COPPERAS COVE, TX — More than a month has passed since a tornado left a swath of damage in Copperas Cove. Many families are still rebuilding, while some have not been able to begin.
“All of our shingles, it took our fireplace chimney completely off of the house,” said Jack Johnson, a Copperas Cove homeowner. Johnson and his wife moved quickly to clean up the debris after reporting the significant damage to both his insurance and mortgage company.
Johnson said he waited 35 days until he had a check in his hand. In the meantime, severe weather came again to Central Texas. With a compromised roof, he had even more damage.
“We got damage on the inside of the home now because of the leaks, I’ve got sheet rock coming down in my garage that is attached to the house,” said Johnson. “Basically it multiplied the damages because of the slow process to get the mortgage company and the insurance company to agree,” he continued.
He says the process should be streamlined.
“As a homeowner you have to report to both of them as part of the process. However the insurance company and the mortgage company don’t talk to each other either. Which could save the homeowner a whole lot of anxiety,” said Johnson.
“This process, it’s now day 39, since the hurricane, I mean tornado, and I have yet to have a nail driven to fix anything in my home. And it’s extremely frustrating,” said Johnson.
The Texas Department of Insurance reports what homeowners expect from their insurance company. The company must accept or reject a claim within fifteen business days after submitting the information.The insurer must send a check within five business days after agreeing to a claim. However deadlines may be extended after a disaster.
