Oct 07, 2024
More than four months since a tornado tore through Claremore, the Middleswart's home is just as the storm left it. Terry Middleswart said that's because their insurance company, State Farm, has not made it easy for them to get the support they need.Terry and his wife have been living in a trailer in front of their home since the May 25 tornado. WATCH coverage from the tornado: Tornado damage in ClaremoreThey haven't been able to repair anything on their property because they're still waiting on State Farm to compensate their claim.Its like youre trying to take money out of their piggy bank," said Middleswart. "Well, Ive paid into it for years and years and years. Now thats its time for them to pay up its a gamble. You have insurance and something happens, they pay. You dont have insurance, you pay.After they assessed the damage to their home, the Middleswarts called their agent to make a claim. RELATED >>> LIVE BLOG: Multiple killed, dozens injured in severe storms in Green CountryThe roof was ripped off in many places, and the walls were blown out by the winds. Middleswart's barn and workshop were also completely destroyed.In the last few months, he said, State Farm has sent a crew to clean out their home and remove everything that was contaminated.Three adjusters have been to the property, all giving conflicting opinions on how the pair should proceed.Youve really got to press them to get an answer," he said. "Every time we talk to an adjuster, they say, Well Ive done my part, it went up to management,' then it gets kicked back down to them, and theyve got to do something else and then it goes back to management. It seems like every two and a half months, we get a new adjuster. Theyll give you a little bit of money and then the new adjuster comes in and starts all over again. As a disabled veteran, Middleswart would prefer to knock the house down and rebuild it. He thinks it's safer that way. Theres cattle and everything else, the horse tracks down there, so we had feces and stuff floating through the air. Well it blew through our house, so our house is contaminated. Nobody seemed to care about that," he said.It's not just been about getting repair funds, either. Middleswart said State Farm was supposed to compensate them for food since they don't have a stove or place to cook."Last Thursday, we got a check for four thousand dollars for four months of eating out at a restaurant," he said. "And if youve eaten out at a restaurant lately, you know thats not a lot of money.With limited spending money, the Middleswarts have limited themselves to one meal a day.They hired a builder after one adjuster said they didn't need to knock the place down. That builder was also apprehensive about doing anything to the home.From the water-damaged walls, broken trusses, and partially ripped-out wire, their builder doesn't want to put his name on something that won't stay standing.On the flip side, he's concerned about starting to work on it, and then the Middleswarts run out of money because the insurance company isn't giving them the funds they need and paid for through their policy."[The builder] saying, yeah they give you just enough to get you started, but I dont know if you really want to start doing stuff without knowing exactly what theyre going to pay for," said Middleswart. "Were 70 plus year's old, I dont want a $50 thousand mortgage at my age. Thats what I have insurance for. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 700-800 homes damaged in Rogers County tornado, officials sayThe Middleswarts stopped by the 2 News Listening Booth at the Tulsa State Fair, out of options and looking for an advocate. Just the apathy, you know, of the people at State Farm, its like yeah well.. you know, youve seen the text messages, Just be patient, just be patient. How long am I supposed to be patient for? My god, Im in my 70s.2 News reached out to the Oklahoma Insurance Department to try to get them some answers. The agent we spoke to said it's the homeowner's call to rebuild or determine if the home is a complete loss. He said he is in contact with State Farm and is going to try to get the ball rolling for the Middleswarts case. Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere -- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices. Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram SUBSCRIBE on YouTube
Respond, make new discussions, see other discussions and customize your news...

To add this website to your home screen:

1. Tap tutorialsPoint

2. Select 'Add to Home screen' or 'Install app'.

3. Follow the on-scrren instructions.

Feedback
FAQ
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service