TAMPA, Fla. — Desperate to help her displaced 74-year-old mom, Slyvia Berry emailed ABC Action News for assistance with navigating her insurance claim after Hurricane Milton. In the early morning of Milton's landfall, a tree came crashing through her mother's family room. Three weeks later, it's still there.
"It's just really frustrating. I've been calling her insurance Citizens for the past three weeks, since it happened. You know, I filed the claim, and I can't get anyone on the phone, you know, nobody's willing to help," Berry said. "That's why I reached out to you guys. I mean, just so you could help. I know that you guys are always helping people, and I'm hoping that you're able to help us with the situation here."
Berry's mom has Citizens Property Insurance and filed a claim the same day. She said an adjuster came out on October 16 but has heard nothing since. She said the family doesn't have the money upfront to remove the tree themselves and hopes for reimbursement. Even if she did, she said, not many companies would touch the job due to the amount of damage.
"They told us to take care of it," Berry said. "We got a quote for what, $12,000 dollars? I mean not a lot of people have $12,000 dollars laying around to have a tree removed."
We spoke with Jake Holehouse of HH Insurance Group, who said that though most insurance carriers have their own preferred network of vendors, Citizens typically doesn't have contractors who work on their behalf.
"I haven't really seen any, you know, Citizens, policyholders, be offered on that. It's really being done on that, that reimbursement basis," he said.
However, he said, homeowners have options, including a deductible installment plan.
"There are some insurance carriers that do actually allow a deductible installment plan, and so that's something that an insurer can take advantage of. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, Citizens does not typically offer a deductible installment plan," Holehouse added.
He did say, Citizens, like most insurance companies, offer money upfront through what's called a "use of loss" clause in your policy. For Citizens, that means writing what's called an Assistance Living Expense check. It helps with families displaced.
However, within an hour of us contacting Citizens Property Insurance, Berry got a phone call.
Citizens told ABC Action News they are overnighting a check for the tree removal, with full payment on her claim in a few days.
"I appreciate you getting in contact with me this morning, as soon as you saw my email, I really appreciate it. You know, hopefully this will get something started and get us some help, the help that we need. Thank you," Berry said in tears.
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