Home insurance nightmares continue months after 2024 hurricanes
The Brief
Hurricane victims are still waiting for insurance checks more than six months after the storms.
Some people like Wayne Thompson say state reforms are not helping as lawmakers hoped.
TAMPA - Hurricane victims are still waiting for insurance checks more than six months after the storms, and some like Wayne Thompson say state reforms are not helping as lawmakers hoped.
He is disabled with nerve damage to his spine in his legs. Thompson has been living in his damaged home since Hurricane Milton peeled off the roof, collapsed his ceiling and doused his home with torrential rain in October.
What they're saying
"It was like a horror movie," he said. "Buckets like a fire brigade just were coming in and out and then we had to step back because it just started caving in on us."
The backstory
He exhausted his insurance policy coverage for temporary lodging and returned to his home, while his family found other places to sleep.
"I had no choice but to move back in," he explained. "I just want my daughter back home. I want my family back together. What am I going to do and where do I even start to fix everything?"
He tried seeking assistance from FEMA but said he only received a $300 check for groceries.
"I got all my documents, went to FEMA, and FEMA said we can't help you. You have insurance. I'm, like, well, they're not helping me."
His insurance company did retain a crew to install a tarp over his damaged roof.
Thompson said it did not work, noting, "When they tarped the roof, they only tarped part of it and my roof is flat. And the water would roll right back in again and just start flooding the house again."
Thompson said that caused additional mold and water damage, as did nail holes from the installation.
"They nailed the tarp to the roof instead of putting sandbags. So, they caused more damage than they helped. Because water was pouring in through the nail holes," he said. "And I think I paid $3,000 just to put tarps on the part they didn't put."
As he waited for insurance payments, he said his insurance told him his roof could be repaired. The roofers he found told him it could not.
In March, his insurance did send a payment for repairs, but Thompson says it was far below the estimates he could find to do the repairs.
The payment also went to his mortgage company, which did not release all the funds under the circumstances.
"I just got a phone call from my mortgage company. They had the nerve to ask when am I going to fix the house, so I protect their investment," he said.
Thompson said the delays caused additional damage that has exceeded his policy limits.
"So, I went to a dealer and sold my car, I sold clothes, shoes. About $16,000 I was about to come up with on my own."
Most of that covered a temporary repair of his roof that failed inspection. The rest went to a down payment on drywall work and other repairs.
READ: Pinellas leaders to weigh plan for $813M in hurricane relief funds
In May, after we started investigating his case, his insurance sent additional payments for his contents and for interior repairs.
But he still thinks it's nearly $27,000 short, and Thompson is aware of the challenge and risk of suing his insurance company to try to win his case in court.
Under state reforms, homeowners are responsible for their own legal costs even when they prevail.
Those fees can add up to thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, unless attorneys agree to assume those costs in exchange for a share of any settlement.
"Nobody's going to sue if they think that it's just going to compound the problem," he said. "I hate to say it's on purpose, but it seems like it was built for the insurance company, not us."
State lawmakers have made it harder and riskier to sue insurance companies, to reduce frivolous lawsuits and try to bring down insurance costs, which they hope will reduce premiums.
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The Source
Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Craig Patrick.
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