Replies: 38 brave souls responded
on Monday, September 5th, Danica said
I am so happy to hear that your cat made it! Good luck!
on Monday, September 5th, carolburnside said
Ah, your cat survived. Amazing. One nice thing.
I hope your future holds many more nice little surprises. And maybe one day, the nice things will again outweigh the bad. That is my prayer for you and your family.
on Monday, September 5th, Jean said
I'm sure you weren't the only sobbing crazy woman the vet's folks talked to. I'm certain THEY were happy to be able to give you good news.
Sadly, the insurance industry thrives on having loopholes so they don't have to pay people for what they believed they were insured for. I hate that about them.
I learned today that storm surge has damaged most of the interior of my brother's place over in Pascagoula (he was at least a mile inland) and rendered nearly everything of his unusable.
I'm sure it will be a horrific shock for you to go home. Hugs. May something work out better than you hope.
on Monday, September 5th, Jan said
I'm glad Felicks made it! Your vet and staff must be very special people. When I told two woman about your insurance nightmare, both suggested you email Bill O'Reilly of the TV show O'Reilly Factor. It's unbelievable how the insurance cos plan to screw you and thousands of others. Take care! You're still in my thoughts and prayers.
on Monday, September 5th, Jan said
I'm glad Felicks made it! Your vet and staff must be very special people. When I told two woman about your insurance nightmare, both suggested you email Bill O'Reilly of the TV show O'Reilly Factor. It's unbelievable how the insurance cos plan to screw you and thousands of others. Take care! You're still in my thoughts and prayers.
on Monday, September 5th, Sylvia Day said
Yay!! on Felicks making it!! I'm so glad about that. It's good to hear your 'voice'. We're thinking of you, and missing you. ((hugs))
on Monday, September 5th, Bonnie Ferguson said
I'm sooo happy Felicks is okay!
on Monday, September 5th, Michelle said
Larissa--so glad Felicks made it! 
As for the insurance crooks, it might be worth it in the long run to consult a lawyer. Sue those tricky b*stards!!
on Monday, September 5th, Emma S said
It is nice to hear from you. I know there are so many people out there thinking about you.
Thrilled to hear about Felicks and I wish I could offer more than (((hugs))) for what you're going through.
on Monday, September 5th, Lynn Daniels said
I cried when I read about your situation, but Felicks surviving it all is GREAT news!
Kick the insurance guy's butt. His reasoning makes absolutely no sense, and what they're doing should be illegal.
I'll be thinking about you.
on Monday, September 5th, Cece said
YEAH FOR FELICKS!!!
boo on the ins co. There's a special place in hell for them I swear. I'll keep my fingers crossed that somehow it all works out and good luck tomorrow doll.
on Monday, September 5th, diana@dianapeterfreund.com">Diana said
Oh, larissa! I cried when I read about your cat, and now I'm sobbing like a crazy woman upon hearing that he made it after all. Bless you and your family. I am so sorry for everything you've lost, but I am glad to hear that your cat is all right.
on Tuesday, September 6th, Sasha said
Whoo hooo. .
Here's to more happy surprises.
Stay strong , Larissa. (((hugs)))
on Tuesday, September 6th, Teresa said
Larissa, I'm so sorry for all the loss and the trouble with the insurance, but when I read about Felick I was soooo happy that he made it!
on Tuesday, September 6th, catherine said
Felicks made it! I'm so happy for you, it must lift your spirits tremendously. I cried when I read your earlier post worrying about him and the rising waters and what he must have been thinking, poor little guy. But this is a very happy outcome. I hope you have one with the insurance companies too now. I agree, send an email to Bill O'Reilly and any other TV presenters like him. They'd love a story like that to follow up on I'm sure.
Best of luck to you and your lovely family.
on Tuesday, September 6th, kacey said
Felicks!!! Yes!! What great news!
As for insurance, I swear that industry has more loopholes on how to get out of paying...that's terrible. Really terrible. I'm afraid tons of people are going to be in the same boat, so to speak. Hope you can get something worked out. Hang in there.
on Tuesday, September 6th, Toni Anderson said
So glad Felicks survived the storm
on Tuesday, September 6th, Margery Scott said
I'm so glad to hear you and your family (and Felicks) are safe. The whole situation is tragic, and I hope you do get some closure, difficult as it will be. Hugs!!!
on Tuesday, September 6th, Jaq said
I'm soo glad Felix made it!! And it's soo good to see this post from you. (((hugs))). I smell Class Action, regarding the insurers. I hope you're able to salvage some of those small momentoes that mean so much.
on Tuesday, September 6th, jennifer said
I'm so glad you and your family are all right - and Felicks!
When my house burned down we lost everything. It was a shock. That was thirty years ago - and there is nothing I lost that I miss or even think about anymore. But when the house burned down, my cat somehow survived. I still think of that and get a relieved, happy feeling.
on Tuesday, September 6th, Tori said
I'm so glad Felicks is okay!!!
Hugs on the losses and having to deal with the moronic insurance company! What a racket!!!
on Tuesday, September 6th, aboone0509@yahoo.com">Amy said
I'm so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately your story with the ins co will be heard over and over again. My family and I live here in Washington. If there is anything that we could send to your son that he needs for school or in general please let me know. I know my kids would love to feel that they have directly helped someone that has been affected by this terrible tragedy.
on Tuesday, September 6th, terri p said
Larissa, I am happy that this little blessing has has lightened (at least temporarily) your spirit.
