Missouri Storm Victims Battle for Insurance Payouts

ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2Now.com)— Not quite two months after the good Friday tornado in St. Louis county, property owners report a wide variation in progress toward reconstruction. Some repair jobs are underway but dozens of property owners are still battling over insurance payouts. These three homes are still shrouded in tarps the major repairs they need yet to be started..Yet a block away a new roof was going on a home. The City of Berkeley continues to pick up debris brought to the curb but the major issue that remains how to find the money to make the necessary repairs .”Berkeley’s been doing a good job. hey helped get the streets clear from all the limbs and debris they used municipal equipment and stuff like that and provided us with these dumpsters,”Wendell Hodge. Along with the city workers came volunteers to share in the cleanup. ” We had a lot of volunteers come out on Saturdays to help with the cleanup. But some property owners like Wendell Hodge are frustrated by the slow response of insurance firms. ” It’s like a domino effect. The sewer line was broken by the tree. They don’t want to pay me for the sewer line. i have to battle with them on that because the sewer line is broke the tenant had to leave so that dropping my income and because the house is vacant they said oh well we need to cancel the insurance so they’re playing hardball and i’m looking for some help from channel two to get to the bottom of this,” said Hodge.