Do I have a defamation case

So yes you can file a defamation lawsuit against somebody who publishes false defamatory information about you to a third-party. But the larger question is how are you going to recover any money from her? Typically, homeowners insurance policies or renters insurance policies do not protect their insured against what is known as advertising injuries. That is a fancy way of identifying defamatory slanderous remarks. However, most businesses that have liability coverage do cover these types of torts. But I seriously doubt that she made these remarks in her capacity as an employee of a business. So by all means file a lawsuit against her in small claims court, and then you would limit your recovery to the jurisdictional amount of the small claims court. But at least it would force her to have to defend a lawsuit and to be exposed possibly to a small claims judgment. Good luck!