Well, the storm passed through Wheaton, the tree was removed from roof and the claims adjuster came out - all good things.  He assessed our damage, left and wrote a report; the check came in the mail.  Seemed easy enough.  We got three quotes for the work and the roofer were here yesterday banging on my ceiling and making the light fixtures shake. 

At about 11am I decided it was time to deposit the Claims check.  You're thinking I procrastinated.  Well, no, not really.  I just didn't want to deposit the check until I needed to use it.  Now, get ready, here are the lessons learned.

Due to the amount of the check, it was made out to me, Kevin and our mortgage company because they have a vested interest in my home.  The mortgage company was wrong.  Every time you refinance and have a new mortgage company, contact you home owner's insurance agent.  They need to change that in the system.  So I made a call to the adjuster to reissue the check.

Second, and this one isn't so obvious, the insurance check needs to be endorsed by all the parties listed on the To section.  This means I need to Fedex the check to Countrywide, have them sign it and provide a Fedex envelop back to me before I can deposit the check. 

Really!  I called again to verify the address and the second agent even said I should endorse the check before I send it to Countrywide, because sometimes they will deposit it and then reissue me a new check.  I'm definitely going to call again on that one!

I tell you, just when I think I'm are a responsible, knowledgeable adult, things like this happen and make me feel like a naïve teenager again.  One of these days I'll get this stuff right.  Until then, I'll just keep plugging away.