Sharyn Alfonsi investigates allegations that thousands of

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6/8/2015
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The Storm afte
Storm
The Storm after the Storm
Sharyn Alfonsi investigates allegations that thousands of homeowners were
denied their flood insurance claims after Hurricane Sandy because of
fraudulent engineers' reports
2015
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Mar 01
Sharyn Alfonsi
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The following is a script from "The Storm after the Storm" which aired on March 1, 2015. Sharyn
Alfonsi is the correspondent. Oriana Zill de Granados and Michael Rey, producers.
Colorado Pot
When Hurricane Sandy made its way towards the East Coast in the fall of 2012, residents
knew it could be devastating. What they didn't expect was just how bad Sandy turned out to
be: 117 deaths, and damage estimated at more than $60 billion, second only to Katrina.
Now two and a half years later, Sandy victims have been hit by something else they didn't
expect, the storm after the storm. Many of them say they have been cheated out of their
insurance claims. Thousands of claims have still not been resolved and there is evidence that
many homeowners were victims of what appears to be wide-scale fraud where original damage
reports were later changed to make it look like the damage wasn't as bad. Making matters
worse, appeals to the federal agency in charge of all of this, FEMA, went nowhere.
The Storm after
Storm
Who is Larry Da
Hurricane Sandy damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes and rearranged
neighborhoods. Long Beach, New York, was one of them. This was Bob Kaible's house the next
day. The yellow one, with a sand dune blocking his front door.
Water
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricanesandy60minutesfraudinvestigation/
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The Kaible home after Hurricane Sandy
Bob Kaible: The beaches decided that they didn't want to be there anymore and they came to
pay a visit. And that's what happened. And we got back to the house and we were devastated.
Sharyn Alfonsi: What was that like to walk into your house for the first time?
Bob Kaible: Everything that you worked so hard in your life to get is now gone.
Sharyn Alfonsi: But you had flood insurance?
Bob Kaible: Uh-huh (affirm).
Sharyn Alfonsi: You'd pay for every month?
Bob Kaible: Absolutely.
Sharyn Alfonsi: Did you think you were OK?
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Bob Kaible: Sure. You-- I mean that's what you pay insurance for.
The city condemned Kaible's home, saying it was damaged beyond repair. The house had been
knocked off its foundation. His insurance company, Wright Flood, sent an engineer to inspect
the damage. Three weeks later, the Kaibles couldn't have been more surprised.
Bob Kaible: I get the engineering report that there's no structural damage to the house. So I'm
going like, "What do you mean there's no structural damage? The house is not what it was
before." So between my wife and myself we made about 30 to 40 phone calls to different
people. The adjuster. The engineering firm. To our flood insurance carrier.
Sharyn Alfonsi: What are you trying to get from them?
Bob Kaible: Just that this report is wrong. We'd like to get another engineer back.
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The insurance company agreed to send someone back out to the house. Surprisingly, it was
the same engineer, George Hernemar, who worked for a company called U.S. Forensic.
Bob Kaible: I said, "George, how could you write a report like that?" He goes, "It's not my
report." I said, "What do you mean it's not your report?" He says, "Wait here." He goes to the
trunk of his car, goes, picks up the report and brings it into the house. He says, "This is the
report I wrote."
Bob Kaible got out his phone and took a picture of George's original report. It plainly said
there was "structural damage" to the house. But this is the report the insurance company sent
to Kaible when they denied his claim. Quote "not structurally damaged." They said the damage
was "long term"... meaning it existed before Hurricane Sandy.
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The Kaible's insurance company, Wright Flood, the largest provider of flood insurance in the
country, paid him just $79,000 dollars of his $250,000 policy.
Bob Kaible: We had a mortgage on the house. I've had estimates of $300-350,000 to rebuild
the house. What am I gonna do?
Bob Kaible's house was torn down after he sold it for a loss and he believes it was because of a
falsified engineering report. The photo Kaible took was solid proof for many other Sandy
victims who were struggling with similar situations.
Sharyn Alfonsi: How many houses do you see that are empty?
Bob Kaible: On this block? Probably half of 'em.
The Kaible's pleaded to a vice president at their insurance company and passed on their
evidence. But the company denied full payment arguing subsequent reports supported them.
With frustration as high as the watermarks in their home the Kaible's filed a lawsuit.
