Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Federal program meant to help flood victims spends millions fighting claims
cbsnews ^ | 30-Apr-2018 | Jeff Glor, Megan Towey & Kristin Steve

Posted on 05/01/2018 6:02:43 AM PDT by ptsal

For the last two years, Richard and Linda Brown have been living in a shell of a home -- no insulation, drywall or flooring -- while trying to raise four kids.

Their house in Louisiana was destroyed by floodwaters in 2016. At the time they didn't panic, because they had a flood insurance policy worth $168,000. To date, they've received less than half of that -- around $62,000.

"We pay into this premium, and all I want is [it] just to be fair, and we weren't getting fair," Linda said.

Two years later, they're living in a house that's still exposed down to the studs.

(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; US: Louisiana
KEYWORDS: fema; flood; insurance; trumpfema
[snip]The Browns decided to fight the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in court. Established 50 years ago to help flood victims, the NFIP is run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and responsible for all flood policies in the United States. Insurance premiums and taxpayer dollars fund the program, to the tune of about $3 billion a year.

But FEMA doesn't administer all the policies. It outsources most of them to private insurance companies called "write your owns," or WYOs.

The WYOs -- and all of their agents -- get paid out of the same pot of money as flood victims. Some years, up to two-thirds of that money goes to the WYOs -- and the attorneys they hire to fight flood victims' claims.

1 posted on 05/01/2018 6:02:43 AM PDT by ptsal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: ptsal

A racket that would make the Clinton’s proud.


2 posted on 05/01/2018 6:13:54 AM PDT by Dalberg-Acton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dalberg-Acton

FEMA....full employment mainly attorneys


3 posted on 05/01/2018 6:20:34 AM PDT by ptsal ( Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please. - M. Twain)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ptsal

Yes, they should be fighting to get what’s theirs but they should also get up off their backsides and start handing dry wall. There’s no reason why after all this time they haven’t lifted a finger to get any repairs done.

Oh, wait, saw their picture. Of course, they’re not about to get up off the couch to do anything.


4 posted on 05/01/2018 6:33:29 AM PDT by bgill (CDC site, "We don't know how people are infected with Ebola.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ptsal

We can’t have starving lawyers...


5 posted on 05/01/2018 6:49:16 AM PDT by Does so (Let's make the word Mohammedism--adding it to other ISMs...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: bgill

I live 50 feet off a river, I have flood insurance. I got concern when I read and listen to the video. There is more to the story they are not reporting.

The 168K policy is to replace the house if it was destroyed. The 62K they got is to repair the house. The house had 62K of damage to it.

The framing, electric and the roof is still good. I would think you can get a contactor come in sheet rock, paint, new floors, and kitchen for 62K.

Did they get the content coverage with the flood insurance?

Wonder what new cars, and toys are not appearing in the video?


6 posted on 05/01/2018 6:58:59 AM PDT by DEPcom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: bgill

They may not be able to afford the cost of rebuilding on their own. It is not that simple to tackle a flood ravaged house. It is not just a matter of putting up new drywall. Plus consider that if a certain percentage of the house was destroyed they will have to upgrade the whole structure to current code not the code it was built under. That can add to cost. People have insurance just for this reason. That replacing a house or having major repairs done is a significant cost.


7 posted on 05/01/2018 7:06:43 AM PDT by lastchance (Credo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson