Cumberland Insurance Group

Review: In January 2013, I purchased and was issued a homeowners insurance policy from Cumberland Mutual Fire Insurance through their agent [redacted], [redacted] for a policy period from 1/18/2013 to 1/18/2014. I paid the policy premium of $1,130.00 in full to [redacted] in advance of receiving the policy and during the application process I was assured in several communications with [redacted] agent [redacted] that the policy would be issued and in effect as of January 18, 2013 without problem. Subsequently, in a communication dated February 19, 2013, Cumberland unilaterally cancelled the policy as of March 31, 2013 with the stated reason being that our home was supposedly listed on the "National Historic Register". Our home is not listed on any national, state, or local historic 'register' or has any official historic home designation. Several detailed written communications with Cumberland and [redacted] ( including the agency owner [redacted]) were made to explain this fact and also to provide proof from the sources they claimed to rely upon that the stated reason for cancelling the policy was without factual support. In response, the agents at [redacted] initially stated that the policy would continue in force as long as a historic designation from the [redacted] Historical & Museum Commission was confirmed not to exist. The website for this organization confirms that our home is not a historic site. However, the agents ( including the owner of [redacted]) then changed their stated reason for the cancellation. However, none of the reasons given for the policy cancellation (all of which involved some claim of historic designation) were valid or otherwise a legitimate basis cancelling our policy. During the time that the policy cancellation was pending, [redacted] failed to represent our interests and instead repeatedly suggested that we purchase from them a much more expensive homeowners policy; a classic example of bait and switch. The policy cancellation has cost us an extreme amount of time, effort and concern over the coverage of our home. Also, despite a demand for return of my policy premium, the premium has not been returned by either [redacted] (who took the payment) or Cumberland.Desired Settlement: Immediate full refund of policy premium in the amount of $1,130.00 and an apology from both [redacted] and Cumberland.