Posted on 10/03/2024 2:56:47 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
In Buncombe County, N.C., where an entire town disappeared beneath floodwaters, less than 1 percent of households had flood insurance. In Unicoi County, Tenn., where dozens of residents were stranded atop a hospital roof as waters rose, it was under 2 percent.
On average, just a tiny fraction of households in the inland counties hit hardest by Hurricane Helene had flood insurance, according to a Washington Post analysis of recent data from the National Flood Insurance Program. Across seven affected states, only 0.8 percent of homes in inland counties affected by the hurricane had flood insurance. By contrast, 21 percent of homes in coastal counties in those areas had coverage.
The Post estimated the share of homes with flood insurance by using policy counts as of Oct. 1 provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and housing unit counts from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Experts say that lack of insurance will prove deeply damaging for those households in the years to come. Available disaster assistance funds are largely intended to pay for temporary shelter, food and water — not to rebuild homes. And thanks to a combination of outdated policies and high prices, most people don’t know they should enroll in flood insurance — or can’t afford it.
Without insurance, people struck by floods have to rely on a network of complicated federal programs or aid from nonprofits to rebuild their lives. The Individual Assistance Program, run by FEMA, can help provide urgent resources but is capped at around $42,500 for housing and $42,500 for other costs. Most recipients get far less. As of Thursday morning, FEMA listed 108 counties in five states where people are eligible for this aid.
“It’s something people don’t want to think about,” said Craig Landry, a professor of agricultural and applied economics...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Exactly what I am doing. Hurricane Helene knocked a few shingles off from roof. In my younger days I would easily repair it myself. At age 84, and with good assets in my name, I had a roofer do it for $1050. I dropped home insurance a few years back. Money saved on insurance will pay lot of repairs. I am not in Flood zone anyway.
Don’t forget not paying insurance premiums.
In most cases unusual and unlucky hit from a hurricane won’t destroy entire well built house. Make sure you are not in a flood zone. Flood will damage more than wind.
Helene skirted my area and took out a dozen shingles from roof. I put a temporary patch on it to prevent water damage. Hired a roofer to replace shingles for $1050. I save more than that amount every year for not carrying home insurance.
“I say put away $50k to clean up the mess and sell the lot.”
It is in North cackalacky dude...
Call around and get a bulldozer and put everything in a big pile, burn it, bury the ashes and then rent the property out to somebody who needs a little extra space for some cattle.
Shovel the sand and muck back out, run a dehumidifier, fresh paint, new (2) window units, and you're back in business. 200 mph wind won't hurt them.
They weren't meant to be luxury. 60 Amp service at the main panel. A gas log fireplace. Nothing on the walls. No carpets or flooring. Just a place to sleep and make a few meals. It's Florida. You're supposed to be outside, on the beach, fishing at night, and being a bum.
They are harder and harder to find. I lived in one for years. No showcase for sure. Rented it for $225 a month. 2 bedrooms, one bath, big kitchen, outside shed for a laundry. No dryer(you're in Florida) just a clothes line. The shed served as laundry and fish cleaning station, with gray water going right into the sandy yard.
Then things there went nutz in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. Toothpicks, T-111, blocks, and pitch roofs with shingles. WTF?
The high purity quartz is found only in a small area around Spruce Pine.
So it would have looked awfully suspicious to just erase Spruce Pine from the maps.
Plausible deniability.
( there is a chance they found more in the area, no?)
The lithium is everywhere.
There is no reason for it to be a separate insurance.
Good mutual funds
Thanks.
There you are!
I have been praying for you, knowing that you are in the Appalachians.
Hope you had minimal damage.
I agree with the point, but don’t forget that the government gets the premiums for the flood insurance.
I bought the house I live in last year, the house is above the 100 year flood plain. The lake I’m on had never gone over 106 feet, normal is 96, Duke controls the level through the dam on the lake. Helene brought it up to 108.5, another foot vertically, and it would have reached my kitchen floor.
I reached out on Monday to get flood insurance, the premiums were significantly higher than my homeowners insurance. What’s more likely, a structural fire or a 1000 year flood?
That's true. I lived in what was considered a coastal county because it touched the bay even though my house was 50 miles from the coast, in Texas by the way. About five years after I bought the house, the insurance companies decided they weren't going to cover hurricanes or wind/hailstorms. Were forced to buy windstorm insurance from the state on top of regular homeowners insurance. Needless to say it was twice as much as homeowners. The premiums were close to $4000 a year when we moved and since then have increased with some of our neighbors now paying close to $8000 a year, and these are just typical middle-class houses.
Homes built around Miami’s airport are built like that.
The south Florida building code is the strictest in the nation. Home built in the 50s & 60s are tanks.
Today’s local regulations probably will not allow to build a house like you lived in. But those type of houses make good sense in hurricane country.
Nothing really happened here but the usual annoying rain and mud.
I’m a mile from the river and the mountain runoff mostly keeps itself to the dry run parallel to my house.
The sketchy part is I live in a boggy holler and the underground springs are really close to the surface.
Ground won’t abide “ extra” water.
When Arthur the Doberman’s bucket was low, he’d just go over to the big ol weeping willow in the lowest part of the yard and dig a few inches until he got himself a drink.
Even during a drought ( which we never have anymore, having become pretty much a rain forest) you could kick a couple clods of dirt up and see water.
I have only have blood family in Gatlinburg but all these people are my honorary kinfolk.
I can’t explain that.
It’s a Hillbilly Thing.
:(
My parents had one in a development in suburban Philadelphia. I lived in one in Vero Beach. Sort of like above ground bomb shelters, which makes sense because they were built just after WWII. The returning GI’s were the labor that built them.
Sounds like you live on top of a sponge. I went from sponge (NC)to the bone dry desert. The winters here are easier on my bones but I miss being able to grow just about anything.
And I know what you mean about family. I am redneck hillbilly myself. And cannot imagine living any other way.
I am glad that your holler was spared. 30” of rain all at one time is a disaster. Continued prayers for all those affected by Helene.
We have a townhouse very close to Trinity Bay. We got over 50 inches of rain during Harvey be didn’t even come close to having water in the house. They is a pretty good-sized drainage ditch close to the bay and our unit is about 3-4’ above the surrounding area. Had some in the garage, bit that was it.
Still keeping our flood and hurricane insurance.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.