Funny, stuff like this is why I carry homeowners insurance. My policy will actually pay for alternative living space should the house become unlivable.
Why are we expecting taxpayers to pick up the cost?
The same should apply across the board, then.
Buy insurance or take your lumps.
Agreed there. IMHO the only time FEMA should step in is where insurance refuses to pay or in large-scale flooding events, in areas where people don’t have flood insurance, and that could even be done at a state level.
After the 1994 Northridge quake, the State Farm inspector carried something similar...he measured his way through the place during his inspection, and by the time we left he had the actual dollar figure on his estimated damage and repair costs.
We were dumbfounded, because the number was tens of thousands of dollars more than we would have estimated on our own.
The program would estimate everything from scaffolding for painting to carpeting in rooms where there had been broken glass to food spoiled during the power outages.
Absolutley right! Why would any sane homeowner not have their home insured? How the heck do they fail to insure under a requirement from mortgage lender to carry insurance?
Just curious, do you have flood insurance? It doesn't automatically come with "home owners", you have to pay extra for it.
Where I live in central Illinois, we are in a tornado prone area and we do have tornado coverage. I dropped my earth quake insurance years ago because there have never been any "damaging" earth quakes here but I believe I will pick it up again when I renew my insurance. Back then it was only about $35 per year, reflecting the fact that we don't get damaging earth quakes, it's probably not much more than that now.
On the other hand, my sister, living in New Madrid County, Missouri, pays an arm and a leg for earth quake coverage.
If a hurricane ever manages to get this far inland, I'll be in big trouble because I probably don't have coverage for that.
My whole point is, that everybody should be very aware what their home owners covers and what it specifically exempts from coverage, don't assume anything. (not you specifically but everybody)
Why are we expecting taxpayers to pick up the cost?
My first thoughts as well. Those tax dollars have to come from somewhere.
Those withoug insurance, should have bought it. Saving a few bucks a month, weighed against the value of replacing your homes seems to me to be penny wise and pound foolish.
Yes, there is a thing called insurance. Home,car, health, disability, general libility. I pay for all of these. Why not you too.