A question for Gulf Coast DUers ......

[Stinky The Clown]

Yesterday, a court held that the insurance companies can pull the old 'not covered shuffle' for damaged or destroyed properties down there. Wind damage is covered, but water damage isn't. The insurance companies dispatched forensics engineering companies to look into claims and most came down in favor of the insurance guys. If a homeowner (already devastated) want's to fight, they have to pay for their own engineer and then fight the (bottomless pocket) insureres to get even a chance to get some redress.

How's this playing down there? I'm particularly interested in the reaction of those loss sufferers who also voted for the bush boy. It seems to me that after all that went wrong during Katrina, this year-later shock should serve to pull the scabs off any healing wounds.

[AndyA]

1. I'd like to know, too. I guess the insurance companies are only selling

the semblance of security, since you feel good about being covered until you actually need it, then you find it's a fight to the bitter end to collect on it.

I don't think insurance companies should be able to get away with putting so many restrictions on policies. If the policy is being written in an area known for hurricane potential, it should be mandatory that that coverage is provided at a reasonable rate. Same for flood zones. Tornados, hail, etc.

Again, our elected representatives are doing the work of the big corporations, and not looking after the people who voted for them. We need to end the lobbying industry, take private money out of elections and campaigns, and restore some integrity to the political process.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Can we connect this to 'activist judges'?

Should we?

[AndyA]

8. Hey, if the excuse fits, wear it, right?

We're going to have to face it at some point: as Americans, our country is no longer functioning in the capacity our founding fathers meant for it to. It no longer nurtures, protects, and inspires the American way of life. We've allowed greedy corporations, unethical and criminal officials, and selfish politicians to call all the shots.

And they've been doing it for so long, they're GOOD at it. They can smile at us to our face, tell us how much they care and want to help, all the while knowing they're royally screwing us. We need to kick them good and hard in their hind quarters, and make sure they remember their dirty deeds for a long, long time.

The American people are going to have to get tough, and start holding people accountable for their actions. Nothing makes me angrier these days than to have someone say, "Oh, Senator so and so. Yeah, he's a big crook, but we've always known that. They are ALL BIG CROOKS."

So, why the f*ck are they in office if everyone knows they're such big crooks? We need to take our country back!

[lonehalf]

6. Maybe we should have "Hurricane Damage" insurance...

sold by the government - like "Flood insurance"

If the insurance companies won't provide it then the government should step in.

[AndyA]

9. Now there's a concept!

Of course, that would take someone who actually cares about people to make it happen.

Ever think of running for office? Seems America is fresh out of caring, honest, concerned representatives.

[Lochloosa]

12. lonehalf...off topic. Where is this "little bittie town" in N. Ga.

My wife and I are going to Hayesville, NC on Labor day to look for property. Is this close?

[larrysh]

7. Lived here all my life , I'm 51, and this problem isn't new......

After every major storm, the insurance companies have pulled this B.S.
The only difference this time is that anything having to do with Katrina
gets the publicity. Along the Gulf Coast, flood insurance is available and subsidized by the Fed. Govt. Same with people who have chosen (foolishly) to buy or build in known flood plains. But the purchase of this insurance is not required!!! One problem along the Texas Gulf Coast (I live in Houston), is the ton of old-timers we have who refuse to recognize the changing flood patterns that massive growth has caused. Had my parents been alive when Hurricane Rita came thru last year, I can guarantee they would not have evacuated. I can hear my dad now, "I've lived thru dozens of storms, and I'm not leaving my house!"

My wife and I also did not evacuate.

Had Rita struck Houston head on, my parents house would have been underwater. And sorry, this isn't a Bush thing, at least not here in Houston. Our flooding problems here are a direct result of massive
growth in a town with NO ZONING LAWS!!!!! And, if a developer builds a subdivision in the flood plain....it's Caveat Emptor!!!!!

[sandnsea]

10. Uhm, excuse me but

No zoning laws IS a Bush thing, or more specifically, a GOP thing or at the very least an anti-government backasswards thing. Just one more of the reasons I'll never live in the south. No matter how many times folks suffer from this shit, they still cling to the notion of no government being preferable to those damned liberal commie pinkos. I don't friggin' get it.

[Igel]

13. Houston has no zoning laws.

Apparently never has. Even under a dem administration, no zoning laws.

Makes for some very, very strange juxtapositioning, and for very strange building patterns. It took me a while to get used to the idea that what I'm driving by on a given block easily has no relation to what I'll see right around the corner.

I don't think this is true for most other cities in Texas, though.

[sandnsea]

14. "anti-government bassackwards thing"

That's why I included that phrase, it's as much a mentality as a political party thing, although fueled more by right wingers for the most part.

[waiting for hope]

3. I was in the New Orleans area over

Easter and it's not looking too good for Bush down there - Property Insurance is blaming flooding for damage and the federal flood insurance people are blaming the hurricane. There are so many that are being totally screwed and the feeling is you were better off not having insurance. BTW, it's mandatory to have both home owners and flood insurance in order to carry a mortgage.

[rudy23]

4. We should be using the term "corporate judges" as much as possible

Then again, we should be beating Repukes over the head with lots of issues that we aren't for some strange reason.

[BOSSHOG]

5. Not very well

In either Louisiana or Mississippi. Many People are beat down and becoming disenchanted with the process. Many are choosing not to rebuild solely because of their conflicts with insurance companies. And transportation costs have driven up the costs of building supplies. There is a lot of agitation in the summer heat down here. I can't speak for the dumbasses who trust our country to bush but I can share one of my favorite post-katrina quotes from my congressman Gene Taylor(D) Mississippi:

There should be a national registry of insurance executives like there is for sex offenders so you can know whether one lives next door to you.

[skids]

11. Back in the frontier days...

...a gambler that tried to take his money and leave after betting and losing it would be shot through before he got his hand off the back of his chair.