Menasha, Neenah homeowners facing challenges with insurance after Fox Cities tornado

“Very frustrated,” said Al Lafaive, a Doty Island homeowner. “It’s just been… pushed off and pushed off.”

Lafaive said three insurance adjustors have assessed his property, and the process has dragged on and on to cover his destroyed garage and partially damaged home.

“We have to just go back and forth with them to find out where they’re willing to land,” said Lafaive.

Several commenters on Facebook also shared recent difficulties in a recent post made asking homeowners for their experiences.

Other homeowners take to Facebook with mixed opinions

“Yes. Insurance offering 1/7 of what contractors are saying it will cost,” said Rhonda Dohms.

Added GiGi Weeyums: “We have Progressive and they’ve been awful to deal with. My son has them as well and they’ve been just as ridiculous toward him as well.”

Some have found the process to be easy.

“We have State Farm and they have been wonderful,” said Elizabeth Ann.

Contractor shares recent difficulties

Zac Schultz of AZ Wisco Inc. said in his experience working with several homeowners, insurance companies are offering nowhere near the cost to replace, even for homeowners with replacement cost value policies.

“I for one know of a half dozen standup contractors who are submitting great quotes, bids,” said Schultz. “They’re coming back and saying we’re going to give that contractor 1/8 of what this contractor is reporting.”

He also said insurance companies have sometimes sent adjusters repeatedly to assess damage that seems obvious.

“It feels as though this is being treated like a game, if I’m being honest,” said Schultz.

Two main types of policies divide what owners are facing

There are two main types of home insurance policies that affect homeowners right now:

1. Replacement Cost Value: Homeowners are entitled to the cost it takes to replace that item/portion of the house
2. Assessed Cash Value: Homeowners are entitled to the value of the item at present, likely depreciated (Ex. if a roof installed 10 years ago was worth $15,000 and depreciates $1,000 per year, a homeowner will receive $5,000, not $15,000 to replace the roof)

“People are looking for the cheapest policy and don’t actually realize, well maybe this one’s a little bit cheaper because it isn’t covering as much,” said attorney Erik Fuehrer of Remley Law, S.C.

What you should do in a situation like this as a homeowner