on the surface is probably (I would assume) pretty good since he/she does replacement like for like work.

Op has to get the process started or take the 6k check and be done.

 

[mymindslost]

I needed to step away and with working the past few nights and focus on that side of my world, plus lack of sleep post shifts wasn't helping. My job is stressful enough as is without trying to bring outside factors in. I did ask USAA if there were other versions of a jewelry policy - they told me they only have "Valuable Personal Property Insurance", which is what I have. The policy allows them to replace with like value items if they can replicate the piece or in the instance of a diamond/center stone falling out, source a new one of similar quality. If it cannot, they can cash you out. She told me it's rare they can't have their gemologist reproduce a piece because they have access to diamonds, Gems, highly knowledgeable staff etc etc. After this has happened, I've asked a LOT of questions regarding that policy and it's simple - they have gemologist that create replicas and if they can they will replicate them. I had my e-ring on that separate "scheduled jewelry" policy whereas my stackers were part of the "blanket jewelry policy" that allows up to $2500 / item so I had to do the separate for the e-ring. I have a lot of jewelry insured under blanket because my other pieces fall under that - I just keep an updated list of the pieces and have pictures of them. I thought I have been doing things correctly, more responsibly than a lot of people I know even. We had our appraisal uploaded on the e-ring when we took out the policy. We should have looked more into that policy to be honest on how things would be replaced - my husband is the one that immediately got the policy in place when he got me the ring. He's the one that manages all that and he feels awful right now.

As for USAA customer service, our person has been courteous on the phone, despite my emotional side. I'm not here at all to bash their company - we've had great interactions with them in the past (we have everything under the sun insured with them too.) That's really not what I came here to do. I actually thought this process might be eye opening to others as I know I'm not the only one with USAA and I just couldn't imagine I'm the only one that would have viewed my policy this way but maybe I'm just that ignorant about insurance (this type at least, not health since I work in that field). The only thing I will say is that upon initial discussions they glossed over the replicate vs cash out process, leading us to believe that we would just cash out. They just just kept telling us that we had the one policy for the $11k amount and the rest of my pieces fell under the "up to 2500$ amount". It wasn't until we said we wanted to cash out that she said they decided they can replicate the pieces and gave us the breakdown of the amounts that they would give us. This was 3 weeks after our initial claim was made. This was after numerous calls/messages using their online service and trying to get information on the claim etc. It was a huge shock to us and here all I want is my rings back. And I did ask her numerous times that when this ring is replicated, what will it appraise at. All I get is, "it will appraise at like value and quality you had before and they will send an appraisal with the pieces." That's really vague.

So I'd like to move past some of this somehow and I've always been a "something good comes out of the bad" type or I tell myself that. It's the only way I do my job and function in life. We are recreating the rings - no real option and we need to move on. The family ring is being cashed out and I fly to see my parents next week on vacation so will have a better idea when that can be completed.

They are looking for a new diamond (previous one she said they had thought of originally was reserved) and once they have a new one in mind they well send me the GIA. If I like it they will send it to me to have a jeweler evaluate and we can see in person. I'll post the GIA when I get it.

She sent me CAD drawings and I'd like help honestly. My sapphire stackers are simple and the CAD appeared ok I think. I've been linked a lot of a halos on here where to me it looks real metal like. I liked that mine seems to be softer, sparkly, less metal appearing and my stones don't look like just a bunch of stones around it (why I attached the video link too). I now know more about the size of my halo being big compared to my stone (from reading on these boards) but this is just recreating what I had so need to keep that in mind. I struggle with this CAD stuff because they all look like hunks of metal so how do I make sure in the end it it looks similar to my old? For instance the way they have my sides/shank stones set doesn't look at all what mine looked like. I don't like the huge gap around my center, even if mine had a slight one - this is larger and more apparent from top down where mine was barely noticeable top down. (One thing I wish wasn't on my previous)

 

[mymindslost]

Here's the CAD.

 

[TreeScientist]

I'm glad you'e decided to move on. That's the best thing to do in this situation: Get the best possible replacement from them.

