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ALTADENA, Calif. () — A 100-year-old woman is out of her Altadena home due to the Eaton Fire, and now she says that insurance is giving her the runaround.
Mary McNair’s family says that State Farm should be ashamed of how difficult they say the insurer is making it for the centenarian to return to her home of six decades. They say the company is refusing to cover the needed repairs after the firestorm.
“It hurts me because I’ve watched her go from my grandmother to where she is now,” said Darshana McNair through tears.
The pain and frustration is palpable for Darshana and her 100-year-old grandmother.
“I feel really bad for her and State Farm, I’m angry with them,” Darshana said.
Like many others, the family has been fighting for insurance coverage since the deadly Eaton Fire roared through Altadena. Mary’s home of 60 years is still standing but suffered extensive damage due to the intense heat — her garage burned to the ground.
The family says that State Farm has been refusing to cover all the needed repairs.
“It’s been a nightmare…I think it was part of her having the stroke. The stress of it was tremendous for her cause it seems like she’s never gonna get back into her home,” said Mary’s daughter, Gloria Laird.
The centenarian, who lived on her own and was driving until she suffered a stroke last year, affecting her speech, only wants one thing — to go home.
Mary can’t return until the home has power. The family’s contractor said it has to be rewired.
“They melt down the whole wire system, and now, we’re not supposed to put any drop for the city, we have to go underground, and that’s a lot of money,” said Baron Alexander Martinez, of Baron Construction and Design.
He says it will cost around $30,000, and insurance is willing to pay $2,000.
7 reached out to State Farm. The insurer said, “State Farm has been actively working with our customer and her contractor to provide all available benefits under her policy. We will continue to work with her and her contractor to address her concerns and reconcile any differences in estimates.”
Mary’s family says they feel the longer the delays and continuing stress, the more this treasured great, great, great, great grandmother’s life is at risk.
“For people her age, I feel like they don’t give her the attention that they would somebody younger because, basically, they know stress her out and she could possibly leave here,” said Darshana.
After 7 reached out to State Farm, Mary’s family says the insurer reached out to them after several weeks of silence. State Farm is now scheduled to meet with the family’s contractor next week. Hopefully, Mary will soon be back in her home.
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