Arlington Homeowner Wrestles With Insurance To Prove New Burst Pipes Are Related To Winter Storms – CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

By On Mar 19, 2021

ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – As the weather warms up, some north Texans will face more burst pipes and damage from the winter storms in February.

Michelle, a resident of Arlington, is one whose damage has worsened.

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“It looks like my house is a war zone and I wonder how long we’ll live like this.” Said Michelle.

Last month, pipes burst on the second floor of their home, causing the ceilings below to collapse and the foundation to sink an inch.

They filed an insurance claim and paid a deductible of $ 6,000 and immediate repair costs of over $ 10,000.

As soon as she believed she was on the way to recovery, they had more burst pipes over the past weekend, making a total of six.

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Now her insurance company is asking her to prove that the damage was related to the storms.

“They said you have to prove this second pipe burst incident was from the first freeze or we will have to file another claim and pay another $ 6,000 deductible,” said Michelle. “I don’t think pipes will burst at 70 degrees. Obviously it’s from the stress of the first incident. Common sense tells you that. I haven’t heard from you. “

Since then, she has hired a public expert to assist her document and prove that the new losses are related.

It’s a critical step that Camille Garcia of the Insurance Council of Texas says homeowners should take if they have similar experiences.

“You want to be able to prove your case. Your expert opinion will really go a long way in managing this conversation, ”said Garcia.

She also says that the key to dealing with unprecedented harm is to document your experiences on your own and be patient.

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“In addition to documenting the time and date you spoke to people, document the necessary follow-up. All of these really help move the claim forward,” Garcia said.