EXHAUST FUMES AND CARBON
MONOXIDE INSIDE EXPLORERS.
>>> MANY OF YOU KNOW THIS STORY
ALL TOO WELL.
YOU PAY THOSE INSURANCE PREMIUMS
FOR YEARS AND IN RETURN, YOU
EXPECT YOUR PROVIDER TO BE THERE
WHEN DISASTER STRIKES.
BUT CHANNEL INVESTIGATES HAS
DISCOVERED A MAJOR PROVIDER FOR
COASTAL PROPERTY OWNERS IS
FACING A GROWING NUMBER OF
COMPLAINTS FROM VICTIMS OF
HURRICANE HARVEY.
INVESTIGATOR MARIO DIAZ FOUND
ADJUSTORS ARE FAILING TO SHOW UP
AND POLICYHOLDERS ARE LEFT
WAITING FOR CHECKS THEY NEED TO
BEGIN REPAIRS.
>> YOU CAN'T FIX ANYTHING UNTIL
INSURANCE COMES THROUGH.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM
INSURANCE, SO HOW DO YOU KEEP
MOVING ON?
YOU'RE JUST FROZEN.
>> Reporter: TALK TO ANYONE IN
ROCKPORT AND PORT ARANSAS.
THEY WILL TELL YOU REBUILDING IS
AT A VIRTUAL STAND STILL N IT'S
SO SLOW, IT'S UNREAL.
>> Reporter: THE CULPRIT,
ACCORDING TO THEM, NOT SO MUCH
HARVEY, BUT RATHER TWIA.
THE TEXAS WIND STORM INSURANCE
ASSOCIATION.
AN INSURANCE PROVIDER SERVING
COUNTIES ALONG THE TEXAS COAST
WITH 234,000 POLICIES.
THEIR POLICIES ONLY COVER WIND
AND HAIL DAMAGE.
WHILE THEIR MISSION STATEMENT
TOUTS BEING COMMITTED AND
RELIABLE.
>> THE WINDOW BLEW OUT.
>> Reporter: POLICYHOLDERS LIKE
THIS MAN IN ROCKPORT TELL
CHANNEL 2 THEY HAVE BEEN
ANYTHING BUT.
>> I'M ON MY THIRD CLAIMS
EXAMINER, MY SECOND CLAIMS
ADJUSTOR, FIELD ADJUSTOR, AND
AVIETTE TO RECEIVE THEIR REPORT.
>> Reporter: BAKER IS NOT ALONE.
>> ALL THIS HAD BEEN ROLLED AND
TOPPLED OVER HERE.
>> Reporter: JENNY SAYS TWIA
DOES NOT HAVE ANSWERS.
EVEN AFTER AN ADJUSTOR CAME TO
THEIR HOME AND TOLD THEM TO GUT
IT.
>> WE WENT TO GET THE
INFORMATION.
THE ADJUSTOR DIDN'T TURN IT IN.
THEY THOUGHT WELL, MAYBE HE TOOK
OFF.
MAYBE HE MOVED ON.
WE DON'T KNOW.
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS TWIA
SCHEDULED A NEW ADJUSTOR FOR
SEPTEMBER 25.
ONE PROBLEM.
>> I HAVE NOT HEARD A WORD FROM
HIM.
>> Reporter: THIS ALL COMES AS
BLUE TARPS ARE LANDSCAPE
FIXTURES.
AS PUBLIC ADJUSTORS LIKE THIS
MAN OUT OF KEMAH SAY THAT TWIA
FAILED TO DELIVER FOR CUSTOMERS
WHO PAID POLICIES FOR YEARS.
>> WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FILES IN
PART ARANSAS AND I KNOW NUMEROUS
PEOPLE DOWN THERE AND VERY FEW
HAVE EVEN GOTTEN THEIR FIRST
CHECK.
A MONTH AFTER THE STORM.
>> Reporter: MORRISSON
REPRESENTS HOME AND BUSINESS
OWNER WHEN IS INSURANCE
COMPANIES FAIL TO STEP UP.
HE IS ALSO THT FORMER PRESIDENT
OF THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF
PUBLIC INSURANCE ADJUSTORS.
