MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — Even two months after Hurricane Beryl passed through Southeast Texas and left a trail of destruction behind, many people are still recovering.
That list of people includes a grandmother whose dream home was destroyed by a fallen tree.
But, that wasn't the worst of the situation for Phyllis Yankey.
As it turned out, due to an insurance mishap, her coverage lapsed right when Beryl hit.
Now, she has a warning so others don't have to go through what she's dealing with.
Like many grandparents, Yankey's version of the American Dream means living close to her grandchildren. So when one of her sons, who lives in Conroe, told her about a house that was for sale next door to his family, she jumped at the opportunity.
"I thought, 'Wow, It'd take a lot of work, but I think I like it.' And my son has a swimming pool next door and I said, 'I'd like that,'" she said.
So in January, she sold her condo in Kentucky and paid cash for her new home in Montgomery County. She said she called the same insurance company she had used for 52 years to start a new policy.
She paid her premium and then it was time to start the renovations -- new siding quickly went up and new floors and cabinets went in.
"The big shakeup was when I got my letter that said the insurance company would no longer insure me," she said.
She said the company blamed previous damage, making the house uninsurable.
Yankey started making calls but quickly learned that since she took the home down to the studs, she would need what's called builder's risk insurance.
"It's always the same thing -- when it goes to underwriters, they say they won't insure it. And I said, 'Well, am I the first person that's ever remodeled a house in poor condition?'" Yankey said.
She said that without another option, it became a race to finish the renovation as soon as possible and then buy a traditional homeowners policy.
On July 7, after about $70,000 and months of work, she was a week away from completing the renovations when she got a call.
Hurricane Beryl blew in, knocking down huge trees -- one of which destroyed her home and another that destroyed the garage where all of her belongings were being stored during construction.
"We all just shed a lot of tears. It was devastating," Yankey said.
Now, Yankey is rebuilding the home of her dreams all over again -- this time forced to pay tens of thousands of dollars out of her own pocket with the looming threat of hurricane season still hanging over her head.
"I think God will watch out for it this time. ... He is my insurance right now," she said.
Yankey said she wants her story out there so others don't get caught in the same situation.
According to attorneys who specialize in this kind of insurance law, there are things you can do to protect yourself.
First, have a good insurance agent and when you're talking to them, be upfront about plans to remodel or renovate and be specific about when you plan to move into the home. That will help determine what kind of policy is right for you.
Also, after you start your new homeowners' policy, wait at least 30 days before starting renovations. That should give your insurance company time to fully review your policy so you won't get a surprise denial after you've started doing work.
The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with rebuilding Yankey's home.