A Failed Insurance Company and a Failed Local Government.

I filed a claim with my insurance company and was denied because I had only sump pump coverage, not flood insurance. As soon as the adjuster saw the mulch and debris on the walls, she concluded that the damage was caused by a flood and not the failure of the sump pump. A friend of mine, who previously worked for an insurance company in Chicago, noticed it appeared that my adjuster was taking pictures solely to deny the claim. I wrote a letter to Travelers Insurance requesting that they reconsider their denial of my claim. I asked them to act in good faith and to settle this claim, but so far they have ignored my letter sent May 24, 2008. I next contacted Mr. Gary Much from the Fairfax County Maintenance and Storm Water Division, and he met with me at my property. We walked around my property and drove around my neighborhood. He did not deny the fact that a Storm Water Drainage System does not exist in my neighborhood, and agreed that the county should correct this problem. Although I believed that the county was going to correct this problem, I later received a letter from Mr. Much advising that the county was not responsible for the flooding to my home and has no obligation to improve the water drainage problem in my neighborhood.

The Geotechnical Engineer stated in his letter to me , “…it is in fact the responsibility of the county and the state to provide proper storm water drainage in my neighborhood.” I plan on pursuing efforts with both Fairfax County and the State of Virginia to correct this problem. In the mean time, I need immediate assistance to prevent further flooding of my property by installing a berm, additional sump pumps, generator, and accessories – at an estimated cost of about $49,000.