Complaint Review: American Contractor's Indemnity

HCC I learned filed an Abstract assigning entitlement to my home. I was not served and just recently learned that there was a judgment. I am in process of selling my home and requested all docs from their Attorney and noticed the description of person served was 5'7 and 60 plus years old. I am close to 5'11 and was 50 at the time and look young for my age.

The basis for the bond company to have paid this claim was so wrong. A homeowner filed a claim against my bond after I had to leave for a week that she was fully aware of prior to the start of the job. Homeowner had demanded the job stop 3 times throughout the weeks I did work there but had the nerve to file a complaint for abandonment.

All my tools were given away and she hired a tweaker from the neighborhood that she had stories of past horrible outcomes to "repair my work" before even filing a claim. This home had been rented to several different people over the past 20 years and the renters had done some painting and had made a mess of the walls.

The complaint was submitted with an outline of all dates he worked, hours and the areas he decided needed repair. HCC accepted this complaint and told homeowner they needed a licensed contractor to write a bid of the necessary repairs, she had the audacity to attach the very same list of hours, ect to the unsigned or dated contractor bid. HCC accepted this as well even though the contractor's name could not be found within the CSLB and proceeded with processing.

HCC had an investigator on the job site estimating the cost for a contractor to repair the damaged areas and homeowner told him there was very little the unlicensed painter had touched, refuting the complaint already submitted with the areas listed with hours. This was not acknowledged when I attempted to contest citing the law of using unlicensed contractors.

Her claim should never have been accepted much less paid. I sued the homeowner in small claims for the return of my items and when I entered the courtroom the homeowner was sitting at the Deputy's desk with her feet up, she is a social worker in the same town and obviously very comfortable. The judge entered and instead of the case being about my tools it was about the entire job and believed everything she said. The homeowner admitted she still had tools of mine and threw away my $50 drops because they were dirty along with other things and the judge ruled against me.

I wasn't even awarded the return of the items she still had. I produced a police report stating it was grand theft yet the District Attorney refused charges, again she knew them. With the judge not ruling in my favor HCC stated they were paying on her claim. I submitted pictures from before the job started showing areas were damaged proving she had lied and was trying to blame me.

I had receipts proving she had lied about the contract the doors and hand-written notes telling me to paint the outlets the color of the wall. She had also changed the colors 3 times in each room which the largest room had already been painted twice. The rep I was dealing with agreed there was proof that her complaint was not true and denied the claim stating if she would like to contest their finding to submit photos or any other form that would help prove the allegations.

Then 2 days later the rep I was speaking to was no longer employed there and an Attorney for HCC was taking over the claim and paying the following day. I frantically opposed his decision and explained how the other rep handling my claim surely made notes which have disproved 3/4 of the allegations and he replied "Well, you wouldn't have been able to disprove them all" and paid the claim.

Throughout this process the homeowner would place her business card while using a County CPS fax cover sheet to respond to requests or submit paperwork which was manipulative in suggesting she was honest or deserving of preferential treatment. I never worked again and this changed my life leaving me unsure of my future and all I had worked so hard for threatened.

Now to learn they actually have a judgment and they think they are due 1/2 of the money in equity from the sacrifices I have made in keeping my home. Not if I can help it. I am filing to vacate the judgment and if that doesn't work I will file Bankruptcy, only problem is I am foreclosing in less than a month. Companies that conduct business like this should be held accountable especially when they have the power to shut down someone's livlihood without a hearing and do not require approval.

They haven't had to answer to anyone and I did visit the option of seeing what I could settle for, even submitted financials, proved I am 100% disabled officially and they rejected to accept anything but the full amount. The actual incident is from 2011 and I am going to fight with all I have.