NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A winter storm that left thousands without power across Middle Tennessee has devastated a local plant business, with the owner now battling her insurance company after initially being told she was covered for what she estimates as more than $100,000 in losses.
Kim Daft, owner of Lawrence and Clarke Cacti Co. in Old Hickory, lost her entire inventory when the power went out during the storm. Despite her preparations — taping doors shut to block drafts and moving plants away from exterior walls — the cold air seeped in overnight, killing all her plants.
"These are all bags of dead plants. This is all dead inventory," Daft said, surveying the damage. "We can't sell damaged inventory."
Daft didn't realize she had lost power until the next morning, when the damage was already done. Though people offered generators, it was too late to save her business.
Initially, her insurance company, State Farm, told her she was covered for the loss.
"And so they told us we were good to throw away the dead plants, give away the survivors in anticipation that they may have a new life if they recover from their cold damage. And so we were really grateful," Daft said.
But then came a devastating reversal. State Farm called back with different news.
"Plant damage is actually going to be considered spoilage. And that you didn't have utility interruption on your loss of income. So we went from being fully made whole to getting absolutely nothing," Daft said through tears.
"And it was basically the death of my business in a five-minute phone call."
Daft turned to social media to share her story, and support began pouring in from the community — the same kindness she has always shown others. I first met Daft during Christmas 2024 as she was preparing to give free plants to teachers for their classrooms.
"I get to incorporate my free plants into our science units, and because my children spend more waking hours in the classroom than they do at home during the school year," one teacher said.
That generosity came back to her. In less than 24 hours, Daft closed her GoFundMe campaign after surpassing her goal.
"We love what we do here. We love loving on people. And I just felt like everything I've ever put out there was sent back a millionfold," Daft said.
As she plans to reopen Saturday, Daft says she's still fighting State Farm's decision.
A State Farm spokesperson provided this statement: "Due to our customer privacy policy, we can't discuss the specific details of our customer's claim. What we can share is that we're in touch with our customer and will continue working with them directly. With every claim, we review what happened, identify any coverage that may apply, and pay all benefits available under the policy.
"On your general question about 'spoilage': insurance policies are based on the cause of loss. A standard businessowners policy typically covers many types of direct physical damage—like fire, wind, or hail. Other losses, such as spoilage caused by temperature changes or a power outage, are often covered through optional endorsements that a business can choose to add. Coverage depends on the specific policy and the endorsements the business selected."
If your insurance claim gets denied and you believe it's a mistake, the state Department of Commerce and Insurance can help. On their website, under "Consumer Resources," click "File a Complaint."
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@NewsChannel5.com
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