Smoking stogies landed me extra 5k!

So here is the bad part of the story: I live in northern VA but used to live in Knoxville TN and never sold the house I used to live in. I rent it out at a reasonable profit. Well it was built in the 40s and back then putting steel reinforcement in basement walls was not always done. Fast forward to a couple months ago when a lot of hurricaine rain made a portion of an already bulging basement wall collapse. Insurance company said "not covered" and the repair bill was 8k. Yikes!

So here is where it gets good...or at least better. I am in Knoxville a while back preparing the house for the next renters...cleaning, etc. and I decide head down to the old city for a relaxing stogie. While in there enjoying a Liga #9, I strike up a conversation with a guy who also owns some rental property in the same area as mine. He asks me if my "hail damage" from the spring was as bad as his. I mention I did not know of any hail storms. He says he (his insurance company) had to replace a number of roofs of his. So he says I should at least get mine inspected by my ins. co. Turns out I did have some damage and ins co. cut me a check for 5.1k. Nice! So now I will see how bad the roof damage is and if I do indeed have to replace it or just do a few minor repairs. Either way, an extra 5k to help with things is HUGE! Had I not made plans to relax with a good cigar, I would have never met the guy and gotten the idea to have my roof inspected. Chalk one up for the good guys and stogies!