Regarding the center stone: If you don't like the first suggestion they send, then consider looking on rarecarat.com (search within your specs) to try and find replacement stones. The stones listed on online vendors like Blue Nile, Adiamor, Yadav, etc. are all open market stones, meaning they are listed in a central database that all jewelers have access to at wholesale prices. If you send USAA a list of 3-4 stones that you like, it's very likely that they would have access to at least one of them.

Regarding CADs: Most CADs do look like hunks of metal. They intentionally leave a lot more metal on the shank, halo, etc, because metal will be lost during the polishing process. Trust me, a good bench will take a chunky cast and make it beautifully smooth with minute amounts of metal.

As for the gap, it looks like the CAD has a round diamond in the setting instead of a cushion, which likely explains the gaps at the corners. Not too sure why they didn't put a cushion in the CAD (most jeweler-specific CAD software can insert fancy shapes into settings). Maybe they're waiting on the exact dimensions of the replacement center stone before inserting the "real" diamond into the CAD. At any rate, I would ask them about it and let them know that you want as minimal of a gap as possible in the halo.

 

[the_mother_thing]

@mymindslost I saw the pic & video you linked/posted earlier in this thread. Do you have any more pictures you can post (directly in this thread, if possible) of your ring ... different angles, close-ups, etc.? ALL of those will be helpful in us providing you feedback to give to USAA on the CAD.

ETA: Also, the GIA/AGS report, if possible, for your previous center diamond ... please post that (or the report number) so we can advise on what is proposed and how ‘equal or better’ is may be to your previous center diamond. But also, the measurements will be helpful as they pertain to helping assess your CAD images.

@TreeScientist her original center stone was a round diamond (not cushion).

 

[the_mother_thing]

@mymindslost Also, any write-up/description that USAA provided you along with the CADs would be helpful ... for example, did they include a description about what type of setting they will use for the halo & shank diamonds? Do you know what type you previously had? Believe it or not, there is more to it than just saying it’s “pave’” style setting. If you really want a ring as close to what you had before as possible, close-up pics showing what you had and details in the USAA description provided (if any) will be helpful to use the right terminology to describe back to them.

Lastly, did they give you any sort of deadline to reply to them about the CAD? Need to know that as well so folks know whether ‘time is of the essence’ in terms of providing feedback.

 

[the_mother_thing]

@mymindslost On second thought, re: that CAD ... until you have a new center diamond selected, I would not move any further (except to make notes for later) with anything to do with that CAD, and let them know. Because if they are truly remaking you a ring “of like kind/quality” as you had before, then they need to know the center diamond details (dimensions) before they can finalize any CAD, melee diamonds, etc. The center diamond’s dimensions will drive how high up it sits, how open the area is inside the halo for the diamond, the melee diamond sizes, color, etc. If you opt to choose (for example) an H color diamond, you may not want ‘F’ color melee in the halo & shank. So in my mind, as far as your ER goes, the center diamond needs to be selected & approved first.

 

[lovedogs]

@mymindslost On second thought, re: that CAD ... until you have a new center diamond selected, I would not move any further (except to make notes for later) with anything to do with that CAD, and let them know. Because if they are truly remaking you a ring “of like kind/quality” as you had before, then they need to know the center diamond details (dimensions) before they can finalize any CAD, melee diamonds, etc. The center diamond’s dimensions will drive how high up it sits, how open the area is inside the halo for the diamond, the melee diamond sizes, color, etc. If you opt to choose (for example) an H color diamond, you may not want ‘F’ color melee in the halo & shank. So in my mind, as far as your ER goes, the center diamond needs to be selected & approved first.

100% agree. Don't do anything on the setting until you've decided on the stone.

 

[KKJohnson]

Well I know we are f***ed if something happens to my engagement ring, we have USAA as well and ours does state "of like" but that's kinda the issue since my stone is an antique cut that was once of larger carat size so the width of mine is nothing like what more modern stones are. Pair that with the Warm Color and SI clarity, we are going to get shafted and maybe be offered less than 50%+ of what the current ring is worth. Hopefully nothing happens but anything is possible.

My husband will lose it because he doesn't understand the policy but I do, the people of this site have helped with their wealth of knowledge

OP I hope that you come back once they send you options on the replacement stone, everyone here is very wonderful and wants to help get you the best choice available.

