A fire destroyed most of her worldly possessions. But one Waukesha woman says what her insurance company did next made things worse.
Ten months have passed since a fire destroyed the home Harriet Hoffer’s family has lived in for generations.
“This melted from the fire. They said it was 700 degrees in here. 700,” Hoffer said.
Waukesha fire inspectors say a charger plugged into the wall started the fire in Hoffer’s bedroom just days after Christmas. Hoffer, her family and her dogs got out OK.
“I lost everything,” Hoffer said.
Hoffer moved all of her belongings that were not destroyed in the fire to the basement.
In January, she said, her insurance company, Safeco, took possession of the house. Hoffer said things got worse.
“They said they were going to board up the windows – they didn’t. They said they were going to winterise – they didn’t,” Hoffer said.
Hoffer’s lawyer, Joseph Seifert, said the pipes burst and flooded the basement.
“The post-fire losses are almost as significant as the fire itself,” Seifert said.
Seifert said the fire and water caused “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in damage.
Seifert is not pursuing a lawsuit against Safeco, asking the insurance company to compensate Hoffer for the damage before and after the fire. He says there are things that can be done to avoid the mess Hoffer is in.
“The most important thing is to document. Know who you’re talking to, times and dates, and check them,” says Seifert.
Hoffer took notes every step of the way. Seifert said that will help them if the case goes to court.
“Why is the insurance company dragging its feet? That’s a question we’re going to investigate,” Seifert said.
After all these months, Hoffer just wants to go home.
“If you don’t have an adjuster or somebody to help you, there’s no way you’re going to make it with insurance companies today,” Hoffer said.
FOX6 News asked Safeco questions about the burst pipes. Safeco’s parent company, Liberty Mutual, said the company does not publicly address customer claims, but plans to contact Hoffer directly.
