Doug Coull woke up early Wednesday morning to the smell of smoke.
"I grabbed my dogs and ran outside," said Coull.
He realized by the end of the day that he had lost everything. Coull also recalled he no longer had homeowners insurance.
"I had to rob Peter to pay Paul, the house was paid for so I figured I'd go without insurance for awhile," said Coull.
Coull was spending about $120 per month to protect his home. He is now forced to pay for the demolition costs on his own.
Lynne McChristian works with the Insurance Information Institute. She said some homeowners make the mistake of canceling their policy after they pay off the mortgage.
"What people make the mistake about is, when they think the requirement goes away, the risk goes away and it doesn't," said McChristian.
She recommends people on a tight budget speak with their agent about cheaper options or insure the home, but not the contents inside.
Coull's friends and family setup a GoFundMe account to help with his cleanup costs.
"I'm on a tight deadline and I'm worried," said Coull.
