Windsor flood victims frustrated with insurance company footdragging

Several people in Windsor-Essex are still waiting for insurance claims to clear, nearly fiveweeks since hundreds of homes in the areawere devastated by flooding.

DavidNorwoodofTecumseh describes the process as "very frustrating." He still doesn't know how much money he's getting back.

"I think we're covered," he said."I think we're covered appropriately, but because we haven't seen the end result, we're still kind of waiting."

• Residents shocked by damage after Windsor, Ont., flood
• Worst of the rain over
• Provincial disaster relief funds for flood-damaged Windsor, Ont. region

During the rain Sept. 28 and 29, his basement flooded with nearly eight centimetresof water and sewage. His carpet was ruined, and appliances were damaged. The basement was stripped down to the frame in most parts.

But when he contacted his insurance company, it took days before anything was done.

"Our concern of course was if there was sewage," he said. "How long are we supposed to be down there, should we be down there, how much time should we spend down there?"

Communication breakdown

But it wasn't until he told the insurance company he was going to go to a hotel that they finally came to the house and cleaned it up.

"Since they have cleaned up, they have not been back," Norwood said. "Sometimes I don't feel like I'm being kept in the loop."

An electrician and carpet company havebeen sent to take measurements, but every time he calls his insurance provider, he says they don't have clear answers for him.

But he remains patient because he knows others are in a similar situation and other homes had worse flooding.

All Norwoodwants is for the company to communicate with him about what is being done, when it is happening and what coverage he has moving forward.

"When you don't know, you think 'Is something going to happen, am I on the list?'" he said.