Despite being insured, Chicago area homeowners on the hook for collapsed ceiling
BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. (CBS) – In one big ka-boom, the lives of a suburban husband and wife were turned upside down.
Their horrifying discovery at home only got worse. CBS 2's Lauren Victory explained the costly situation that left the homeowners on the hook.
It might be hard to guess, but Vassi and Dominick Saviano's house in Bloomingdale can only be decorated from the outside, because inside, not much is left.
They were recently standing in what was their living room, which looked much cleaner than it was six months ago.
"I couldn't open the door all the way because something was blocking it," Vassi said.
That something was caved-in drywall and fallen insulation. The couple had only left their house for a quick bite to eat.
"As we walked up the stairs, then you could see the whole ceiling was down on our furniture, on our drapes," Dominick said.
After that shock came another from their insurance provider.
"We are unable to provide coverage," said AllState, blaming wear and tear for the ceiling collapse. The tens of thousands of dollars in damage was all on the Savianos.
"He said that our attic wasn't maintained properly, and it was due to age, and it's just not covered," said Vassi.
The couple didn't understand. Their house didn't have any holes or cracks or water damage.
"How do you maintain an attic?" Vassi said. "If you open up the hatch, all you see is a sea of insulation."
They peppered AllState with questions, and eventually, the insurance company sent out a structural engineer to assess the collapsed ceiling. Then came a third shock.
"You can see where the glue is just kind of sloshed on there," Vassi said.
Glue was apparently used to attach the drywall to the beams above. The Savianos shared a copy of the engineer's report with CBS 2. In red, the expert noted areas with no glue at all. She also found spots where nails were spaced too far apart.
These issues meant the ceiling was inadequately supported.
"I was stunned," said Vassi.
They were stunned but encouraged. The expert's analysis determined the ceiling was improperly fastened when the house was built back in the early 1970s, some 20 years before the Savianos bought it.
"I felt like, hey, this confirms what we've been telling AllState all along," Vassi said. "It's not our fault!"
Unfortunately, she was wrong.
AllState doubled down on its decision to deny coverage. For months, the Savianos have been living out of suitcases and sleeping bags at their son's condo, where CBS 2 interviewed them. The couple feels confined and confused.
"How can we be responsible for construction from 52 years ago?" Dominick said.
Janet Ruiz, from the Insurance Information Institute, an organization that partners with insurance companies to teach the public about insurance basics, said many homes have construction flaws.
"When you have an insurance policy on your home, you are covered for specific losses: fire, wind, theft," Ruiz said.
Construction defects from 1971 that lead to collapsed ceilings in 2023 are likely not to be going to be covered by any insurer, Ruiz said.
"So that is super unfortunate, but it happened over a period of time," she said. "So it is wear and tear on your home."
The Savianos discovered other areas of their home hanging on by a thread. They don't know when they'll be able to move back in.
"It's sad, very sad," Vassi said.
Dominick added, "Depressing."
The Bloomingdale family said the same company that built their home built many of their neighbors' houses, so they wonder if other homeowners should be worried about ceiling collapses.
CBS 2 was invited inside by another homeowner on the same block who showed cracks forming on her ceiling. The cracks form a T-shape as if it were buckling where the drywall is.
As for the Savianos, the costs have been adding up. Suing the builder would be an option, but they said that the company from 50 years ago no longer exists.
Victory: "What is your hope with doing a news interview?"
Vassi: "Well, my hope is to, you know, educate the public."
It's a lesson that one never knows what's happening behind closed doors.
AllState stood buy its decision to deny coverage to the Savianos. CBS 2 asked what other homeowners with construction defects can do to protect themselves, but AllState didn't answer that question.
Ruiz, the insurance expert, suggested people with older houses look into home warranties. CBS 2 did some research and couldn't find any that would cover wear and tear that leads to a collapsed ceiling.