Jefferson County Man Sues Blake Borel Insurance and Chase Home Finance
After Hurricane Rita caused $80,000 of damage to his home, Christopher Whiddon called Blake Borel Insurance to make a claim, only to find out he was no longer covered.
When Whiddon bought his home in May 2004 he financed the purchase through Bank One, which is now Chase Home Finance, and bought windstorm and fire insurance from Texas Select Lloyds Insurance Company via his insurer Blake Borel Insurance. Whiddon was under the impression that the payments for the windstorm and fire insurance would be escrowed.
According to the complaint, however, Whiddon's insurance expired in December of 2004 and was not renewed. He trusted Chase would maintain the coverage agreed upon and, because they did not, he was forced to pay for the repairs himself. This caused loss of and damage to Whiddon's credit and credit reputation. According to The Southeast Texas Record, "He also incurred interest and finance charges, experienced a diminished or reduced market value of his home, paid for repairs and remediation, incurred engineering and consulting fees and paid for temporary housing..."
Chase and Blake Borel have been accused of:
- violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices
- acting unconscionably
- breaking the Texas Business and Commerce Code
- unfair claim settlement practices
- misrepresenting an insurance policy
- unfair and deceptive acts
- common law fraud
- negligence
- breach of contract
With hurricane season here, it is important to make sure you have the coverage you need to protect your home and family. In the unfortunate case that your home is damaged in a windstorm, being able to depend on your insurer is essential in recovering from those damages. Unfortunately, there are cases in which the entities you thought were protecting you are taking advantage of you or simply falling down on the job. In this instance, an insurance attorney can help you understand your rights and make sure your claim is rightfully paid out.