That suit drew the attention of a Texas trial lawyer who had never been to Long Beach, but got
on his plane in a hurry.
Steve Mostyn has won billions fighting insurance companies and when he heard about Bob
Kaible's case he says he had a gut-feeling the Kaible family wasn't alone. Sure enough, he says
his Houston office is now flooded with paperwork from victims of the superstorm.
Steve Mostyn: There's been systematic fraud on the policyholders who've filed flood claims
from Sandy.
Sharyn Alfonsi: What's the fraud?
Steve Mostyn: The fraud is taking engineers' reports and changing them from saying there
was structural damage to saying there's no structural damage, or giving the engineers a form
to fill out that already has the conclusion of no structural damage.
Sharyn Alfonsi: Why would anyone do that?
Steve Mostyn: Save money. The biggest ticket item inside a claim, for a flood claim, is the
structural damage. And so when they don't pay for structural damage, they save hundreds of
thousands of dollars on each claim.
Of the thousands of cases lawyer Steve Mostyn says he's found, electrician John Mero and his
wife Gail's is the most revealing. Their house is in East Rockaway, New York.
From left: Sharyn Alfonsi, John and Gail Mero / CBS NEWS
Sharyn
Alfonsi: What
was this street like in the days, the day after Sandy?
Superstorm
Sandy
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Gail Mero:
Six-foot-high
water in the street.
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John Mero: Well, the day after, it was like Armageddon.
The Storm after the Storm
NYC still feeling the wrath of
Superstorm Sandy
The Mero's house had to be torn down after the storm. Their insurance company paid them
just $80,000 and now they're buried in debt after rebuilding their home.
John Mero: I was like how can you tell me that you're not gonna cover this, that I'm not gonna
get the full amount of my insurance? I says, "You got my payments every month." Said, "It's
time for you to pay and here's what you're gonna tell me?"
It was two years later that the Meros felt a second wave hit them, when the engineer who
assessed their home after the storm called them out of the blue.
John Mero: The engineer sent his report in to the insurance company saying that the house
was damaged due to flood. The structural damage is caused by the flood. And from what I
understand, the insurance company changed it, changed his words, without him knowing.
This is Andrew Braum, the engineer who could no longer stay silent.
Andrew Braum: I wanted to call them from day one. I wanted to tell them that this is not me. I
didn't do this.
Braum told us not only were changes made to his engineering reports, but he was asked to
cover it up. He showed us the original report he'd written about the damage to John and Gail
Mero's house.
Andrew Braum: We assess in the conclusions hydrodynamic forces, hydrostatic forces due to
the flood, caused a cracking and shifting throughout the foundation.
Sharyn Alfonsi: So you're saying the flood caused this damage?
Andrew Braum: Correct. And then, in the revised or the altered report, it says, "Settlement
due to consolidation of soil caused the foundation wall to crack." That's not what I wrote. It's
completely altered.
Braum inspected more than 180 homes after Sandy, working for a company called HiRise
Engineering. After he discovered the changes made to the report he wrote about the Mero's
home, he went back to check all the copies of his original reports against the final copies that
the homeowners received.
╳
T HE
AL Lmany
NEW of those reports were doctored?
Sharyn Alfonsi: How
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Andrew Braum: At least 175 of them or approximately
96 percent is the number that I
Fully redesigned.
calculated.
Featuring CBSN,
24/7 live news.
Sharyn Alfonsi: A hundred and
seventy-five of your reports were doctored?
Andrew Braum: Correct. They were altered.
Sharyn Alfonsi: And the ones that weren't changed?
Andrew Braum: The one's that weren't changed, interestingly, were ones where I
recommended that no repairs are required.
Braum says HiRise Engineering pressured him to sign an affidavit saying he agreed with their
final reports. He says he ignored the request and never did it.
Sharyn Alfonsi: Do you think they were trying to cover up something?
Andrew Braum: Now, knowing what I know, yes.
Sharyn Alfonsi: What do you think was going on?
Andrew Braum: They figured out that they altered all those reports. And they wanted to hurry
up and have, they called me Braum, "Braum, get Braum to sign off on this quick." So if Braum
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wasn't thinking or if Braum didn't care, he would just sign his name 200-something times, and
they were off the hook. And that wasn't happening with me.
