MOREAUVILLE — A young family is cleaning out their flooded first home after Tropical Storm Arthur hit just days after they bought a new home insurance policy.

Cody Jackson and his wife, Destyni, both work at their local volunteer fire department, with Cody serving as fire chief and Destyni as secretary. No one was home when Arthur hit.

The storm saturated floorboards, ruined walls and left a mess of all their belongings.

“We walked in and had at least a hundred pull-ups floating around,” Destyni Jackson said.

Their four children are unaware that their favorite clothes and toys were ruined by the water.

“It rose quickly,” Cody Jackson said.

The pair purchased a new home insurance policy just days before the rain started. An independent broker walked Destyni through the purchase.

“And she said, ‘Oh, good, you’re not in a flood zone. You don’t need flood insurance,” Destyni Jackson said.

According to the state’s flood map, the Jackson home falls right on the line, labeled in flood Zone “A.”

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple said families in the area are largely without flood coverage.

“In Avoyelles and St. Landry, there aren’t a lot of flood insurance policies in force,” Temple said. “That means they’re going to have to rely on local and federal assistance,” Temple said.

That is the assistance the Jacksons are more accustomed to providing than receiving.

“You know, being on this side of things, you know I’m usually the one going out and helping people. I’m the one people are now trying to help. That’s a hard thing to accept,” Cody said.

Temple advised that anyone with storm damage should get any insurance guidance in writing.

“When people say they are advised to do something, get it in writing,” he said.

Residents are also advised to take pictures of any damage and keep receipts when rebuilding. Also, be sure to report damage to the state through the online portal: damage.la.gov