ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – As the weather warms up, it means some North Texans are facing more burst pipes and damage from February’s winter storms.
Michelle, a resident of Arlington, is one whose damage has compounded.
“It looks like my house is a warzone, and I’m wondering how long are we going to be living like this?” Michelle said.
Last month, pipes burst on the second floor of their home, causing the ceilings to collapse downstairs and the foundation to sink an inch.
They filed an insurance claim and paid a $6,000 deductible as well as over $10,000 in immediate repair costs.
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As soon as she thought they were on the road to recovery, they had more burst pipes this past weekend, adding up to six total.
Now, their insurance company is asking her to prove that the damage was related to the storms.
“They said you need to prove that this second burst pipe incident is from the initial freeze, otherwise we’re going to have to file a another claim and pay another $6,000 deductible,” Michelle said. “I don’t think pipes burst in 70 degree weather. Obviously it’s from the stress from the first incident. Common sense tells you that. I’ve not heard back from them.”
She’s since hired a public adjuster to help her document and prove the new losses are related.
It’s a critical step that Camille Garcia from the Insurance Council of Texas says homeowners should take if they have a similar experience.
“You want to be able to prove your case. Their expert opinion really will go a long way in managing that conversation,” Garcia said.
She also says documenting your experience yourself and being patient are the keys to handling unprecedented damage.
“Documenting, not only the time and the date that you spoke to people, the follow up that’s necessary… all of that really helps move the claim along,” Garcia said.
