KINGWOOD, Texas (KTRK) – Peggy Barrantes moved into her daughter and son-in-law’s home in Kingwood in May.

Previously she lived in Costa Rica.

When Hurricane Beryl struck on July 8, Barrantes was in her upstairs bedroom, but at some point she decided to go downstairs and get some yarn to knit.

Her son-in-law, Jorge Garcia, said it turned out to be a life-saving decision.

“Honestly, it saved us,” he said of the yarn.

According to Garcia, a huge pine tree crashed into Barrante’s room while she was downstairs.

Garcia said she was only out of the room briefly and plans to return as soon as she has what she needs.

Although all of the building’s residents are now safe and healthy, the same cannot be said of the building structure itself.

The fallen tree severely damaged the roof, walls, several rooms and a garden fence.

Garcia said it also ruined the heater in his attic.

He turned to ABC13 for help because his insurance only offered him about $8,400 for the repairs.

This is after the deductible and the depreciation have been deducted from the gross amount.

“I couldn’t even be mad at her,” Garcia sighed as he discussed the situation.

He said FEMA offered him a $177,000 loan to cover the cost of repairs, but he is still hesitant to borrow money.

He believes that his insurance should cover the cost of repairs.

We have contacted this company but are not disclosing its name at this time.

What should someone do if they feel they are not getting enough from their insurance company?

Ben Gonzalez is a spokesman for the Texas Department of Insurance, a state agency that regulates the insurance industry.

“Unfortunately, this is not an easy process for the consumer,” Gonzalez said. “Especially when there are many claims pending.”

Gonzalez said the first step is to contact your insurance provider and explain why you disagree with their assessment.

He also said you could hire a public insurance adjuster to assist you in negotiations, but warned that this would come at a cost to you regardless of the outcome.

Garcia said he did both.

You can also file a formal complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance.

That agency will contact your insurance company directly after you submit your claim, but Gonzalez said that because of the back and forth in the process, it can take some time to get the outcome.

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