Insurance companies have argued the reason the engineering reports were changed was to
allow for a peer review process -- a standard practice in the insurance industry.
Andrew Braum: Peer review to me would be amongst my peers of an equal-licensing or
education level and review a report and discuss it. But not peer review when I send my final
report and it's changed without my knowledge. That's not peer review.
Just days ago the offices of HiRise Engineering were raided by the New York attorney
general's office, which is conducting a criminal investigation into HiRise as well as the
insurance companies that hired them.
HiRise, Wright Rlood, and U.S. Forensic all declined our requests for an interview. They have
denied allegations of criminal activity and all three say they are cooperating with the
investigation. More than 2,000 Sandy victims have filed lawsuits in federal courts.
Steve Mostyn: You know we thought originally it might be one engineer, right. And then we
find multiple engineers inside the same company. And as we dug into it, it's other engineering
companies, well, then you gotta start looking for a different common denominator.
And in this case, all of those companies are overseen by FEMA, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency. More than 5 million homeowners living in designated flood zones all
around the country are required to buy flood insurance policies backed by FEMA and taxpayer
money.
Brad Kieserman, head of FEMA's flood program / CBS NEWS
Brad Kieserman is the new head of FEMA's flood program. On the job for about three weeks,
he's already had to answer to allegations of fraud and criminal activity at the expense of some
of Sandy's hardest-hit families.
Brad Kieserman: I'm not gonna sit here and conceal the fact that it happened. 'Cause in the
last three weeks, I've seen evidence of it.
Sharyn Alfonsi: You say you've seen evidence of these fraudulent reports?
Brad Kieserman: Yes.
Sharyn Alfonsi: You've seen evidence of what could be criminal activity by using unlicensed
engineers?
Brad Kieserman: Yes, which is why I referred it to the inspector general.
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Sharyn Alfonsi: When did FEMA learn that there may be a problem here, that fraudulent
reports may be used to deny claims?
Brad Kieserman: I think that there were signals. Based on what I've seen, if you will, signals in
late 2013, early 2014 that there were problems that our survivors were experiencing with
engineering, with the claims process, with appeals. But those were signals. And I think those
signals got louder, if you will-Sharyn Alfonsi: It was more than signals. This is a letter to FEMA in the summer of 2013 that
clearly says that the person conducting, doing the inspections here wasn't a licensed engineer.
This is to FEMA-Brad Kieserman: So-Sharyn Alfonsi: --in-- in the summer of 2013.
Brad Kieserman: So-- you're right. This is dated August 19th, 2013. And, you know, I've seen
this.
The document, sent to FEMA, was an appeal from another family who felt badly cheated by
their insurance company. In it, they provide proof that the engineer who inspected their
home, working for the firm U.S. Forensic, was not licensed to work in New York.
Brad Kieserman: This upset me very much. Because this piece of information, had it been
elevated in the agency would have been very helpful in helping us help people earlier-Sharyn Alfonsi: Why wasn't it elevated in the agency? I mean, this to me is the type of thing
you run to the boss with.
Brad Kieserman: This would be the type of thing that I would run to the boss with. And I need
to find out why that didn't happen.
Sharyn Alfonsi: But as far as you know, no one at FEMA ever said to the insurance companies,
ever said to the engineering companies, "Keep the claims down?"
Brad Kieserman: As far as I know, no one at FEMA has ever done that.
But lawyers paid for by FEMA have gone after Sandy survivors in court, accusing them of
fraud. Bob Kaible, who took the photo of his altered engineering report, was accused in court
of stealing the report done on his own home, which he denies.
Sharyn Alfonsi: We have homeowners who went through the appeals process. And the
attorneys who are being paid for by FEMA called them thieves, said they were trying to
conduct fraud. Those are your dogs at the end of the leash. Do you take any responsibility for
that?
Brad Kieserman: Yes, I take responsibility for the fact that when FEMA funds activities, the
people who are getting paid by those funds need to behave in a professional, ethical manner.
Two and a half years after Sandy, neighborhoods still bare the scars of the storm, but
settlement talks are now underway. A week ago, FEMA's Brad Kieserman and a team of
attorneys flew to Texas to meet with Steve Mostyn to begin negotiations to settle more than
2,000 Sandy claims.
