Posted on 12/16/2005 4:33:38 AM PST by WKB
GULFPORT - U.S. Sen. Trent Lott and wife Tricia are suing State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. over its refusal to cover the loss of their Pascagoula home to Hurricane Katrina.
The Lotts' suit, filed today in U.S. District Court, accuses the insurance company of fraud for denying coverage based on a "flood" exemption and asks that the court order the claim paid. It further asks that the insurance company be prohibited from using the flood exemption to deny coverage.
Attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs is representing his sister and brother-in-law in the lawsuit.
The Lotts paid insurance premiums for more than 40 years, according to the lawsuit, believing they would be covered for all losses caused by a hurricane. Katrina left a slab where their waterfront home once stood.
Homeowner's insurance policies in Mississippi and other states cover wind damage but typically include language to exclude flood damage, whether or not it is caused by wind-driven water.
The lawsuit argues that the storm surge was part of the hurricane and can't be considered flooding. It also points out that, under established law in Mississippi, when wind is considered to the "proximate" cause of damage, a claim should be paid even if other factors contributed to the loss.
If I remember correctly, Trent Lott's brother is one of those Mississippi lawyers who specializes in extortion from insurance companies. Correct?
If the storm surge was destroying houses 30 miles inland there must have been a 5000 ft storm surge on the coast!
This distance from the "Coast" has nothing to do with flood risk.
ME THINKS TRENTIE LOTT DID NOT PAY THE PREMIUM FOR THE COVERAGE HE ARE ASKING.
SHUT-UP AND GROW-UP.
IF SENATOR LOTT IS THAT BLOODY STUPID... HE NEEDS TO RESIGN FROM THE SENATE.
ISN'T IT INTERESTING HOW FAR... THE I WANTS SOMETING FUR NUTIN' MENTALITY HAS CREAPED INTO OUR THROUGHLY MODERN AMERICA. RESPONSIBILITY MUST HAVE BEEN TOTALLY REMOVED THE THE DICTIONARY.
A SAD A**ED DAY IT IS.
"If insurance is not available, mortgage companies will not assume the risk. Coastal construction will cease to exist."
And the problem with that would be...?
It's pretty bad over here. There was some flooding in Calcasieu Parish but the damage here is from tornadoes. I know that the damage in my neighborhood was from a tornado. I know because my cranky old neighbor stayed and saw the tornado jump my street. There were so many tornadoes they quit counting at about 200 I believe. There's no excuse for the way the insurance adjustors are estimating the damage.
I am betting that this will never go to trial. Because of who he is, State Farm will quietly give him a check to cover his losses and a few bucks more and the lawsuit will be dropped.
BFLR
Twenty years ago, all beach housing was basically of a disposable nature. Now morons are building 5000 square foot McMansions twenty feet up the beach from the mean high tide. Now they expect everybody else to pay for their stupidity.
So what exactly does hurricane insurance cover?
Floods are always caused by something else, like rain, snow, and wind. I never heard of a flood happening for no other reason. A nice sunny day, and suddenly a flood happens?
If you like the good people of the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast will give up their home with no insurance and move to Montana where they will never be struck by a hurricane.
However, we will also shut down 30% of the domestic oil and gas production and 65% of the nation's refining capacity and you will be paying $15.00 a gallon for gas.
Will That Make You Happy?
Once again GMTA.
I lived on the Gulf Coast only a few years but knew about flood non-coverage from the very first phone call I made looking for hurrican insurance. Yet we're supposed to believe this guy's been living there, and paying on this policy, nearly half a century and didn't know?
Yeah, right. And I'll take vanilla.
There were only 36 tornadoes associated with Katrina, and not a SINGLE Katrina tornado anywhere in Louisiana.
What I wonder, since the article says there is nothing left but the foundation, did the wind blow it away or did it wash away? Seems to me it would be easy to say the wind blew it away before the water came.
Thank you very much for that information. My home is located so that flood damage is unlikely, but I will check the sewer and earthquake provisions. (Don't think an earthquake is likely in this area either, but that just means it should be cheap, right?)
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.