Flood Insurance Victims Left Homeless After Claim Denied

A family in upstate New York was left homeless after their basement wall collapsed and their flood insurance policy failed to cover the damages. Severe flooding in the Rochester area left the Burkhart family with a huge hole in their basement wall. Fire crews told the family to evacuate the home, as the basement quickly filled with water. When the family filed a flood insurance claim for the incident, the insurance provider told them that the damage would not be covered by their policy.

Details of the Flood Insurance Claim

The incident occurred on the night of June 14, 2015. Janice Burkhart reported that she heard a loud crashing sound and felt an impact on her house. At first, she assumed that a large tree had been displaced due to the heavy rains and had fallen on the house. She checked her yard to find that the tree was intact. However, when she checked her basement, she found a hole at least 50 feet wide in the back wall. The wall had caved in due to “hydrostatic pressure” from the high amounts of water in the ground.

Flood Insurance Provider Won’t Cover Damages

After the storm subsided, the Burkharts filed a flood insurance claim with their provider, Ontario Insurance Company. Contractors estimated that repairs to the shattered basement wall and foundation would cost up to $80,000. The flood insurance claim also included the hot water heater, electrical circuit breaker panel and central heating system that were damaged in the storm. A claims representative with Ontario told the Burkharts that their claim was denied, as hydrostatic pressure was not listed among the covered perils in their policy.

Flood Insurance Claims Denial Forces Owners to Evacuate

The couple has been living in a motel since the incident. The flood insurance claim is also not covering their relocation expenses. Fire department officials have ordered the family to stay out of the home until they can repair the foundation. Without the proceeds from a flood insurance claim, the couple may not have the means to afford such extensive repairs. Friends and neighbors have organized fund raising efforts, including a campaign on the crowd-funding site GoFundMe.com, to get the couple the funds they need to start their repairs.

Homeowner: Flood Insurance Denial “A Slap In The Face”

Despite the harsh circumstances, Ms. Burkhart has maintained her optimism about her circumstances. However, she also voiced feelings of betrayal at the hands of her flood insurance provider. She called the denial of her claim “a slap in the face” after “paying premiums…for so many years.” If Ontario does not compensate the Burkharts for their claim, they told local reporters that they may consider a lawsuit against the insurance provider.

Source: WROC-TV

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