Sharyn Alfonsi: These people are truck drivers, nurses, firefighters. They said they fought as
much as they could. And they feel like FEMA just gutted them. They just gutted them.
Brad Kieserman: The fact that that's the experience they had with their insurance companies,
their engineers, their adjusters in a FEMA-funded program, that's unacceptable.
Sharyn Alfonsi: So are you gonna make it right?
Brad Kieserman: I am. As you know, I'm doing everything I can in the midst of negotiations to
try to make that right. Let's face it. I don't have unlimited authority. I can't wave a magic wand
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and make all of this right for everyone.
Making it right for every victim of the fraud in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy is the goal of
oversight hearings that Senators Gillibrand and Schumer of New York and Menendez and
Booker of New Jersey plan to call for tomorrow.
© 2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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RPSABQ March 21, 2015 5:5AM
Just another example of what happens when a society who once valued honesty and integrity as the final and most
important goal. Money is the root of all evil. We have become a society where the Almighty Dollar is king and the
insurance companies are just acting in kind. We keep blaming and reacting to the symptoms, never the root cause of
our ailing culture. If you are so naive to think that insurance companies are about protecting you and your assets you
are in for a rude awakening. We are foolish to think that in 2015 an insurance company is all of sudden going to just
magically do the right thing, irregardless of the financial implications just because a hurrican hits. They are not about
protecting us, they are about winning the bet that our premiums will win over nature. Their goal is simply the same
goal that we have all, albeit unintentionally, encouraged and perpetuated: MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. Oh, you want
them to pay the ENTIRE claim? Ok, no problem. And watch the premiums rise. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. No
matter what.
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REPLY
HURRICANESANDYJUSTICE March 12, 2015 0:12PM
As someone whose house was destroyed in hurricane sandy and had full flood insurance, I know the pain that the
homeowner victims have faced the past 2 and half years. The Major insurance carriers paid out 20% of the proof of
loss, leaving many homeowners unable to build. What did we do? Hire boatloads of attorneys to sue the major wall
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street insurance carriers for bad faith lowballing. You have to understand many of us did not live right on the beach
but back from the water a good ways and our homes were destroyed. We were tax paying american homeowners in a
natural disaster. What un-americans did we see after the disaster? Fraudulent cheating adjusters and then official
new york engineering firms who illegally falsified their reports. Now 2015 what do I see? My claim being paid in full
after two and a half years in exile suffering through a living form of stressful hellish limbo. Yes we want to go home
and rebuild but now the battles begin with the predatory wall street banks who hold the mortgages. First off all of us
who lose our homes want to rebuild and go home after what will be 3 years of misery and abuse. 2nd we would like to
see all of the Engineering and adjusting firms taken down by the u.s. government. We will cheer from our rebuilt
homes as they and their insurance executives are raided and taken to jail. Good luck to all hurricane sandy victim
homeowners. Justice is at hand, oh yes we can!
LIKE /
REPLY
AMANIKOTY March 8, 2015 2:2PM
Kudos and high praise to the engineers who came forward! At the rate the insurance industry is becoming another
disgraceful group, I wonder how long it will take for those who are/were honest in this business to stand up to those
who are destroying theironce decent name. There used to be some good folks who earned their livelihood in insurance
but it wasn't by ripping people off or forging documents and all that this latest negativity is disclosing. People go
through enough whether losing their home, auto or health without the insurance industry not covering these things
especially when people have paid into those coverages. More and more of us these days would be ashamed to be a part
of that vocation, adding to the list of other industries/corporations who have put this country and its citizens quite
literally in harm's way and, intentionally.
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BIGJIMOFTHESOUTH March 5, 2015 4:4PM
Here's some FYI for all of you. The maximum policy and pay out for a residential policy in the United States is
250,000 the max for a business is 500,000. But, at least you can get that. If you own a home worth 750,000 on the
shore of NJ or NY or anywhere in this country you yourself are going to have to come up with the extra 500,000 if
you have a total loss. Be glad you have the Government we have and FEMA and the NFIP program.
1 LIKE /
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JULIELEEE March 4, 2015 3:3PM
Engineer's need to come forward on other claims too. Not just Flood claims. This is all too common. The homeowner
is forced into years of fighting a claim. Their time alone should be worth a fortune just for their time. Engineers you
should sue these insurance companies for millions for changing and forcing bad reports.
