Eaton Fire victim finally gets help from State Farm after lengthy insurance battle

ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- Many fire victims are finding getting paid by their insurance companies to rebuild is a never-ending battle.

That's been the case for one Altadena homeowner. But thanks to ABC7, she's finally getting the help she needs.

Rachel Telleria is a victim of the Eaton Fire. The roof of her home was ripped off from strong winds. Days later, her home sustained heavy water damage from the rain after she said State Farm refused to patch it.

Speaking with ABC7 on Tuesday, Telleria said State Farm was only willing to pay a quarter of the money it cost to fix the damage.

But less than an hour after the story aired, she said she got a call from State Farm.

"They were offering up the testing that I've been begging for, they offered to pay for the roof," she said on Wednesday. "They reassigned me to someone that would in her words, 'would move my claim along.' It was unbelievable."

Despite the thousands of dollars worth of damage, Telleria knows she's one of the lucky ones. Her house is still standing - unlike many of her neighbors. But because of that damage, she hasn't been able to live at home. She's moved 10 times in four months.

"You guys are a life-saver," Telleria told an ABC7 reporter. "If it wasn't for you, we probably would not be back in our house until after the summer. I am so optimistic that we're going to get back in, probably in a month and a half."

A statement from State Farm said in part:

"... Our focus continues to be on supporting our customers in their recovery from the largest fire event we have ever experienced in the state. Our claim handlers remain on the ground assisting customers with their claims..."

State Farm said it has paid out more than $3.5 billion since the fires and is still working on more than 12,000 claims.