I thought I’d offer a follow up to the article I wrote last week entitled when it rains it pours. Following the third nearly-annual flood at my folk’s house, here in Tyler little over a week ago, the fam and friends gathered to begin yet again the process of clean up. It’s an all too familiar process of scrubbing walls sweeping and mopping repeatedly, and stacking furniture. The whole system is a lot like moving with the added inconvenience of having to clean the mud off of everything before packing it.
On Tuesday the adjustors and the Fire Marshall came to examine the house. It was my parents hope that they (and the insurance company) would simply write off the house. As it turns out, they cannot do that. Now I won’t pretend to understand the ins and outs of the insurance industry, or insurance law, but it seems ridiculous to me that homeowners such as my folks find themselves stuck with a residence that has been through repeated natural disasters for which they were covered.
Their insurance company is not only required to continue carrying them through future floods, but cannot write off their loss! As far as I know they have yet to be offered a settlement, and I obviously wouldn’t disclose what it is here, but from what they understand the only way out of the house is for a someone to buy it, (and whose going to buy a house that’s been flooded three out of the last four years?), or the county to purchase the home condemn it and pay the owners.
The only problem there is that the Smith County officials they spoke to didn’t know anything about that option! Only a call from the insurance officer was able to move things forward at all. So until Smith County decides to come examine the house for themselves, my folks are forced to go forward with the process of making repairs. The unfortunate fact is that the house is beautiful and there is no reason for not wanting to either keep it or buy it, except for the recent propensity for flood, which is definitely a potential deal breaker.
With the recent rain and floods my family is certainly not the only one in Tyler and or Smith County, to find itself stuck with largely unusable real- estate. The Fire Marshall has been visiting flooded areas to get an idea of the effects. Hopefully area victims will respond to city and county’s requests for assistance in taking inventory of area damage as well. It’s not too late to report flood damage to the county. To do so, or for more information, visit the Smith County website at www.smith-county.com.
