Disaster Recovery News

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The Texas Department of Insurance is not happy about how the Texas Windstorm Association handled past claims for roof shingles that were lifted by hurricane winds.

A complaint was filed recently stating there were “unfair” and “deceptive” practices and claims were handled in “bad faith”. Since Hurricane Ike, 724 complaints have been made against the Texas Windstorm Association.

Customers that filed complaints are upset their claims were denied unfairly. Others filed complaints stating their claim was under-paid and a proper investigation of damages was lacking. One complaint, for example, is about how a claim was treated regarding loose shingles on a residential roof after Hurricane Ike. An engineer, hired by the state of Texas, inspected a customer’s roof and determined it needed to be replaced, stating (emphasis added): “It is my opinion that the shingles will not perform as designed under high winds and may fail causing moisture related damage to the interior portion of the residence. In my opinion, the roof should be replaced to prevent any future moisture related damage to the residence.”

However, when the claim’s representative sought guidance on the issue from a senior staff person, he was told the damage probably occurred before Hurricane Ike hit and there is no point to replace the roof when some tar could stick the shingles back on. Plus, if they replace this roof because of a few loose shingles, they would have to replace a lot more. The agent looking for guidance reports the shingles will not re-adhere.

Read the full story.

Many businesses have been affected by Hurricane Ike and are represented in the complaints mentioned above. Before a natural disaster occurs, businesses should have a disaster recovery plan developed. Learn how here.

FEMA released a statement this weekend saying some flood insurance policy holders that were affected by Hurricane Ike may be eligible to receive up to an extra $30,000 in benefits. This money would be awarded in addition to any claims made as a result of the storm.

The Increase Costs of Compliance (ICC) benefit is being awarded so that property owners will use it as preventative measure to safeguard their homes and businesses against future storms and floods.

To qualify for this benefit, FEMA states a building must be:

Covered by a National Flood Insurance Program standard policy,

Located in a Special Flood Hazard Area, also known as a regulatory floodplain,

Below the base flood level, and

Either “substantially damaged” or a “repetitive loss property.

To obtain the ICC benefit, one must file a separate claim. Learn more about the ICC benefit and find more information about Hurricane Ike.

Restoration specialists can assist with preventative measures against flooding.

Find out more about recovering from water damage.

The 2008 hurricane season is coming to a close on November 30th after sixteen storms (eight of these being hurricanes) hit the United States. Colorado State University researchers stated to the AFP that this year’s season has ended with record damages. A typical hurricane season has eleven tropical storms and five hurricanes, two of which are considered of high-intensity. 

Of the eight hurricanes, five of the storms categories 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Hurricanes Ike and Gustav were the big contributors to the estimated 20 billion dollars of damage.

More on this story.

Learn more about recovering from water damage.

This is an amazing yet sad story of a family that took the lessons they learned during Hurricane Rita to build a house that could withstand some of the toughest storms the Gulf of Mexico had to offer. Their house survived Hurricane Ike last week. But little else did. Read the whole amazing story by Jason Hanna with CNN.

Here is just an excerpt:

Warren and Pam Adams lost a house to Hurricane Rita in 2005, so it seems they’d be relieved to learn their new home withstood Hurricane Ike.

Appliances, furniture, and a grandfather clock were some of the many things rendered useless. Warren and Pam, two of the beach town’s several hundred permanent residents before Ike, spent part of Thursday salvaging what they could and lamenting the destruction of their friends’ homes.

More on flood damaged belongings and restoration.

They warned us this would happen. We are seeing the devastation of the pre-cursor to Hurricane Ike as flood waters poured into Galveston this morning flooding streets, homes and businesses. And Ike has yet to make landfall.

Over 200,000 people have evacuated the low-lying areas near Houston after the government officials announced yesterday that mandatory evacuation should be followed or there could be dire and deadly consequences. Now, Houston residents are told to stay put as it is too late to try to evacuate if they have not already done so. Those that have evacuated have avoided the potential of being stranded in flooded areas without the guarantee of rescue.

Houston officials are telling residents to stay put because it’s not safe anymore to try to hit the road to escape Hurricane Ike.

Galveston Island was flooded today by the storm surge caused by the coming hurricane, causing 22 foot waves to crash into the area.

Ike is expected to strengthen before hitting land late tonight (Friday) or early Saturday morning. Residents are all urged to follow state government requests to evacuate.

More on flooding in Texas