ALLEN – Armed with a clipboard, empathy and years of insurance experience, Chris Jessen resembled a crime scene detective Friday afternoon as he stepped carefully into the Phillips home to survey the storm damage.
Violent winds blew off a large chunk of the roof, launching it into the pool. Insulation covered the back yard like snow.
Mr. Jessen said some of the insulation still inside the house will have to be replaced. So will the saturated drywall and soggy carpets.
Wood flooring is warped. Baseboards are ruined. And glass – from giant chunks to dust-like particles – litters the house, meaning that blankets and bedding need to be trashed.
"It's better to err on the side of caution," Mr. Jessen told Scotti Phillips.
Insurance adjusters have been fanning across North Texas this week after the area was rocked by severe storms and tornadoes. Adjusters have been surveying damage, answering customers' questions and cutting checks.
Preliminary damage estimates were around $20 million, a number that officials say will undoubtedly rise.
State Farm received 5,200 homeowner claims through Thursday, and an additional 2,400 automobile claims across North Texas. Farmers Insurance had received more than 2,800 Texas claims through Friday morning and deployed a so-called mobile claims center bus to help process claims.
Back in Allen, Mr. Jessen, a State Farm claim representative, walked through the palatial home, drawing diagrams of various rooms, jotting down notes about the damage and pointing out problem spots. Dehumidifiers and fans buzzed in the background as workers cleaned up the mess.
Mr. Jessen offered a matter-of-fact diagnosis: The home has suffered moderate damage, but he hasn't discovered structural issues.
Soon, he'll crunch the numbers to determine the extent of the damage. But it's reached into the tens of thousands of dollars, Mr. Jessen said.
Mr. Jessen has spent 18 years as an insurance adjuster, surveying damage caused by tornadoes, hurricanes, hail and straight-line winds. He feels good that he can help people in times of need.
Although storms can be devastating, Mr. Jessen says, they also bring neighbors together.
As he arrived at a Westminster home ravaged by a tornado a couple of years ago, only a slab on the ground remained. He was surrounded by piles of rubble. He talked on the phone with the homeowner, who was recovering in a hospital.
"I'm glad to be talking to you," the homeowner told Mr. Jessen.
In Allen, the Phillipses are grateful that they're OK. Greg Phillips woke 8-year-old Skylar shortly before 4 a.m. Thursday, fleeing to the master bedroom closet. As they escaped, windows exploded, spraying glass across the entire length of the house. Ms. Phillips was out of town on a business trip.
On Friday, she stared at the guest room, which had no ceiling. A temporary roof was in place.
"It's a skylight," Ms. Phillips joked. "It's a nice little added feature. Mother Nature did a little decorating."
Despite the damage, the Phillipses remained light-hearted. They're safe.
But, as Mr. Phillips said, "We've got a long way to go."
Mr. Jessen said some of the insulation still inside the house will have to be replaced. So will the saturated drywall and soggy carpets.
Wood flooring is warped. Baseboards are ruined. And glass – from giant chunks to dust-like particles – litters the house, meaning that blankets and bedding need to be trashed.
"It's better to err on the side of caution," Mr. Jessen told Scotti Phillips.
Insurance adjusters have been fanning across North Texas this week after the area was rocked by severe storms and tornadoes. Adjusters have been surveying damage, answering customers' questions and cutting checks.
Preliminary damage estimates were around $20 million, a number that officials say will undoubtedly rise.
State Farm received 5,200 homeowner claims through Thursday, and an additional 2,400 automobile claims across North Texas. Farmers Insurance had received more than 2,800 Texas claims through Friday morning and deployed a so-called mobile claims center bus to help process claims.
Back in Allen, Mr. Jessen, a State Farm claim representative, walked through the palatial home, drawing diagrams of various rooms, jotting down notes about the damage and pointing out problem spots. Dehumidifiers and fans buzzed in the background as workers cleaned up the mess.
Mr. Jessen offered a matter-of-fact diagnosis: The home has suffered moderate damage, but he hasn't discovered structural issues.
Soon, he'll crunch the numbers to determine the extent of the damage. But it's reached into the tens of thousands of dollars, Mr. Jessen said.
Mr. Jessen has spent 18 years as an insurance adjuster, surveying damage caused by tornadoes, hurricanes, hail and straight-line winds. He feels good that he can help people in times of need.
Although storms can be devastating, Mr. Jessen says, they also bring neighbors together.
As he arrived at a Westminster home ravaged by a tornado a couple of years ago, only a slab on the ground remained. He was surrounded by piles of rubble. He talked on the phone with the homeowner, who was recovering in a hospital.
"I'm glad to be talking to you," the homeowner told Mr. Jessen.
In Allen, the Phillipses are grateful that they're OK. Greg Phillips woke 8-year-old Skylar shortly before 4 a.m. Thursday, fleeing to the master bedroom closet. As they escaped, windows exploded, spraying glass across the entire length of the house. Ms. Phillips was out of town on a business trip.
On Friday, she stared at the guest room, which had no ceiling. A temporary roof was in place.
"It's a skylight," Ms. Phillips joked. "It's a nice little added feature. Mother Nature did a little decorating."
Despite the damage, the Phillipses remained light-hearted. They're safe.
But, as Mr. Phillips said, "We've got a long way to go."
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