Babylon Home Left Hanging After FEMA Denies Insurance Claim

A Babylon Village family has been left with their home hanging in the air – quite literally – after their insurance claim was denied by FEMA.

According to WABC-7, the Bein family has been trying to renovate and fix their home nearly nine months since Hurricane Sandy blew many feet of water into their home.

After speaking with their insurance company, the Beins went ahead with the expensive lifting process, taking their two-story home eight more feet into the air and costing them $117,000 in money borrowed from friends and family.

That's when the bad news came – FEMA would not be approving the insurance claim to foot the bill.

"It's a nightmare, it's a living nightmare every single day," said George Bein, the homeowner. "There's no help."

FEMA, in charge of administering flood insurance claims after Sandy, told the family they would not be able to make additional payments because the program does not cover the loss of property caused directly by earth movement, even if caused by a flood.

With no money coming in from FEMA or their insurance, the Bein's home at 27 Milton Avenue has been left hanging in the air.

The interior of the house is gutted, awaiting contractors to complete the work. But the contractors need the home to be fitted to a new foundation before they start their work.

"We've always done the right thing. I had the insurance I was supposed to have," said resident Christine Bein. "How am I going to go broke now when I did everything I was supposed to."

Adding to the frustration is the fractured state of their own family – the kids and pets are all living separately since the storm hit and seeing each other is its own difficulty.

"It's weird being away from my family for so long," their son Robert told WABC. "I only see them once a weekend."

FEMA told WABC the family can file an appeal and FEMA would have 90 days to review it.