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Insurance company requesting itemized receipt from jailed contractor

5 years 7 months 5 days ago Wednesday, August 22 2018 Aug 22, 2018 August 22, 2018 6:55 PM August 22, 2018 in News
Source: WBRZ

GREENWELL SPRINGS - A homeowner is having trouble with her insurance company, which tells her it won't release her supplemental insurance money without an itemized receipt. There's only one problem: the person who might have that receipt is behind bars.

Vanessa Clymer says it's been a year-long battle and she can't get her insurance company, ASI, to budge.

"You know I'm not the type to run off, I need my house fixed," said Clymer.

While walking through her house, there's a reminder of what's left to be done. Electrical work, cabinetry, carpeting, kitchen appliances and a front door that's still water-logged.

Items she thought she had initially paid for when she forked over her insurance money to her contractor, TWG's Michael Simmers. Clymer says she found Simmers and hired him based off of a sign on the side of the road. Through installments, she says she gave Simmers $163,000, but Clymer values his work at less than $40,000.

"He said he was going to help me out, getting me extra money in my pocket," she said.

The opposite happened. Clymer's pockets are not empty since she says TWG took the money and ran. Simmers is behind bars facing fraud charges in multiple parishes and his company, TWG, is dissolved.

"Everybody we've contacted with TWG doesn't have anything on us," she said.

Most of the work inside Clymer's home was completed by her, friends, and other contractors. She took out loans and used her own paychecks to make things work.

She's tried to put the mess with TWG behind her, but for the last year, she's been in a battle with her insurance company, ASI, trying to get $55,000 in supplemental insurance money that's owed to her.

"They're wanting an itemized invoice from TWG to release my supplement," she said.

It's an invoice that might not exist. Clymer says she's given ASI everything she can think of, including receipts of everything she's purchased on her own and a police report. So far, the insurance company will not accept these documents and still requires an itemized receipt from TWG.

Without the supplemental insurance money, it's hard for Clymer to move on from the August 2016 flood.

Wednesday, 2 On Your Side contacted ASI and heard back. Someone with the company says it's looking into Clymer's claim and WBRZ expects to hear back soon. Simmers has a court date scheduled in Livingston Parish Monday, August 27.

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