Insurance companies stink. And you could not pay me enough to be that person on the other end of the line telling you and many others, I am sure that they are not covered due to a loophole.
My prayers are with you and yours.
on Tuesday, September 6th, glenicepowell@hotmail.com">Glenice said
OH THAT IS GREAT NEWS!!! I am so happy Felicks is OK!
I agree with Jan, you should get in touch with Bill O'Reilly!!!
I don't live in Washington, I am close, I am in Idaho, but yes, if you need anything for Brennan, Bryan or Larissa let me know! we too feel better helping people directly!
on Tuesday, September 6th, Ellen Fisher said
I'm so glad to hear Felicks made it!
The thing about flood insurance is, at least when I was in the insurance industry (ten years ago, admittedly), you couldn't get flood insurance if you weren't in a flood zone. It's simply not available. Which puts a whole lot of people like you in an absolutely untenable situation-- even if you'd wanted to purchase flood insurance, you couldn't have. It sucks:-(.
on Tuesday, September 6th, Joely said
Larissa, I'm so happy your cat made it! Hugs for the ordeal you face tomorrow and the insurance mess. We miss you.
on Tuesday, September 6th, Jodi L C said
Oh, Larissa, my heart is with you today and always, hon. I can't imagine how hard it is to set foot in that house. Wonderful amazing news on Felicks. That you all made it out safely is truly what matters most.
(((HUGS)))
on Tuesday, September 6th, Teresa said
Larissa - I'm soooooo glad Felicks made it! Sorry the house is such a mess and about the insurance company's idiocy. Many big hugs - I'm thinking of you.
on Tuesday, September 6th, Melissa Mc said
I'm so relieved Felicks made it! What wonderful news. Hugs and prayers on seeing your house.
on Tuesday, September 6th, Robin Bayne said
Hurrah for the cat!!! I've been worried about your cat since I first read your post!
on Wednesday, September 7th, Beth C said
Yay for Felicks!!! 
That's incredibly good news, Larissa. Bless the brave vet staff. Willing you strength for your trip home.
on Wednesday, September 7th, McKenna Jeffries said
My prayers are with you and you’re family.
McKenna
on Wednesday, September 7th, Meljean said
Incredible news about your kitty! I'm so glad.
I'm thinking of you as you go back to your home; take care.
on Wednesday, September 7th, empresskellie@msn.com">Kellie said
Larissa~
Good luck on seeing your home for the first time, I can't imagine that will be easy at all. I am so happy and relieved to hear that Felicks made it through not only Katrina, but his illness as well. I will continue to pray for you and please, please, PLEASE let me know if I can do anything at all for you and your family when you arrive in WA!
on Wednesday, September 7th, Cheryl said
WARNING: New reader sticking her nose in where it doesn't belong.
(And yes, I'm in the insurance industry, so bear with me.)
The definition of "flood" courtesy of dictionary.com is "An overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry." So what you experienced was flood. They might have called it a storm surge, but it's still flooding.
Most regular property insurance policies (even hurricane policies) will list flood as an exclusion. That's standard. The reason is that insurance companies were losing a ton of money from flooding, and so they were all pulling out of the flood insurance market. So that left people with no place to go to get flood coverage, especially in flood zones.
The federal government can't let something like that happen, so they created the National Flood Insurance Program, which is a part of FEMA (http://www.fema.gov/nfip). This is a cooperative of insurance carriers who pool their resources to provide a limited amount of coverage for flood zones. Anyone can purchase flood insurance from NFIP, as far as I know, even if they aren't in a flood zone.
Anyway, that's pretty much the only place anyone can get flood insurance. The government can't require any insurance company to provide flood insurance.
It's not fair, I agree. Unfortunately, it's how the system is set up.
I feel for your loss. I have friends and family living from Pascagoula to Gulfport who lost homes and businesses. This was a terrible, terrible thing that happened.
My thoughts and prayers are with you. When I read about poor Felicks a few days ago I shed some tears and prayed for him, too. I have a cat of my own and I'd be lost without her.
My best to you.
on Friday, September 9th, Bonnie Vanak said
Dear Larissa,
Hearing Felicks made it and is alive brought a smile to my face, the only one I've had all week. Hang in there. You're in for a long, tough haul, one the insurance companies are helping to make hellish, but you and your family will get through this.
on Saturday, September 10th, Wendywoo said
Oh God, I am so happy about Felicks! I know the devastation of your home must be horrific to deal with, but the news about Felicks is one good thing you can cling on to right now. I sincerely hope that you get some reparation from the insurance company.
Hang in there!
Love
Wendy
on Saturday, September 10th, Kate Hardy said
Larissa, so pleased that Felicks made it. And hugs on the devastation (and your little boy's fish - oh, I felt for you because I have two small children and they would've reacted the same way). I really hope your government steps in and covers what the insurance companies are clearly refusing to do. Flood is standard cover on UK household policies, but the premiums are pretty high for people living in areas that are known to flood. Most UK policies include a "legal advice" line which will give you free legal advice on a problem - if you have those or there's an equivalent to our "Citizens Advice Bureau", maybe they might be able to help? Hope you get some nice surprises heading your way.
