HOW A DOG FORCED A KITCHEN REMODEL

Ever heard of a “cup half full” kind of dog? A Farmers agent shares a funny yet cautionary tale from the Hall of Claims

When Farmers® agent Trevor Thacker received a 2 a.m. text from a homeowner reading “Our kitchen flooded!” he had a feeling it wasn’t a broken pipe to blame. The culprit: a mischievous, four-legged, doe-eyed fur-ball. To protect his real identity, we’ll call the perpetrator “Smoky.”

Smoky is a Siberian husky, less than a year old, and he is the trouble maker in the family’s large dog pack, which includes two additional Siberian husky puppies and two adult German shepherds. Smoky has a quirky thing for cups—specifically, a thing for retrieving cups left in the sink of the kitchen island.

One night when the family was out, the pack of dogs finagled their way into the house from the three-car garage, which serves as a private doghouse when the humans are away. As he typically would, Smoky hopped onto the kitchen island to grab a cup, but this time he added a new trick to his repertoire: he turned on the sink faucet, and managed to jam the hand- held sprayer in a way that kept the water not just flowing but also spraying all over the kitchen. It continued to flow for four solid hours.

By the time the homeowners returned, the floors and custom cabinets in their spacious, modern kitchen had been destroyed. The buildup of water in the kitchen collapsed the ceiling of the basement and ruined the flooring down below, as well.

The Resolution:

Farmers covered the cost of the damages—including replacement of those custom kitchen cabinets, and the family’s stay in a hotel for a few days following the incident—through the homeowner’s policy. The pack is still mischievous, but these days the family is much more careful about where they leave their cups.

Real stories. Experienced Sources. Practical Information.


Farmers® Homeowner Insurance

How do you define dream house? You might’ve chosen a Spanish-style hacienda on your favorite golf course, a center-hall colonial in a great school district, or a perfectly restored mid-century modern. Your home is a major investment, but — more than that — it’s where you raise a family, entertain friends and create lifelong memories.

Whether you live in the perfect starter house, a custom-built dream home or something in between, one thing is true: You want to protect the life you’ve made there.

Here are some typical situations in which Farmers homeowners insurance can help:

There’s a fire in your kitchen

Risk:

You return from a family vacation to discover thieves have stolen electronic equipment from your media room.

Coverage:

If your possessions are stolen, damaged or destroyed in an insured loss, your coverage can help replace them, up to the policy’s stated limits.

Thieves strike while you are away

Risk:

You act quickly and prevent a grease fire from getting out of control, but smoke damages the counters and cabinets in your kitchen.

Coverage:

Property coverage in your policy can help if your house is damaged by fire and/or smoke.

Contact Farmer's Insurance Gold Agency today for more information about our available products!

Teddy Gold 
Farmers Insurance 
250 Route 6 Ste A 
Mahopac, NY 10541-3847 
845-628-4653 (Office) 
914-770-0047 (Mobile) 
845-628-4655 (Fax) 
tgold@farmersagent.com 
www.farmersagent.com/tgold 


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Submitted by Brewster, NY

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