 

[the_mother_thing]

@KKJohnson Pop on into the other thread I started today in RT around insurance. Unrelated to this situation, but timely, I am in the process of renewing a few of my jewelry items’ insurance policies, getting new appraisals, etc., and will be sending a lot of info to USAA so that their basis for “like kind” for my pieces is accurate from the get-go. Might be a good read for you to update yours as well b/c your diamond really is so unique and likely damn near irreplaceable.

 

[kgizo]

@mymindslost I am glad you raised this issue and are sharing your experience. I do wonder if something has changed at USAA - management or internal policies. Lengthy and boring to most of you so please feel free to ignore: I added a piece of antique jewelry to VPPI in 2015 and had a lengthy discussion with the rep to be sure that I could cash out at my request and was told that they would attempt to replace it but if they could not to my satisfaction then I could get the cash. They never once said the cash out would be at their discounted rate, it was very customer focused and how they would help with the search but I didn’t have to accept anything and they would make me whole. This was important to me as I didn’t want them replacing an antique with a new piece of jewelry and obviously I would have to pay retail for a new piece of antique jewelry. I’ve always needed to provide them with one piece of documentation (receipt or appraisal). In early 2017 I added another piece of jewelry and was told because it is over a certain dollar amount they needed two of the three: appraisal, GIA or AGS report, or receipt. I provided GIA and receipt. This spring I get a VM stating that I must provide an appraisal. I left a VM stating that I was told to provide 2 of 3, which I did and please check my records. Later I get another VM requesting appraisal. I call back and have a lengthy discussion with a different rep who sees all the notes of the VMs, checks with a supervisor, and confirms that 2 of 3 is correct and I am all set. A few weeks later the original rep leaves a VM that she sees that I called in and has notes of that discussion but I still need to provide an appraisal. The whole thing felt weird and this experience along with OP’s most recent experience just makes me wonder if USAA is in general treating VPPI differently.
On another note, USAA often increases the value of my items when I renew. If this has happened to OP I think it is very disingenuous to say that the appraisal value isn’t adequate and needs to be increased, which means higher premiums, if they will later state that the appraisal value is overinflated and cash out for less.

 

[whitewave]

Well I know we are f***ed if something happens to my engagement ring, we have USAA as well and ours does state "of like" but that's kinda the issue since my stone is an antique cut that was once of larger carat size so the width of mine is nothing like what more modern stones are. Pair that with the Warm Color and SI clarity, we are going to get shafted and maybe be offered less than 50%+ of what the current ring is worth. Hopefully nothing happens but anything is possible.

My husband will lose it because he doesn't understand the policy but I do, the people of this site have helped with their wealth of knowledge

OP I hope that you come back once they send you options on the replacement stone, everyone here is very wonderful and wants to help get you the best choice available.

They would likely match mm sizes

 

[Johnbt]

"When you get in a car wreck, you have to get you car fixed where the insurance company tells you to go."

No you don't. One of the leading auto body companies in Richmond VA runs regular ads on TV and clearly states in every single one that you DO NOT have to take it where they say. I've known that my entire life thanks to my father and thought it was wonderful the first time I saw it years ago that the word was being spread.

Geico tried to steer me to their no-name repair shop when a city tree limb fell on my Highlander Limited and I refused. I took it to the shop I referenced and the number Geico's adjuster reported repair cost - $1600 - turned into a $4200 job when it was done the proper way. (Geico wanted to use filler on the roof dents and somehow straighten the crushed windshield frame. When my body shop told them none of that would work and the vehicle needed the roof cut and windshield cut off and completely replaced Geico didn't protest... not even once... not even a little... not one time. They knew it was shoddy work, but they'd save money.) I've been with Geico since 1967 and haven't had any problems standing up to them.

So, insurance. Maybe "people" don't understand. Some people anyway. I assure you I was raised by a former VA State Trooper who was hired away by a national trucking firm to deal with tractor-trailer wrecks, the court system and most of all, here it comes, the insurance industry. Thanks dad.
________________________

"So the next question would be, after replacement do you insure it for 6k or 11k knowing they can replace it for 6k?"

This post wins the Internet today.

