SEATTLE - During last December's wind storm, a 140-foot poplar ripped open the roof and enveloped the Denommee-Cronin house in West Seattle.

Nearly a year later, the house is still a wreck.

"There was a massive crack, one corner to other," said Gerard Denommee. "The whole sound in the house changed as it was split wide open and the rain as pouring down."

It was so bad, the fire department had to evacuate the family in the middle of the night. Yet their lowest moment came eight days after the storm, when Farmers Insurance offered them just $40,000 for repairs.  

"And then he brought us out to a nice lunch and handed us the $40,000 check and I was floored, horrified and in shock," said Kathi Cronin.

The family says Farmers refused to even look behind the walls or ceiling for damage.

"I want them to think about would they feel safe living in this house? Would they feel safe with their children or their grandchildren living in this house?" said Cronin.

Farmers Insurance spokesman Jerry Davies said "We will go look if there's further damage that is noted and that is paid, but it's not a matter of us trying to tell them that we will not look or not going to pay. That's not what Farmers does."

But Denommee and Cronin say that's exactly what Farmers did, so they hired their own adjuster, who estimated it would take more than $200,000 to fix the home.

"The claim is still open and we are negotiating and we have made a final offer because we would like to get this claim settled," said Davies.

For now, the family is living in a rental at Farmers' expense.

It's a different story for the Schultz family of Kirkland. They had a tree crash through their roof too. But they had to move home before repairs were complete.

They say their insurer, Allstate, cut off their living expenses, sticking them with a $3,000 hotel bill.

"They cut us off, totally without notice, without a phone call, without saying a word," said Angelina Schultz.

She says it was the final blow in a long list of insults. Their case was shuffled between four adjusters in four months. The home sat exposed, with only tarps covering the roof.

"My house got worse day in day out month after month," she said.

"The problem here has been Allstate, 100 percent Allstate," said attorney Pat Lepley, who is suing on behalf of the Schultz's.

"On a scale of one to 10, if 10 is the way a claim should be handled or good claims handling, .this claim would be about a one in terms of how Allstate handled it on behalf of the Schultz's," said Lepley.

Allstate won't discuss the Schultz claim but sent a statement saying "... Allstate has reimbursed our customer more than $100,000 for house repairs, replacement of possessions, and additional living expenses."

These families aren't alone. The KING 5 Investigators have found people all over Western Washington who say they were first blasted by the storm and then by their own insurance companies.

So far the Insurance Commissioner's Office faulted insurance companies for questionable or unacceptable behavior in at least 20 cases.

Trial attorneys say those figures don't accurately reflect the problem.

"And so rather than complain, they figure what good will it do. If the real amount of people did complain who have been abused, the superintendent's office would be inundated. They would be overwhelmed," said trial attorney David Berardinelli.

While the blame game continues, back in West Seattle, 3-and-a-half-year-old Phin Denommee just wants to know why, for a second year in a row, he won't be in his home for Christmas.

Both families say they are finally close to settling with their insurance companies.