For roughly three months, homeowners in a Northwest Houston neighborhood have been recovering from devastating damage after a water tank exploded.
On Oct. 4, KPRC 2 reported two different families were batting with their insurance companies about getting coverage for the damage. Since then, one family is finally seeing relief, while the other, is not getting a dime from their insurance.
OUR FIRST REPORT: Utility water tank explosion leaves homeowners with hefty bill
KPRC 2 spoke with homeowner, Kevin Jennings about the devastating damage to his home.
“My whole downstairs has been ruined. My house was just recently renovated,” Jennings said.
His house received structural damage from the blast, with debris striking his home. The floors are gone after water flooded the home.
In the surveillance video, it shows a calm July night before the water tank abruptly explodes, causing hundreds of gallons of water to pour out.
“I’m probably now over about $160,000 to $170,000 worth of damages,” said Jennings.
Jennings uses Homesite Insurance with Progressive as the underwriter. With help from his attorney, Jennings is now suing his insurance, citing bad faith.
“I want them to understand that ever since that night, my life has been a living hell for me and for my family,” he added.
According to Jennings, an agent never came to his house to survey the damage but denied coverage three different times. His attorney said the insurance is refusing to cover the costs because the damage was categorized as “surface water” and not an explosion.
This, even though the video clearly shows the water tank exploding.
Jennings said he pays his homeowner insurance bill every month and had several of neighbors who vouched as witnesses, but is still hitting a dead end.
Now, he is forced to pay everything out of pocket which has caused him a major financial burden.
“I’ve had to come off of money every day to eat for me and my family. It’s just been really, really rough trying to do that every day,” he said.
According to Reid Road Municipal Utility District 1, it is not liable for the explosion because it has government immunity. Crews have now taken down the remaining parts of the tank. The MUD district declined to comment about the cause of the explosion.
The Steiner family, who lives next door to Jennings, has a different story.
Since the MUD district identified the cause as an explosion, their insurance company is covering all of the damages to their home.
“It was so thrilling. Now I know they’re going to rebuild, but every Texan needs to know these are near your home and they’re going to claim immunity. And you could do nothing about it, nothing about it,” said Steiner.
Jennings is hoping his insurance will change its mind.
“I just want them to do what’s right. And for me to be able to come home and come to my castle and it feel like a castle and not like a dungeon,” Jennings said.