Falmouth, Massachusetts

Homeowners wintering in Florida received unpleasant news that water was pouring out of the front door of their home on the Cape, which was flooded. The basement had filled with over six feet of water. The news was puzzling as they kept the house heated to prevent the pipes from freezing and a local real estate agent visited the house, which was for sale.

A restoration company was hired to tear everything out and discovered mold everywhere. The restoration company handed the homeowners a bill for $20,000, which their insurance company refused to cover, saying that they had not exercised "reasonable care to maintain heat in the home."
A restoration company was hired to tear everything out and discovered mold everywhere. The restoration company handed the homeowners a bill for $20,000, which their insurance company refused to cover, saying that they had not exercised "reasonable care to maintain heat in the home."

The Challenge
Uncovering the true cause of the flood required some detective work on the part of SMW. The home was heated with gas not oil, so running out of oil was ruled out. The home's thermometer was set at 55° which had been checked three times by the real estate agent, and seemed to be working properly.

After some research, SMW discovered that the gas meter had been replaced in March. Around the same time, typically low bills spiked in March, which didn't make sense as usage was constant. Based upon the evidence and SMW's extensive knowledge of heating and plumbing systems, SMW concluded that a faulty gas meter may have caused the heating system to freeze. As the water was shut off, the problem did not become apparent until June when the real estate agent turned the water back on.

Solution
SMW presented a viable scenario to the homeowner's insurance company of how the loss may have occurred. The insurer, who did not take the time or resources to thoroughly investigate the claim, finally agreed that the loss was no fault of the homeowners.

Result
Over the course of 10 months, SMW was able to reverse the insurer's opinion. The insured went from owing a restoration company $20,000 to obtaining a $120,000 settlement for their building and personal property claims. The homeowners, who were thrilled with the result, were able to restore their home and put it back on the market in even better shape than prior to the flood. Through hard work and perseverance-and a little detective work- SMW resolved a difficult claim.