Batch of homeowner insurance settlements 'lost in transit,' affecting Tampa hurricane victim

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A company that processes insurance settlement checks for insurance companies confirms some homeowners' checks were "lost in transit."

One of those "lost" checks belongs to Rocky Shirey, whose south Tampa house was flooded by Hurricane Helene.

"I said one of two things are true," Shirey said. "Either the check is lost or you are withholding the money from me."

Shirey's insurance company approved a settlement for $192,070, paid in installments, but when the first check for $62,000 failed to arrive, the company that processes the checks said they didn't know where it was.

The checks were to come from InsuranceClaimCheck.com, owned by Assurant, and Shirey said he was told his check wasn't the only one missing.

"A batch means more than just one, so that prompted me to want to alert you because they may be other families and other households in the Tampa Bay area that are impacted because of this problem," he said.

Shirey said the company didn't give him a straight answer as to where the check was so he called Better Call Behnken.

Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken reached out to Assurant and was sent this statement:

This was an unfortunate and isolated situation where a small number of checks were lost in transit. Once aware of the situation, we expedited and confirmed receipt of Mr. Shirey's claim payment via wire transfer. We also proactively contacted the remaining customers who may also have been impacted. Hurricane Helene has caused hardship for many individuals and families, and we empathize with homeowners during this difficult time. Our priority is to ensure customers receive critical claim support to assist them on their path to restoring property and peace of mind.

Shirey said he received his money days after his call to Better Call Behnken, and he's hopeful this story also helped the owners of the other missing checks.

"Team Behnken delivered," he said. "We really appreciate your help for us personally but more importantly to get the word out to the larger community."