ST. PETE, Fla. — Many residents in the Shore Acres neighborhood are now working to file insurance claims and remediate their homes after Hurricane Idalia brought inches of floodwater inside.

In an effort to help answer questions, Pinellas County is holding a webinar at 6 p.m. Monday where insurance experts will review tips for risk assessment, responsibility after a loss and managing the claims process.

Eileen Blackmer has owned her Shore Acres home since 1992. She and her late husband worked their whole lives for their home and they raised their kids there. To Blackmer, her home holds memories and is her slice of paradise.

“It’s definitely heartbreaking, because first you’re emotional,” she said.

Blackmer’s home flooded during Hurricane Josephine. For 20 years, she says she didn’t have any issues until Hurricane Eta. In 2020, she had to gut and completely redo her home after Eta flooded every room.

“Between Josephine and Eta we had over 20 years with no water in the house,’ she said. “So it wasn’t as heartbreaking as it is back to back.”

An insurance adjuster has already visited Blackmer’s home and she said even though the water from Idalia went higher then Eta, she’s slated to receive $30,000 less. She has both homeowners and flood insurance and says she’s in the process of going back and forth with the insurance company.

“You have to fight fight fight for something you paid for all those years,” she said. “You have to be your own advocate. My house is a big investment and my whole life I’ve been paying off my house.”

Blackmer says she’s also been struggling to get information from FEMA. Phone calls only direct her to their website, where she says she’s finding conflicting information and no answers.

“I can’t get clarification. I can’t get a clear answer,” she said.

Communication with the city, Blackmer says, hasn’t been much better. During the last storm, it took 11 months to receive a check from her insurance company and she’s already out thousands of dollars in remediation and temporary housing costs.

While her home is paid off, Blackmer says she’s willing to take out a mortgage to pay for upgrades as long as the insurance company does its part.

“I want to put in my part to stop this from happening… if they’ll put in their part,” she said.