I would bet the insurance company says you need the $11k policy.

My homeowners insurance has an inflation adjust added every year to cover increases in the cost of materials and labor. Insurance companies have this stuff calculated to a few decimal points. And fwiw, my home is insured for vastly more than what it would sell for because it was built in 1916 and it will take vastly more money to replace/repair 14-inch-thick solid brick walls, plaster on lath interior walls, ten-foot ceilings, fancy trim, large windows, 3 porches, Buckingham slate roof and a real honest to goodness copper roof on my front porch. It's 22' x 10' with soldered copper trough gutters, downspouts, etc., and the standing seams were hand-seamed by a friend of mine who did the entire thing. This was no snap together kit. I watched him do the whole job and he even made me audition to work on it as the helper on my own house.

But I digress. Time to go scrape the decks on my two riding mowers and the push mower. They cut better when they're clean underneath - better airflow to make the grass and weeds stand up tall.

 

[atp223]

I totally understand the stress of lost/stolen rings, and dealing with insurance companies.

We have USAA for our homeowners and auto insurance, but because my e-ring was a "branded" cut (Brian Gavin), I was concerned about USAA's ability to replace the ring with "like kind". So we used a company called Gemshield for insurance. It was cheaper than Jeweler's Mutual, and we had a great experience with them (if you are interested in other options going forward). They let you work with the jeweler of your choice (in our case Brian Gavin), as long as the jeweler is on a list of jewelers they work with. Brian Gavin sent Gemshield the cost to recreate my rings, and Gemshield sent a check in that amount to Brian Gavin (it was less than the insured amount, but just barely). I liked having control over who was going to re-make my rings, and how they were going to be re-made, without the price tag of a cashout policy.

I'm so sorry you are going through this. I remember the anxiety and stress of the replacement process so vividly (t was just last summer, right after the birth of our second child). I hope you are happy with the replacement rings.

 

[mymindslost]

USAA gave me a GIA to consider this afternoon: 1233321439
No idea if I can request more information on any of the diamonds they have me considering and they sent me just 1 to review. I don't know if I can have multiple options but I could try to ask them to do that.

I am going to try and see my jewelers sometime this weekend to get pictures of the setting he has in store to perhaps help with the CAD. I have some of the details like "bead set" for my shank on my appraisal though, but obviously not as much detail as I should have had it seems. I didn't have a lot of detailed shots beyond some more of the same top down view I posted before. We are hosting a huge BBQ tomorrow and I just finished working my shifts, go back Sunday night so a bit crazy but I'll try to check in here before the weekend is over to get thoughts on the diamond. They didn't give me any time frames for CAD or diamond approval - just sent them to me and told me it was 3-4 weeks to get the diamond in & then ship overnight to me, 7-10 days to make the wax mold off CAD and then 5-6 weeks to make the ring once CAD is approved.

Thanks for the advice so far! I do really appreciate it and I don't mean to sound grumpy or unappreciative during all of this, just trying to navigate it as best as I can!

 

[whitewave]

USAA gave me a GIA to consider this afternoon: 1233321439
No idea if I can request more information on any of the diamonds they have me considering and they sent me just 1 to review. I don't know if I can have multiple options but I could try to ask them to do that.

I am going to try and see my jewelers sometime this weekend to get pictures of the setting he has in store to perhaps help with the CAD. I have some of the details like "bead set" for my shank on my appraisal though, but obviously not as much detail as I should have had it seems. I didn't have a lot of detailed shots beyond some more of the same top down view I posted before. We are hosting a huge BBQ tomorrow and I just finished working my shifts, go back Sunday night so a bit crazy but I'll try to check in here before the weekend is over to get thoughts on the diamond. They didn't give me any time frames for CAD or diamond approval - just sent them to me and told me it was 3-4 weeks to get the diamond in & then ship overnight to me, 7-10 days to make the wax mold off CAD and then 5-6 weeks to make the ring once CAD is approved.

Thanks for the advice so far! I do really appreciate it and I don't mean to sound grumpy or unappreciative during all of this, just trying to navigate it as best as I can!

Did you have a Gia very good cut? Did you have strong blue Fluor?

