The aftermath of storms across Northeast Ohio over a month ago is still haunting some residents in Lorain. We’ve been following through with residents' concerns, from trash pick-up delays to now leftover flood damages.
We don’t just report the initial story—we follow through to its conclusion. Read and watch our previous reporting on this story below and see more stories that we've followed through on here.
After heavy rain in August, Lorain resident, Elizabeth Fenton, said she’s still dealing with $21,000 worth of damage to her basement.
“I had 20 inches of water open up the dryer; there was water in my dryer,” Fenton said.
Every appliance, like her washer, dryer, and refrigerator, was ruined.
“My furnace, my hot water tank, it was everything,” Fenton added.
Fenton said her homeowner’s insurance included over $10,000 of backup sewer and drain coverage, but she’s only received a little over $5,000 because her insurance company claims the appliances have depreciated due to the damage. She’s incredibly frustrated and says she can’t apply for FEMA assistance since she has homeowners' insurance.
“You think you have insurance coverage, and you don’t,” said Fenton. “Well, you do, but you have to fight for every little bit that you get, and it’s hard.”
I took Fenton’s concerns on how to move forward with the Ohio Insurance Agent Association. Member Experience Manager Seth Marana said when getting a home insurance policy, make sure the home is insured to its value on a replacement cost basis as opposed to actual cash value that can depreciate. He recommends always adding some sort of flood coverage, not just water damage and sewage backup coverage.
“It's a tough position to be in whenever you've experienced a loss to your personal property or to your home, and you find out that you don't necessarily, or you don't have coverage,” said Marana. “The biggest thing that I would recommend is to talk to your insurance agent.”
In Ohio, homeowners can purchase flood insurance. Premiums depend on how close a homeowner lives to a body of water.
"If you're closer to a lake or a water source, it's gonna be a higher likelihood you're going to be paying a higher premium than somebody living further water from a water source," said Marana.
Marana added it’s best to go through an independent insurance agent to get the best policy that works for you and service in times of an emergency.
“It's not a one size fits,” said Marana. “All when it comes to insurance, and that's the value that independent insurance agents have over some of their competitors within the industry.”
Fenton said she’s not giving up yet until she gets a $10,000 check from her insurance company, but the stress hasn’t been easy to deal with.
“It’s hard on you, your body, your nerves, your money, your pocketbook. I mean, we spent over $21,000,” said Fenton.
New 5 has reached out to Fenton’s insurance company for a comment, and we are waiting to hear back.
