Damion Cantu, left, with Iron Workers Union Local 135 and Jerry Bynum, right, with Pipe Fitters Local Union 211 work to remove a fallen pecan tree as they and other union member volunteers work to clear Hurricane Beryl debris from the East Aldine home of Lynn Williams Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Houston.

It's not like we needed more stress after Hurricane Beryl, but Houston is a screaming example of how bad things happen in threes.

First, it was Hurricane Beryl itself. A monster of a Category 1 storm. Second, there was no electricity for days and days with scorching temperatures.

The third is haggling with your insurer over damages and settlements. I know that stress well. During the 2021 winter storm, my then-insurance company offered me $80 after a pipe burst through a kitchen ceiling. I contested, and it took three years to settle.

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READER SURVEY: How are Hurricane Beryl recovery efforts going for you?

This time, I don't have the spark to fight. So when the adjuster determined Beryl's........

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