South Nashville couple missing insurance payout months after fire left apartment in shambles
“He kept refusing me every time I tried to call back with my insurance like ‘Hey, what’s the status of it’ and he said, ‘We told you, we aren’t going to cover you,’” she said.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A family who lived in a South Nashville apartment complex said they’ve had six months of misery. They were displaced after a fire earlier this year and they say their insurance company hasn’t done their job.
Twenty-five families were forced to move somewhere else after flames broke out at the Hickory Creek Apartments off Murfreesboro Pike.
“We just tried our best to get everyone out and safe,” said Reem Taqi Al-Sarraf.
She and her husband lived two apartments below the fire. A few days after, they were dealing with a water-damaged apartment and furniture.
“I was shocked to be honest,” said Al-Sarraf. “I saw my roof all the way down. Every step I’m stepping in water. My stuff getting damaged, my TV breaking in half.”
She filed a claim with Assurant, the insurance company the apartment complex works with. The problem is they never paid the claim. Al-Sarraf said it was because the adjustor assigned to her never came to assess the damage.
“He kept refusing me every time I tried to call back with my insurance like ‘Hey, what’s the status of it’ and he said, ‘We told you, we aren’t going to cover you,’” she said.
Al-Sarraf said all communication with the adjustor was by phone, no emails. She said the adjustor requested she take photos of the damage and send them to him, but she didn’t have access to the apartment anymore.
“I basically am staying in a hotel, and you are requesting from me things I cannot do when I have insurance and it’s your guys’ job to do it,” Al-Sarraf added.
After six months and no answers, WSMV4 reached out to Assurant. They told us they would investigate it and called Al-Sarraf this morning.
“They are going to take care of it, and they will look at my list and see,” she said.
She said with that money they plan to furnish their new apartment, as everything was lost in the old one.
“I really hope they do fix that problem and they say something like ‘Hey, we will get you covered. We will get you your stuff back, whatever you lost it’s here for you again,’” mentioned Al-Sarraf.
Assurant got back to us and issued the following statement:
“We are deeply sympathetic to Ms. Taqi Al-Sarraf’s loss and are committed to helping her see a resolution.” – Assurant Spokesperson.
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