Insurance rep fights Crist proposals

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Insurance rep fights Crist proposals

#1 Postby Aquawind » Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:12 pm

Governor called wrong to want lower premiums

By Paige St. John
news-press.com capital bureau
Originally posted on January 05, 2007


TALLAHASSEE — Opposition to insurance reforms offered by Gov. Charlie Crist rose a notch Thursday from one of Florida’s most powerful business lobbies.

Warning of a “meltdown” and “financial house of cards,” Barney Bishop, who heads Associated Industries of Florida, blasted proposals to force insurers to lower premiums and underwrite more risk.

“It is easy to blame insurance companies for our problems, but if Floridians are to enjoy a healthy and competitive insurance marketplace, the governor and the Legislature must be careful to send the right message,” Bishop said.

Repeatedly, he warned against measures that insurance companies might consider punitive and that would hurt Florida’s growth-based economy.

“I hope those insurance companies make a profit, because if they don’t make a profit, they’re not going to have investors, and if they don’t have investors, you and I don’t have insurance,” Bishop said.

The Legislature is scheduled to meet in special session beginning Jan. 16 to take up the issue of insurance reform, which was a central theme in Crist’s campaign for governor.

Crist called Associated Industries’ position “unfortunate.”

“You have rates that are exorbitantly high. That’s obviously a problem,” Crist said.
“My greatest concern is that rates be lower.”

Crist adviser Randy Johnson, a former House member who ran unsuccessfully last year for CFO, said the new governor understands that lowering premiums is an important issue for Floridians.

“I love the fact that he is not backing down on that issue,” Johnson said.

Crist promised to fight for lower rates, to require national insurers to eliminate
Florida-only subsidiaries and to force auto insurers to write homeowner policies in Florida if they offer them in other states.

Bishop was careful not to criticize Crist specifically or his agenda but did describe ideas that are among his proposals as “knee-jerk reactions.”

Instead, Bishop called for “truthfulness.”

He said consumers should be told there is little Florida can do to immediately lower painful insurance rates.

Bishop’s group has organized the Florida Hurricane Crisis Coalition, which includes the Florida Association of Realtors and Florida Health Care Association, a nursing home lobby.

The coalition is co-chaired by the American Insurance Association
.

“There are no short-term solutions, only long-term opportunities,” said Bill Phelan, of the Florida Health Care Association.

The group’s proposals include higher rates at Citizens Property Insurance, limited expansion of the state Hurricane Catastrophe Fund and continued state funding for home-hardening programs.


http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 3/1075/ACC

The insurance companies with thier billions and powerful lobbiests are going to be a tough battle..and then of course they can just pullout. They had record profits last year and they rarely drop rates so it's only going to get better for them unless we say something..
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#2 Postby wxman57 » Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:38 am

I'm in agreement with Barney Bishop on this one. The government has no business dictating what private businesses charge for goods or services. Interference with the free market always leads to more problems. Consider what would happen if Gov. Charlie Crist was successful in forcing insurance companies to lower rates. Many, if not all, insurance companies would stop offering coverage in Florida. They're in business to make a profit, they're not public service companies. The southern half of the Florida peninsula is just about THE most vulnerable piece of real estate to hurricanes.

The only area that may be more vulnerable might be the Carolinas in terms of the likelihood of an impact. Since most south Florida residents want to live in coastal counties (not much choice down there, anyway), they're putting themselves and their property at extreme risk. Max Mayfield talked about this in his parting remarks. City governments encourage building in dangerous locations becasue these properties generate considerable tax income. Very, very dangerous. I wouldn't be surprised if all insurance companies pull out of Florida in the coming decade as larger and more powerful major hurricanes impact the region. Florida got lucky in 2004-2005 that the hurricanes which did make landfall were nowhere near their peak intensities (or were tiny, like Charley). If a moderate-sized Cat 3 hurricane with true Cat 3 winds over a significant area were to impact south Florida then the damage would be astronomical. Insurance companies would be bankrupt.

So if you want to live in such a vulnerable area, you'd better be prepared to pay through the nose for insurance. That's just a fact. The higher the risk, the higher the premium. That said, I do think that there should be adjustments for coastal areas that climatologically have seen very little hurricane impact (Jacksonville to Georgia, for example). These areas should pay significantly lower premiums than Miami-Dade.
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#3 Postby DanKellFla » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:44 pm

I live in Palm Beach county about 5 miles from the beach. I agree that the insurance companies are not public service companies, but are in business to make a profit. But, for decades they under charged for insurance and everybody knew it. Now, we are paying for decades of cheap insurace at the same time the risk pool has grown in value and in number of units covered. The way I see it, is that the insurance companies made a poor business decision and now I am supposed to pay for it.
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#4 Postby Lindaloo » Sat Jan 06, 2007 8:19 pm

wxman57, why should we bow down to those high rates and then not get paid when we do need a claim just so they can profit? They find EVERY tactic to not pay. I am not talking about flood either. They invest our money in the stock market.

