CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. – A Clayton County woman claims her insurance agent withheld money that was supposed to go toward her home insurance policy, leaving her without coverage.

Now, Clayton County Police are looking into the incident.

“I felt like I was going to lose my house because I didn’t have homeowners insurance,” Mary Morton told FOX 5.

For Morton, buying a new home in a new town felt like the start of an exciting new chapter. That excitement was quickly overshadowed after he moved in earlier this year.

“We lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, and we moved here because I wanted an opportunity for my business,” she recalled. “From April to July it was a great experience until I had to apply.”

That claim that was filed for a water leak that contractors found in her home led her to discover that she was uninsured.

Morton says the $1,400 check that was supposed to be made out to her insurance company never made it into their account.

“When I was trying to find a claim, they couldn’t find my name in the system,” she said.

She told FOX 5 the insurance agent recommended by her mortgage company never sent the check. When she contacted this, the agent told her it was an “error”.

“She said she forgot and was going to rush out and get a policy for me,” Morton explained.

She says that after weeks of reaching out for updates, she stopped hearing back. That water leak eventually brought mold, which she says she had to pay out of pocket to fix.

“I have a child who has breathing problems,” she said. “That caused me a lot of anxiety.”

She filed a report with Clayton County police in August, charging the agent with theft by deception and identity fraud.

When he posted about it on Nextdoor, he found out he wasn’t the only homeowner in this situation.

“I filed a complaint with the insurance commission about her insurance license,” she stated. “There are a total of five victims who contacted me. Everyone is lost without insurance.”

Morton says she eventually got her money back after going to the police, but the total annual cost of her insurance tripled after she got a new policy.

He is now urging others looking to buy to keep a closer eye on who is handling their money and, if possible, deal directly with their insurance company.

In response to a request for comment, the agent told FOX 5 that Morton’s claim is being investigated by her professional indemnity insurance carrier and that they are also contesting Morton.

“…other alleged victims received reimbursements from their insurance carriers a year and a half ago,” the agent’s statement read in part. “We are making every effort to ensure that situations like this do not occur again.”