VAN BUREN (KFSM) — Kim Strange left town for Memorial Day weekend only to come home to storm damage. Unfortunately, the trees on her property hit her neighbors’ yards as well.
“I got home Monday night, which is a holiday, saw [the damage], called my insurance company first thing in the morning, and it's been a fight the entire way,” Strange said.
Strange has two 50 feet uprooted trees in her backyard, which are about 9 feet in diameter. Three of her neighbors now have damaged fences and debris in their yards as a result. Strange said she is disappointed after finding out what her insurance company can and cannot do.
“They're not going to fix the holes in my yard,” she said. “They're not gonna fix any of my neighbors’ fences.”
Juanita Richardson, 93, lives near Strange and the two have the same insurance provider.
“They said well we just can't help, that's an act of God,” Richardson said.
Strange said she has had homeowners’ insurance for 30 years, and this is her first time making a claim.
“It's an interesting process,” she explained. “Because if I were negligent and I cut the tree down with a chainsaw, and it fell on somebody's house, they would cover that.”
Strange said after she pays a $1,000 deductible, she will be able to rebuild her shed damaged by a tree, and have up to $500 to put towards the cost of tree removal.
“So basically, the insurance is not going to pay anything for this mess,” she said.
Strange has offered to pay for her neighbors’ storm damage that happened because of her trees.
“She told me she'd pay for it, and I said, “Oh I don't think you should pay for it out of your own pocket,’” Richardson said.
5NEWS has reached out to the insurance agency representing the two neighbors, but they declined to comment.
“I think people really need to ask their insurance agents just exactly what are they covered for,” Strange said.
Insurance agents reiterate to read your policy thoroughly.