katrina victimsare being fought tooth and nail by "their" insurance co.'s.to pay claims. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/economy/july-dec05/insurance_9-27.html http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/19/tuchman.btsc/index.html from the cnn story: Why is all the wreckage still there? Everard says she can't have the debris removed because it's evidence for her insurance company, which she says has refused to pay. She says she has a hurricane policy but says the company insists flooding destroyed her home and therefore her government flood policy should pay Most didn't have "flood" insurance so antything 8ft and below is not covered,They interviewed an ins co. rep who stammered alot but mostly said "federal or,state, government has to do something ( bailout)" In Mississippi, the state attorney general has filed suit, claiming that homeowners are being tricked by five insurance companies into signing papers that say they were victims of a flood in order to get emergency money. And a similar class action suit has been filed in Louisiana. Companies say the allegations are unfounded. Robert Phillips manages a State Farm catastrophe team. ROBERT PHILLIPS: If we're dealing with a hole through the ceiling or something like that, where the wind's knocked off shingles and you have water that's coming from the sky, then we're dealing with our homeowners' policy. But if it's rising water and it keeps rising up in your house, we're dealing with flood. So, you'll need two separate policies to cover those types of coverages. ROBERT MARIONNEAUX JR., Louisiana State Senator: The problem with that scenario as it relates to a hurricane is where does the wind damage stop and where does the floodwater begin? SPENCER MICHELS: Robert Marionneaux is a trial lawyer and a Louisiana state senator who sponsors consumer protection legislation. He predicts a flood of lawsuits against insurance companies. ROBERT MARIONNEAUX JR.: I would hope that the insurance company would step forward, not argue about whether it was wind or flood damage, make a reasonable assessment of the damage and pay the claim in reasonable short order. Is that going to happen? I doubt it. That's not the way insurance companies work. SPENCER MICHELS: Portia Andrew is wondering if and when insurance works at all. She sustained damage to her home and healing center in Hammond, near Baton Rouge, and she is sure that a barbecue restaurant she owns in New Orleans was damaged, as well. But she hasn't been able to get to New Orleans to find out. We went by the spot and took pictures, which we showed to her the next day. PORTIA ANDREW: Right now, I can't see the water damage, but I do know water was in that area.
