Florida couple still homeless despite insurance and FEMA aid after 2024 storms
A Florida couple who had both flood and homeowners insurance received limited payouts from their insurer and FEMA, leaving them unable to rebuild two years after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Jennifer and RJ Garbowicz, who owned a home in Florida, maintained both flood and homeowners policies before the 2024 hurricane season, paying between $18,000 and $20,000 each year. After Hurricane Helene flooded their house and Hurricane Milton damaged the roof, FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program issued the maximum $250,000, but the mortgage lender retained most of it, leaving the couple with only $50,000 for rebuilding.
Their homeowners insurer is still negotiating a claim, and after four appeals they secured an additional FEMA disaster grant of $33,000, which they later had to repay to qualify for an SBA loan. The loan itself is being held up, forcing the Garbowiczes to cover the remaining gap with personal funds. They have traveled to Washington, D.C., with the Extreme Weather Survivors group to lobby for the FEMA Act, a House proposal aimed at overhauling disaster assistance. The couple estimates another 18-24 months of reconstruction ahead, still living on an empty lot.
Why it matters
The story highlights gaps in disaster aid that leave insured homeowners unable to recover after major storms.
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