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JULIELEEE March 4, 2015 3:3PM
thank God for these few honest engineers coming forward. Most of them are dishonest and laugh at the fraudulent
low balled reports.
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REPLY
KAD62 March 3, 2015 8:8AM
Sharyn you should take this story even further and look into the engineering companies and insurance company to
see how they are connected or if they are connected to someone in Washington. Let's see if any of this clearly
criminal activity leads to jail time for anyone.
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REPLY
DUDEBOY1 March 2, 2015 2:2PM
The intrusive commercials have broken this website.
LIKE /
REPLY
LUIS601 March 2, 2015 1:1PM
The sad truth is that many of these people will not see any money for years due to the appeals process. In the end, the
insurance company will likely just go bankrupt with little money to dish out and of course, no one goes to jail.
LIKE /
REPLY
RTUTWILE March 2, 2015 0:12PM
As Public Insurance Adjusters representing homeowners, co-op's, business owners and other entities, we always
wondered when the "New Yorkers" were going to stand up for themselves and fight back. With everything we were
seeing from day 1, we thought it would happen within 6 months. We could not fathom why it took over two (2) years
for it to happen, but ultimately we are sure glad it did. People in other States have simply given up the fight in past
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storms, but finally it looks like some justice may be served for the folks in New York and in New Jersey. However,
with FEMA 25+ Billion dollars in the Red I am unsure where they are going to find the money or if they will simply
just print it? The fact remains that this story, will without question, help thousands of others in the future, especially when the Big
One rolls ashore! The people inland and throughout the midwest also need to keep in mind that this story does not
relate to only "Hurricane Damage Claims," rather it involves ALL Flood Claims not matter the State. And be assured
with all the snow melting from these unprecedented Winter Storms there will be major flooding that will occur, in
which the same set of facts will apply. People need to educate themselves, ask questions, and stick up for themselves to keep up the good fight for what is
right. If they cannot, hire a licensed professional to help lookout for their best interests. Great story and great job covering this!! LIKE /
REPLY
GREENNNNNN2009 March 2, 2015 1:1PM
@rtutwile Eh, perhaps these people never knew the reports were changed. Seems to be the case, no? Then,
how can one stand up for themselves when they don't know there's been fraud involved? It makes sense
that the insurance company would just try to skate out of the expense as is the case so much of the time. They probably just thought the insurance company screwed them and didn't know FRAUD was actually
involved as in changing reports, etc.
1 LIKE /
REPLY
KBBPLL March 2, 2015 11:11AM
So, where is the money trail? How does an engineering company profit by altering the engineering reports? If they're
not the ones paying out on the claims, what is the motive? It was an interesting piece, but CBS failed to dig into what
the motive is for an engineering company to do this. There has to be a payoff somewhere. Show us the money.
1 LIKE /
REPLY
TONYLAKE1 March 2, 2015 7:7AM
INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE THE ONES THAT SET UP THE SCHEME TO DEFRAUD INSUREDS ON ALL LEVELS
AUTO HOME AND HEALTH! TELL ME WHY THEY SPEND BILLIONS EVERY YEAR ON LOBBYING. YOU MUST BE
A INSURANCE COMPANY STOCK HOLDER. ALL INSURANCE COMPANY'S LIE STEAL CHEAT AND PRAY ON US
AS LITIGATION IS SO EXPENSIVE THAT THEY USE MAFIOSO STYLE TACTICS TO DENY DELAY AND
DISCOURAGE INSUREDS FROM PUTTING IN CLAIMS IN THE FIRST PLACE. . REMEMBER AIG TO BIG TO FAIL ?
WHO WENT TO JAIL FROM AIG FOR NOT THE PROPER RESERVES TO COVER THERE BETS ? KEEP CHEATING
YOUR INSUREDS, HAVE YOU AND YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY CRONIES HAVE NO SHAME. PAY YOUR
CLAIMS YOU LOW LIFE'S
TONY LAKE
2 LIKE /
REPLY
THINKALREADY March 1, 2015 8:8PM
NOW do you understand why insurance companies need to be regulated?
4 LIKE /
REPLY
JAKESHUMAN March 1, 2015 8:8PM
Imagine that: insurance companies hiring incompetent engineers to save money on claims. Glory be.