WHILE HE AND OTHER ADJUSTORS
LIKE DAVID LEE, ARE SHOCKED BY
WHAT THEY SAY ARE GROSSLY LOW
ESTIMATES.
>> APPROXIMATELY A THIRD TO 50%
OF WHAT'S NECESSARY.
>> Reporter: THEY SAY THEY ARE
MORE STUNNED BY THE ACTIONS OF
PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS HIRED BY
TWIA.
>> I HAVE NEVER, EVER SEEN AN
INVESTIGATION UNIT LIKE THIS.
>> Reporter: TWIA ADMITS IT'S
BEEN WORKING WITH VORACITY
RESEARCH INVESTIGATION COMPANIES
FOR YEARS TO INVESTIGATE NOWED
LENT CLAIMS.
AS CHANNEL 2 INVESTIGATES
COVERED, THESE PRIVATE EYES ARE
ASKING TO SEE CONTRACTS BETWEEN
PUBLIC ADJUSTORS AND THE CLIENTS
WHO HIRED THEM.
>> MY PROBLEM IS IF THEY'RE A
PRIVATE INVESTIGATION GROUP,
THEY HAVE ZERO AUTHORITY IN ANY
KIND OF PROCESS OF GETTING ANY
KIND OF INFORMATION LIKE THAT.
>> SEVERAL TELL CHANNEL 2 THIS
IS SIMPL HARASSMENT TO DISRUPT
THE PROCESS AND ULTIMATELY DELAY
A PAYMENT.
MORRISSON SAYS IT IS ALSO TWIA
WASTING ITS CUSTOMER'S TIME.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULD
BE INVESTIGATING THE CLAIMS
THEMSELVES WHEN THERE ARE SO
MANY PEOPLE WITH SO MUCH DAMAGE
THAT NEEDS SO MUCH HELP.
>> Reporter: KATE SAYS SHE IS
ONE OF THOSE WAITING FOR HELP.
WHILE SHE AND OTHERS FEEL THEY
SHOULD BE MOVING FORWARD, THEIR
LIVES ARE TURNED SIDEWAYS.
STOPPED DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS.
>> A NORMAL DAY IS SO FAR OUT
THERE THAT YOU CAN'T SEE A
NORMAL DAY COMING.
THAT BREAKS YOUR HEART.
>> Reporter: TWIA INFORMED
CHANNEL 2 THAT IT IS NOT
UNCOMMON FOR ANOTHER CLAIMS
EXAMINER TO ASSIST WITH
CONTACTING THE INSURED.
THEY SAY IT ULTIMATELY HELPS
ISSUE PAINTS, WHICH MANY TELL
US THEY ARE NOT SEEING.
SOME SIX WEEKS AFTER HARVEY.
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE
ANTICIPATE TO HEAR FOR WHITE
SOME TIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
>> IT SEEMS LIKE CLAIMS ARE
REJECTED ALMOST ROUTINELY THESE
DAYS, TO DELAY PAYMENT OR TRY
AND STAVE OFF HAVING TO PAY IT.
THESE PUBLIC INSURANCE
ADJUSTORS, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO
DEFEND THE HOMEOWNERS?
>> Reporter: THAT'S WHY YOU'RE
SEEING PEOPLE BECOME TO HIRE
INSURANCE ADJUSTORS.
LET'S SAY DOMINIQUE IS AN EXPERT
IN HOW TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM.
SO I AM A HOMEOWNER THAT JUST
LOST MY HOME THROUGH WIND OR
HAIL.
I HIRE SOMEONE LIKE DOMINIQUE TO
HELP KNOPF GATE THROUGH THE
SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY'RE
EXPERIENCED IN HELPING TO GET
THOSE CLAIMS THAT YOU JUST
MENTIONED.
>> YEAH.
>> IN THE END, THE HOMEOWNER IS
THE LOSER WHO NEEDS TO GET PAID.
>> Reporter: YOU'RE LOOKING AT
ONE SIDE, THAT'S THE CASE.
TWIA SAYS THEY HAVE TO DO THE
DUE DILIGENCE.
IT'S THE MANNER THEY'RE SEEN
THIS TIME AROUND THAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE QUESTIONING.
>> ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK TO
SEE THE CLAIMS ARE TRUTHFUL.