BOONE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – A Boone couple's home is one of thousands destroyed by a landslide caused by Hurricane Helene. Just days after the storm, their insurance company canceled their homeowner's policy — even though the couple didn't have landslide insurance or the company even sold it.

Now the couple is hoping to raise money through donations to help with bills and cleanup.

“That was the kitchen window right there. And that was the bathroom. And in the back bedroom,” Scott Richardson said.

He and his wife, Meta Gatschenberger, took a few seconds to imagine what their home of 25 years looked like now. They say their home was ripped off its foundation eight days ago in a mudslide during Hurricane Helene.

Staying here is considered unsafe.

“It’s a good thing we weren’t home,” Richardson said.

They had basic homeowner's insurance, including fire and theft, but no landslide or flood insurance. In seven affected states, less than 1 percent of homes in inland counties affected by the storm had flood insurance, according to the National Flood Insurance Program.

“If it’s just five dollars more for everyone, throw it in there. For some it may be the rare one in 10,000 who uses it. It would cover it,” Richardson said.

He believes this should be embedded in every policy.

In North Carolina and many other states, flood insurance is not required unless the bank requires it. But Mike Causey, commissioner of the North Carolina Department of Insurance, says if it rains where you live, you need flood insurance.

“What we learned from Hurricane Florence is that in 2018 we had almost 200,000 homeowners who lost their homes and had no insurance,” Causey said.

The FEMA website states: “Flooding can happen anywhere – just one inch of floodwater can cause up to $25,000 in damage“

The couple says this home was worth $416,000 and owned less than $70,000.

“It drained our savings. We have to have a place to live now; We have a tiny little apartment. And we pay for it too, and we're retired. We’re on Social Security, a fixed income,” Richardson said.

The couple started a GoFundMe to raise money for home expenses and cleanup. They are about $65,000 away from their goal.

Commissioner Causey is examining how a comprehensive policy that includes flooding would help homeowners in the long term.

“That would be the choice that the broker would put in front of the consumer and say, understand that if you don't have this comprehensive plan, none of these things are covered. And people might say, 'Well, I'm willing to take the risk or not,'” he said.

It's still shocking for Meta.

“It's unbelievable. Like it was someone else’s house,” she said.

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