Navigating insurance after the Austin house explosion

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As the investigation into what caused a north Austin house to explode and collapse Sunday continues, dozens who experienced collateral damage are navigating the insurance process.

"Just was asking questions to see how someone could help support us and more importantly the community that's here," said Ryan Leer. He lives around the corner from the Double Spur Loop that exploded. "I don't have it as bad as everybody else here, but there are some repairs that I would like to get done sooner rather than later, and I've been told not to do anything until the insurance company does come out."

While a house blowing up is - at face value - an anomaly, Rich Johnson with the Insurance Council of Texas said when it comes to the insurance process, it's pretty standard.

"It's similar to when you have a storm and a neighbor's tree falls on your house -- your insurance will cover that, not your neighbor's. Unless of course, there was some kind of negligence," he said.

That type of information will not come to light until the investigation wraps up.

KXAN learned Tuesday from the general contractor of the home that the house "received its final inspection and certificate of occupancy on March 28." Johnson said the coverage of the home that exploded would depend on when exactly the owners took out a policy.

As for Leer, he's taking on the insurance process with perspective.

"How much you should appreciate everything that you have because it can change very quickly, and figuring out what we can do to help the people more impacted than we are," Leer said.