I totally agree.

Some people are uninformed about the realities of what it takes to get insurance in other areas of the country. Plus, if your policy has ever been cancelled, it's hard to get affordable insurance from a reputable insurer--and you end up paying out of your nose for a substandard carrier.

To the person who called the flood victims "idiots" for not having flood insurance, here's an excerpt from a story in the paper today:

"Businesses in Carnegie, in particular, are facing a difficult time because they weren't eligible for flood insurance. Despite Chartiers Creek overflowing its banks 11 days ago, the borough's business district isn't considered to be in a flood plain, so insurance isn't available; regular business insurance doesn't cover damage caused by floods, so no one will reimburse them for their losses.

"These are not people who were told they needed flood insurance and decided they wanted to save a buck and didn't buy it," said Onorato, noting that as of yesterday, 1,060 businesses across the county reported flood damage."


Honestly, all I want is a retraction of the statement calling people idiots. I drive through this town every day, and even now, a week and a half later, it is an absolute mess. These people have also been told that they will not be able to receive ANY grant money.

You're out walking the street in a nice quiet neighborhood and get shot in the chest. Should I call you an idiot for not wearing a bulletproof vest?

My next door neighbor has home insurance/hurricane insurance with Allstate. After 3 storms ripped through our area in a month's period, I don't think there's a single person in the neighborhood who doesn't have extreme roof damage and most have interior water damage. My roommate's insurance (State Farm) gave her more than enough to cover the cost of fixing the damage. Our neighbor is not so lucky. Her second floor is sinking into her first floor. Her dry wall has turned to mush. Her roof has a hole in it. Allstate gave her $3500 which will probably only cover new paint to the interior. This is happening to people all across Florida where insurance companies are basically trying to find loopholes to give their customers as little money as possible. My neighbor had an independent contractor come out who estimated her damage at $28,000. :eek: She certainly doesn't have the money to pay that money for repairs and then feed her kids. She is asking FEMA for help. She had insurance coverage but Allstate isn't helping her. I suppose this makes her an idiot.

Look, guys, ktsnake was obviously wrong to refer to anyone as an "idiot" for the purposes of a natural disaster, even if he feels that way - it's outside their power to help being a part of it, so let's just get back to the topic.


Now that we've established a need for FEMA and disaster relief, the next step is deciding how much is enough. ZTAngel pointed out that, in her neighborhood, almost every house had severe damage - I would assume that is the case in large segments of both Florida coasts. Dani has given us a great first-hand account of the flooding in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas.

So now what? FEMA is intended to get local infrastructure on its feet, and provide assistance when able to keep people from using unsafe water and not having access to basic necessities - from those of you in the areas, is this happening?

I don't really buy the argument that "billions goes overseas" - I've already explained that there are billions of dollars going to the disaster relief, as well - but I would completely buy into it if these basic needs are not being addressed.

Also, what more needs to be done? If this immense number of people have damage to their homes, are low-to-no-interest loans an amicable solution for everyone? Or does the federal government have a duty to put up more money beyond the efforts of FEMA to restore infrastructure and basic services, and help these people rebuild? Does insurance, or lack thereof even play a part in this decision?

And if Allstate (or etc) is dicking over its customers, shouldn't we be on their ass, from a governmental standpoint? That's just awful.

Actually, the government probably helped finance the infrastructure in the first place. At least in terms of highways, government buildings, etc. Go read the construction signs in your nearest major highway "cone zone." It is also in the governments best interest to get utilities working ASAP -- particularly communications and power.

Otherwise, the government does a lot of things simply on a humanitarian basis. And, in reality, what is happening is that some of the victims tax money is simply being loaned or given back.

In terms of the insurance, it's a huge mistake not to have it. My impression is that most of the victims do -- but claims take time, and being for profit businesses, the inssurance company will do anything it can to save the bottom line. The other thing is that some folks simply can't afford it, and my suspicion is that, just like any other kind of insurance, once you put in a claim, the premiums will skyrocket.

I realize the election is over but I wanted to share this article:

Link

Allstate stops writing policies in Florida
In the wake of four hurricanes, the state's largest property insurer wants the Legislature to address deductible issues.
By Associated Press
Published November 12, 2004

NEW YORK - Stung by more than $1-billion in losses from this year's hurricanes, Allstate Corp. has stopped writing new homeowners' insurance policies in most of Florida until the Legislature makes some decisions about sharing future storm risks.

Allstate's chief executive officer, Edward Liddy, said Thursday the company lost $1.06-billion as a result of hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne hitting the southern United States, much of it in the company's Allstate Floridian unit.

The losses, he said, "wiped out all the profits" the unit had made on its Florida policies since Hurricane Andrew hit the state in 1992.

Insurance Services Office Inc., an actuarial firm, estimates the four hurricanes cost property and casualty insurers $20.5-billion, just more than the $20.3-billion that Andrew cost in inflation-adjusted terms.

This month, Allstate, the largest property casualty insurer in Florida, said it was tightening guidelines on new policies. Allstate is the one of the nation's largest home and auto insurers.

On Thursday, Liddy said that while Allstate Floridian was renewing existing policies, it wasn't writing new ones in most of the state until legislative issues were resolved.

"To keep adding capital until we know our relationship with the (state catastrophe) fund isn't prudent," he said.

The Legislature plans a special session next month to consider changes in property insurance laws. Gov. Jeb Bush and the state's chief financial officer, Tom Gallagher, are pushing to change a law that lets insurance companies charge separate deductibles for damage from different storms in the same season.

Many of the state's hurricane victims this year suffered through two or three storms and were hit for a large deductible for each.

Liddy said if the law is changed to limit insurance companies to collecting a single deductible per policyholder per season, then there should be a change in the way insurance companies are given access to the Florida hurricane catastrophe fund. The fund kicks in as a backup to insurance companies.

A proposal before the Legislature would lower the damage amount an insurance company must pay before it could get help from the catastrophe fund.

Liddy said that regardless of the outcome in the Legislature, Florida policyholders likely will see rate increases, especially in central parts of the state that had not in the past been consider major hurricane risk areas.

He also said he expected Allstate Floridian would have to buy more reinsurance. These are backup policies that insurance companies buy to spread risk.

Liddy emphasized that Allstate hopes to remain in Florida and other fast-growing states.

"You can't think of getting out of Florida. . . . You have to grow where the people are," he said.

Oh, boohoo, Allstate lost $1.06 billion in Florida. Not that they don't have billions more coming from customers in other states to cover that loss.

I have no sympathy for Allstate. After seeing how they screwed over friends, neighbors, and co-workers who have homeowners policies with them, I will NEVER buy any policy from that company. Refined thugs.