Another Phone Call And Another Claim - Small World

The foundations are just being formed for the cottages at this new Zen Center here in Northern California - a project that I have been working on for more than a year.  And I just received a phone call from someone there - not about the design or construction - but because he had found this blog due to them having a problem with the title on the new Zen Center.  Needless to say since I was just up there a week ago - the last thing he expected to find was that I, too, had a problem with a claim with Fidelity National Title.

 

Hopefully I will be able to help them get this matter resolved a lot more quickly and a lot less painfully than my own claim with Fidelity National Title Insurance Company!!!

 

Dear XXXXX,

I am so happy to hear the contractor is starting the foundations on the cottages - as excited as I am to see them go up - I confess I am more excited about the timber framing coming from Japan for the temple.  I am very proud to have been able to work on this project and look forward to working with all of you on the design of the main meeting center in the future.

Needless to say it is a very small world that you happened to find my blog on my experience with Fidelity National Title Insurance Company.  And it was very disconcerting to learn that you, too, are having an issue on the property in XXXXX with an easement that crosses the Zen Center’s property that was not disclosed to you in the title report.  And the resulting proposed settlement of $500 from the appraiser in Connecticut on a property here in Northern California - well I cannot help but think that he is not familiar with the area.  (Considering the additional freight bill we just had to send you required by Caltrans is almost that amount.........................)

 
As handling a dispute with Fidelity is about as far away from the mission of the Zen Center as one can possibly get - I am glad that you called me.  As I spent five very long years and thousands of dollars trying to resolve my claim with Fidelity my suggestion would be to contact David Saag who is the Western Region Senior Vice President and Chief Claims Counsel immediately and ask him to oversee this claim so that you can receive a fair, just and speedy resolution of this matter.  In my experience trying to work with the assigned claims counsel is not productive and you will most likely bounce from one person to another.

I am copying Mr. Saag on this email in hopes that he can quickly intercede on your behalf and get this resolved so that we can all get back to the work of getting the new Center built and in use for its intended purpose.

Ann Zollinger