2 LIKE /
REPLY
TESLA_LOVER March 3, 2015 9:9AM
@jakeshuman -- Actually, the engineer I saw in the piece, said his valid report was changed after submission.
He said something like 175 reports had been changed, or 96% of them! Obviously, it's the lowlife insurance
industry trying to cheat their customers in order to make larger profits for the CEOs.
LIKE /
REPLY
KKRAMER11 March 1, 2015 7:7PM
This story is less than a half truth and plays on the ignorance of Americans because it is the Federal Government NOT
Insurance companies that provide Flood Insurance coverage. Insurance companies learned a long time ago that their
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was no profit in the flood insurance game and got the heck out to cut their losses. Today, insurance companies only
service flood policies for THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT therefore have NOTHING to lose or gain from paying for or
denying a flood claim. SHAME ON YOU 60 Minutes for omitting this critical fact...you know that this story carries
more weight by pinning the blame on the Insurance Carriers rather than Obama for whom you will protect at any
cost. As journalists, Sharyn Alfonsi and Brian Williams names are one and the same.
3 LIKE /
REPLY
GREENNNNNN2009 March 2, 2015 1:1PM
@KKramer11 Can't make me believe these companies that service these policies are doing it for free. Yeah,
LMFAO. There's something in it for them, alright. I think you and I both know what that is.
2 LIKE /
REPLY
STORMCHASER33 March 3, 2015 1:1PM
@greennnnnn-2009 @KKramer11 WELL, YOU ARE BOTH PARTIALLY CORRECT. THIS 60
MINUTES PIECE IS TELLING A PARTIAL TRUTH. THE ENTIRE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE
PROGRAM IS UNDERWRITTEN BY FEMA AND IN MANY CASES IS ADMINISTERED BY
INSURANCE CARRIERS- OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "WRITE YOUR OWN" COMPANIES. THE
REALITY IS THESE COMPANIES GET PAID TO SELL AND SERVICE THESE POLICIES
INCLUDING SELLING, COLLECTING PREMIUMS, RENEWING AND YES- HANDLING CLAIMS
AND PAY EACH CLAIM WITH FEDERAL FUNDS. FOR EACH ACTIVITY THEY RECEIVE A FEE. WHEN IT COMES TO CLAIMS PAID THE FEE IS BASED ON A % OF THE CLAIM. SAME FOR
THE ADJUSTERS AND ADJUSTING COMPANIES. SO THE MORE THEY AGREE TO PAY- THE
MORE THEY COLLECT IN FEES. THE LIMITING ELEMENT HERE THAT IS IN PLACE TO KEEP
THE PROCESS IN BALANCE AND ESTABLISH A CHECK ON CHECK SYSTEM (AS FOUND IN
MOST BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS) IS THIS- IF AFTER PAYING A CLAIM OR A PORTION OF
ONE, THE FILE IS RE-EXAMINED AND AN ITEM OR REPAIR THAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A
COVERED ITEM WAS PAID FOR (USING TREASURY FUNDS), THE CARRIER IS ON THE HOOK
TO PAY IT BACK TO THE TREASURY. UNDERSTANDIBLY THESE (WYO) COMPANIES ARE
HESITANT TO PAY FOR QUESTIONABLE ITEMS OR FOR REPAIRS THAT COULD BE DENIED
AT A LATER DATE. THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT COMPLETION OF MANY SANDY
CLAIMS REQUIRED THE SERVICES OF AN ENGINEER. AS TO WHY SO MANY REPORTS
APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN ALTERED- THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I CAN OFFER INSIGHT INTO.
IT MAKES NO OBVIOUS FINANCIAL SENSE. I COMPLETED MANY CLAIMS IN NY CITY
DURING SANDY AND HAVE NEVER SEEN A CARRIER ALTER A REPORT. AS A
PROFESSIONAL ADJUSTER FOR 16 YEARS I HAVE REQUESTED AND EXAMINED MANY
ENGINEERING REPORTS AND AT TIMES HAVE ASKED FOR REVISIONS OR CLARIFICATIONSFROM THE ENGINEER OR FIRM DIRECTLY. ANY REQUESTS ARE PART OF THE FILE AND ARE
MOTIVATED AT SUPPORTING PAYMENT FOR ALL COSTS THAT CAN BE COVERED.
