Many homeowners are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Laura, and now, some are faced with another battle - navigating insurance claims.
“We did everything right and at 70 years old, most of us don’t look like we look and don’t get around like we get around and don’t have anything to hold on to but we do.”
If the damage done to their home from Hurricane Laura wasn’t enough for Sarah and Elmo Green, there’s a brewing storm with their insurance.
“To know that when 2 people that have never asked for aid before are standing in need...not for money that does not belong to us but money that we have put into Allstate casually for 20 years," said Sarah Green. "We’re being downplayed and it does not feel well.”
The couple said two licensed contractors came to the conclusion their home was unsafe to live in. However, they say after weeks of calls and a visit from their adjuster, their home was deemed livable by the insurance company which offered $1,000 to help with living expenses.
“To tell us we have to live the way they want us to is very hard and we get nothing. Fema turned us down for everything we went to them for but I relied on my ace in my hand which is my insurance," Green said.
It’s stories like these that Ron Henderson, a Deputy Commissioner with the Louisiana Department of Insurance has been hearing a lot of.
“What if I can’t pay for the hotel room? Those were the questions we were getting early on. Now, It’s we’re back home, now we’re trying to figure out where to go next," said Henderson.
He says the biggest battle is understanding your deductible and reading the fine print.
“Hurricane deductibles weren’t as widespread as they are now... Those are some of the things that happened after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. So, companies started looking at when to start putting those things into the polices and how to mitigate losses," Henderson said. "That’s why policies need to be looked at every single year.”
For the Greens, their struggle with insurance continues, as they drive to and from New Orleans to stay with family until they find a more permanent living situation.
“It’s a travesty that you have to set up a place for us to complain about what we deserve and it should not be, it should not be," Sarah Green said.
Henderson says if you believe you are the victim of fraud or abuse from your insurance company and are not getting a fair shake, you can contact the Louisiana Department of Insurance to report your complaint.
That hotline is 225-342-4956.