A western North Carolina couple that lost their home to Hurricane Helene in late September is navigating a complicated battle with their insurance provider over exactly what caused the destruction — wind or water?

Bob and Edwina Tatum live in a small town of about 200 people in Avery County.

The now-retired educators spent the last 46 years beautifying their property, eventually turning it into a haven for rescued horses. On Sept. 27, Hurricane Helene wiped all of that away. 

In an interview with 5 On Your Side, Edwina Tatum tearfully explained none of their horses are left. 

“Our place is pretty well destroyed,” she said. 

Like many of their neighbors, the cause of the destruction that destroyed the Tatums’ land is in dispute.

Their home insurance carrier, Farm Bureau Insurance, claims it was “floodwater.” However, like 97% of western North Carolinians, the Tatums don’t have flood insurance. 

When 5 On Your Side asked how much the couple got from insurance, Edwina Tatum answered, “Zero. They hadn’t looked at the property, nothing, they just made that decision.”

The Tatums argue wind damage, which is covered by their insurance, should be included in their claim. Farm Bureau’s nearest wind reading to the Tatum’s home recorded 61 mph gusts, but a National Weather Service map shows wind gusts did reach 90 mph in their area.

Farm Bureau eventually sent an independent engineer to survey the Tatums’ damage, writing there was no evidence of “structurally damaging wind,” adding that it considers wind around 90 mph to be “structurally damaging.” 

The National Weather Service, however, warns that gusts over 58 mph threaten property and life.

WRAL’s 5 On Your Side asked the Farm Bureau Federation if it would factor the National Weather Service map into their coverage decision. Their response was:

“We extend our sympathies to
the Tatums for the significant loss they suffered as a result of Hurricane
Helene. We reviewed the Tatums’ claim thoroughly, including reviewing all
information provided by the Tatums. We also engaged an
outside structural engineer to determine the cause of loss. Based on the
engineer’s report, which was shared with Mr. & Mrs. Tatum, their home was
destroyed by rapidly moving flood waters, not wind. Unfortunately, as with many
families in Western North Carolina, there is no provision in the Tatums’
homeowner policy that covers flood losses.”

Dr. Tim Coleman, a forensic meteorologist with WeatherBELL Analytics, explained why the discrepancy is unclear.

Each year, Coleman is called to help resolve hundreds of insurance disputes. Unlike coastal hurricanes or typical tornadoes, he said Hurricane Helene’s damage is more complicated to decipher. 

“Helene is one of the most difficult storms I have ever looked at in terms of determining flood vs. wind,” Coleman said. “You have multiple things that are knocking trees over and knocking houses off their foundations, and normally you’d only have one.”

Don McClintock with McClintock Insurance Agency in Durham said, unfortunately, many western North Carolina homeowners will face similar disputes. 

“A lot of these people are going to fight for whatever they get,” McClintock said. 

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey helps residents resolve insurance disputes for free. 

“We go to bat for the consumer, we get all the facts,” Causey said. “We contact the policy holder and get their side of the story, then we contact the insurance company.”

WRAL 5 On Your Side helped the Tatums file for assistance with Causey’s office. A little over a week after 5 On Your Side got involved, the Tatums received a letter from the Department of Insurance saying it was unable to compel an insurance company to pay the claim.

They’re now considering legal action.

People who lost their homes to the storm can apply for FEMA assistance. Find out how you can help western NC rebuild from Hurricane Helene.     

WRAL 5 On Your Side spent a week in Buncombe, Yancy, Mitchell and McDowell counties to survey the damage done by Hurricane Helene, find out what’s being done and step in to help when needed. Look for these stories Feb. 17-21 on WRAL.com and WRAL-TV.