We need to know what you had to compare this with.

 

[the_mother_thing]

USAA gave me a GIA to consider this afternoon: 1233321439
No idea if I can request more information on any of the diamonds they have me considering and they sent me just 1 to review. I don't know if I can have multiple options but I could try to ask them to do that.

Below is the GIA report for that diamond they sent you to consider. It would help us know the GIA/AGS/etc. number for the diamond you had so we can help you compare the two and make sure you’re getting a comparable or better replacement. Did you have a lab report for your original diamond?

But looking at this diamond’s measurements reaffirms what I noted earlier about holding off on any ER setting CAD feedback because they noted a diamond in that CAD with smaller measurements than this one. It’s a small amount, but that small amount can create a wider or smaller gap in the halo setting, making it appear perhaps differently than you’d like. That’s why we suggest you start with selecting a diamond first.

 

[Dancing Fire]

What's your 2nd choice? Tell USAA you want a well cut stone!

 

[RayRay]

@mymindslost , I just wanted to say I’m really sorry for what you’re going through and I hope it can be resolved quickly so you can get your mind off of it. Also thank you for posting this. I have my banking, home owners, auto and jewelry insurance with USAA. I had my first claim with them a few months ago when a coyote ran into my car...it was an absolute nightmare and my adjuster was an a$$. So I feel your pain. I swore I would find someone else after that debacle and haven’t yet, but this is giving my motivation to move my jewelry auto and home insurance.

 

[lovedogs]

Did you have a Gia very good cut? Did you have strong blue Fluor?

We need to know what you had to compare this with.

Exactly. We have no basis for comparison. I think it's a poorly cut stone, but I just don't have anything to compare it to since they are trying to replace your stone

 

[the_mother_thing]

@lovedogs Well, to be fair, while that diamond doesn’t fit within the confines of what we associate to be ‘ideal ranges’, it did score an even ‘2’ on HCA, so it’s possibly not a dud either; maybe just a different flavor with a slightly-smaller face-up vs. what would be ideal. But agreed - we need OPs diamond specs/lab report/etc. to know for sure. If she did not have an ‘ideal’ cut diamond before, it’s not reasonable to expect USAA to just give her one now.

@RayRay Did you file a police report when you hit the coyote? Crazy as it sounds, I live in an area with a lot of deer, and have been told repeatedly that if you hit any wildlife and need to file an insurance claim, be sure to file a police report to ensure you can be covered.

 

[rocks]

Below is the GIA report for that diamond they sent you to consider. It would help us know the GIA/AGS/etc. number for the diamond you had so we can help you compare the two and make sure you’re getting a comparable or better replacement. Did you have a lab report for your original diamond?

But looking at this diamond’s measurements reaffirms what I noted earlier about holding off on any ER setting CAD feedback because they noted a diamond in that CAD with smaller measurements than this one. It’s a small amount, but that small amount can create a wider or smaller gap in the halo setting, making it appear perhaps differently than you’d like. That’s why we suggest you start with selecting a diamond first.

It's awful.

 

[RayRay]

Hi! No I didn’t, but that wasn’t the issue. It was more the lack of communication and follow up and poor service. Along with them not listening to the manufacturer that one of the certain parts, a safety sensor, had to be replaced by OEM parts for safety reasons and USAA wanted to use aftermarket. I only got my way because the dealership did the right thing ahead of anyone’s approval. It was truly a bad experience.

@lovedogs Well, to be fair, while that diamond doesn’t fit within the confines of what we associate to be ‘ideal ranges’, it did score an even ‘2’ on HCA, so it’s possibly not a dud either; maybe just a different flavor with a slightly-smaller face-up vs. what would be ideal. But agreed - we need OPs diamond specs/lab report/etc. to know for sure. If she did not have an ‘ideal’ cut diamond before, it’s not reasonable to expect USAA to just give her one now.

@RayRay Did you file a police report when you hit the coyote? Crazy as it sounds, I live in an area with a lot of deer, and have been told repeatedly that if you hit any wildlife and need to file an insurance claim, be sure to file a police report to ensure you can be covered.

 

[the_mother_thing]

It's awful.