REMEMBER- I GET PAID ON COMMISSION AS WELL SO IT IS FINANCIALLY IN MY INTEREST
TO PAY FOR ALL OF THE DAMAGE THAT CAN BE COVERED AND OBTAINING SUPPORTING
DOCUMENTATION IS OFTEN A CRUCIAL PART OF GETTING PAID. ONE MORE THING TO
KEEP IN MIND AS THIS INVESTIGATION UNFOLDS- THIS IS AN "INSURANCE PROGRAM" UNDERSTAND- THE WORDS MATTER. A POLICY HOLDER MUST READ THE POLICY. THERE
ARE EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS THAT APPLY. 1 LIKE /
REPLY
@stormchaser33 @greennnnnn-2009 @KKramer11 Stormchaser33 speaks the truth here.
It's the company that you wrote your insurance through. As an examiner of thousands of
NFIP files one should look at the adjusters experience, the adjusters firm and inside QC,
and the insurance company itself that services the file. Not the NFIP. Obama made a
great effort to insure the people and influence that these files were handled quickly and it
was not going to be another Katrina that took years and years and years to deal with. You
can actually thank him for that. He himself holds no influence over FEMA or the NFIP as
for HOW and ON WHAT was paid. That was controlled by the insurance firms
themselves that in turn billed the NFIP within FEMA. Be glad you have the NFIP or you
would have nothing cause no insurance company in the United States to date does flood
insurance as it's a loosing policy. They can't break even and every private company in the
world of business never enters into a business that you can't even break even with.
1 LIKE /
REPLY
SAMAS1943 March 5, 2015 1:1PM
@KKramer11 tHE OPERATIVE TERM IN FEMA IS "EMERGENCY" . FEMA WAS/IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN
EMERGENCY LIFELINE FOR DISASTER RELIEF. THE MONEY FOR FEMA COMES FROM YOU AND ME
AND EVERY OTHER TAXPAYER WHO DOESN'T LIVE IN THESE COASTAL, DISASTER-PRONE AREAS.
ANYONE WHO DOES LIVE THERE SHOULD ASSUME THE RISK VIA THEIR SAVINGS OR INSURANCE
MONEY FOR REBUILDING. wHY ARE THE REST OF US PAYING FOR SOMEONE TO REBUILD HIS
10/11
6/8/2015
BEACH HOME? 60 MINUTES SHOULD INVESTIGATE HOW AND WHY IT HAPPENED THAT THE
TAXPAYERS, AND NOT THE HOMEOWNERS, NOW FOOT THE BILL FOR INSURANCE? P.S. pLEASE
EXCUSE THE ALL-CAPS HERE, i TRIED TO TURN IT OFF AND CAN'T. LIKE /
REPLY
@samas1943 @KKramer11 Learn to type by touch and this wont happen again. I also think you
need to do some research on the the NFIP and understand it's been a great deal in the past and will
continue to be a great program. Yes policy prices have come up because the risk needs to be reaccessed for just how risky it is. None of the big insurance companies write policies and pay out of
their won pockets like they do on Fire or Wind policies. Want to find out just why Flood insurance
is such a good deal thorough FEMA? Contact and ask a Lloyds of London firm to quote you. They
are the only firm that will literally insure anything in the world. When you hear the amount your
teeth will fall out. Then you will truly know just what a lifesaver the NFIP is for this country.
Here's some FYI for all of you. The maximum policy for a residential policy is 250,000 the max for
a business is 500,000. But, at least you can get that. If you own a home worth 750,000 on the
shore of NJ or NY or anywhere in the country you yourself are going to have to come up with the
extra 500,000 if you have a total loss.
1 LIKE /
REPLY
AMANIKOTY March 8, 2015 3:3PM
@samas1943 @KKramer11 Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was an area of this country that did
NOT have emergency issues related to nature but, alas, those areas are few and far between.
Earthquakes, landslides, wild fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding (you can bet all that snow this
year is going to cause massive flooding even in places that rarely have had to contend with that
before). Hopefully there are things in place to help YOU if your area of the country ever has an
emergency. At the rate we're seeing major climates changes, your locale could very well bear the
brunt of the next disaster, whatever it is.
LIKE /
REPLY
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11/11

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