It may be awful, but it also may be better than what the OP had in the first place. Until we know, I don’t want to speculate and potentially ‘put down’ her previous diamond.

 

[TreeScientist]

As @the_mother_thing already said, it's not a bad diamond per se, but the inclusions are worrying to me. Agreed we need to see the original report or have the original report # to know if this is indeed "like-kind." However, "like-kind" should at least entail similar clarity and fluorescence grading, as these are big determinants of price. If your original diamond was an SI1 with no fluor, then you should absolutely demand a replacement that is an SI1 with no fluor. No compromises. Don't budge on that one. They're trying to get off cheap if they're attempting to replace an SI1/no fluor with SI2/SBF.

 

[Ceilimom]

First off, we are back to many people believe the appraisal amount is what their jewelry is worth. It is not.

Op was paying insurance on 11k because that is the appraisal she submitted and wanted insurance on.

Diamond prices fluctuate, so appraisals tend to add in a certain amount of up value in case you bought low and filed a claim when prices were up. This would accommodate that additional increase in like for like.

Severely overpriced appraisals might make people feel good, but in the end it only serves to make you pay more premium for an insurance policy.

I took all of my inflated appraisals to Ira Savoie, an independent appraiser outside of New Orleans and I asked for much more realistic value appraisals. They all were more than I paid, but they were no where near the 2x and 3x appraisals I had.

It’s just something people don’t understand.

Now, if OP had custom work like from Victor Canera, or CVB ID or had superideal branded diamonds, then like for like would be these same things.

When you get in a car wreck, you have to get you car fixed where the insurance company tells you to go.

When you file a claim for jewelry, you have to do what the policy says you have to do. In this case USAA has their own jeweler, who on the surface is probably (I would assume) pretty good since he/she does replacement like for like work.

Op has to get the process started or take the 6k check and be done.

I have watched this thread with a ball of ice in my gut due to my previous experience with "State Farm Preferred Jewelers". One was a NY Jeweler from the diamond district the second jeweler located in a community in Virginia near where I live. The NY jeweler sold me an anniversary ring that was supposed to be 3.75carat VS. G, VG cut in an 18 kt. white gold setting. This was to replace a piece they had previously made that fell apart. How did a channel setting develop a nice square break in the channel - mostly likely because the diamonds were of differing diameters and their movement cut through the gold. While waiting for my son to pick up a purchase at an area jeweler they offered to clean my rings. They go through the process of checking to see if prongs or settings are stable before they went into the ultra Sonic cleaner. The eternity band didn't pass muster- when examined under the loop, I was told that " the diamonds weren't of uniform cut or diameters. Being the doubting Thomasina I had another Jeweler in NJ( we were visiting family at the shore) check the ring and received the same answer. We went ahead and had a full appraisal done. The diamonds were abraded, not one diamond was above SI2 most were lower grades,cuts, color range was mostly L,M,I and the total carat weight was 2.83 .
What did State Farm Insurance do after asking if we would join them in a complaint, Nothing! Replacement cost was established through several Virginia Preferred Jewelers $10,000. They wrote us a check for $5660. This was 2009. 2014 Second Preferred Jeweler located in Virginia made a ring, substituted lower quality diamonds,lower carat weight when I called them on this- I was told "I must have forgot what we discussed! Stupidly I gave this business another chance only to find that the setting wasn't holding up to limited wear. The long and the short of my State Farm Insurance agent told me," they have lists of Jewelers who do bulk buying repairs for a reduced price. No guarantee that the work will be of a high standard, cheap and quick. When I informed them of my experience with this State Farm recommended jeweler, I was admonished for not reporting this jeweler to the Better Business Bureau. BBB has no regulatory power and can't enforce a business to make restitution or act ethically. This Jeweler according to my Insurance Agent is still on their list. So if you want to have valuable jewelery insured do obtain coverage that allows you the insured to pick your jeweler and all products that are necessary to make you whole.
I truly feel for what you are going through and hope you are made whole.

 

[pammbw]

Very sorry to hear the OP insurance woes, and hope it has a satisfactory outcome. I am of the opinion that insurance companies rank just slightly above a pile of cow dung in the hierarchy of life. Our job is to choose the least evil and stinky of the lot.