I think the federal government should control wind like the flood program. I would love to pay 235 a year for wind coverage.
Last edited by Lindaloo on Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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#5 Postby wxman57 » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:24 pm

Lindaloo wrote:wxman57, why should we bow down to those high rates and then not get paid when we do need a claim just so they can profit? They find EVERY tactic to not pay. I am not talking about flood either. They invest our money in the stock market.

I think the federal government should control wind like the flood program. I would love to pay 235 a year for wind coverage.


Linda,

I didn't say that the insurance companies shouldn't pay if a claim is filed or what they do with their money. By the way, if they weren't allowed to invest their money in stocks they'd have to charge higher rates to make a profit. But those are separate issues. As you know, my mother lives on the MS coast and we have many friends there who lost everything, so I know the trouble they're going through getting the insurance companies to pay for valid claims. I only commented on government control of a private industry. Having the government control rates would only cause more problems -- higher rates and/or no insurance available at all. It's always best if the government keeps its nose out of private business.

Who do you think would lose if everyone paid $235/year for wind insurance? We all would lose, as we fund the government. Why should people who choose to live in less risky areas pay to replace the expensive home of someone who wants to live in a dangerous area like south Florida? I'm not saying that people shouldn't live there in Florida, they just need to be responsible for replacing their own property if they cannot pay the high prices for insurance. And if they cannot afford either of those options, they need to move to a safer area where rates are lower. I don't want people in Miami or Palm Beach to ask me to help pay for their lost homes because of government-subsidized insurance coverage. Even though my office is only 10 miles from Galveston Bay, and most of our employees live in southern Harris Counth (evacuation zone), I chose to buy a home in far western Harris County quite far removed from the Gulf. I'd love to live near the beach, but I realize any home I buy there is just a temporary residence.

As you can see, I'm a proponent of the less government the better. The only thing government should do is to provide for a secure nation.
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#6 Postby Lindaloo » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:50 pm

But you know what? The wind pool paid claims and very good I might add.
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#7 Postby wxman57 » Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:01 am

Lindaloo wrote:But you know what? The wind pool paid claims and very good I might add.


Yeah, the problem, as I see it, is that there is a big question mark for those homes which were wipe dout by Katrina. Having driven the coast a number of times, it appears to me that all those homes were destroyed by a surge. No doubt about that. When all homes are missing up to a high point on the beach and homes higher than that are realatively ok, it's the surge not the wind that destroyed them.

However, it's also a good possibility that the homes which were washed off their slabs by the surge suffered wind/rain damage just before they were destroyed by the surge. I've watched videos of Katrina coming ashore and you can see parts of roofs (shingles) being blown off prior to the surge arrival. So many homes may have suffered wind damage first then total destruction by the surge. But with no home left to survey in many cases, it's impossible to tell if there was wind damage first. Obviously, the insurance companies lean toward the idea that the surge was the main culprit and even if there was prior wind damage, the homes would have been destroyed by surge anyway.

It's hard to believe that folks within 5-10 miles of the Gulf coast didn't have the relatively cheap flood insurance (my mother is included in that group). That's a tough lesson to learn. I even bought it for my home in west Houston and we're above the 500-year flood plain. All it takes is another Allison with 20-30+ inches of rain overnight and any place would flood.
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#8 Postby Frank P » Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:40 am

on my home owners policy Farm Bureau paid out to me the average of all their insurance claims for those homes that were not destroyed by water but were damaged by wind.... there is no doubt that my house was destroyed by water... my second floor was found basically intact a block up the street with only about 25% of my shingles gone, and no structural damage to the roof.... I didn't expect anything from my home owners policy ... I was very surprised that they did what they did and was pleased with the settlement... my flood paid out in full...

I'm quite sure that many homes were heavily damaged by the relentless force of the winds long before they were destroyed by the water... a lot of insurance companies are getting off quite cheap because of this, just blame it all on water so they don't have to pay out ... Farm Bureau I think at least recognized this aspect of the storm and compensated me accordingly.. I was lucky in that respect
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#9 Postby Lindaloo » Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:55 am

What if there was complete roof failure due to the winds. Then the surge came in and swept the debris inland? Just because there is only a slab left in no way proves that surge was the culprit. Some of those people did not find one thing that belonged to them. THAT would be paid out by the insurance companies because the wind came before the surge. Insurance companies are not wanting to pay for any of that. When an adjuster would come out and see the slab, they would say "Oh flood did that" How do they know that? They don't. Which is why the wind and flood policies should top each other out. If the insurance companies would do that they would come out way ahead. JMHO.

Nationwide is threatening non-renewal of policies if the insured sues because of the hurricane provisional that was written by Jay Fletcher. This agent told his customers that they were the same policy, um wrong! This provisional covers other structures and Nationwide is not paying that either.
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#10 Postby wxman57 » Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:51 pm

Yeah, I agree, Linda. It's impossible to tell, in many cases, how much wind damage occurred before the homes were washed away.

It's unfortunate, but I think that insurance companies are going to find that they cannot afford to offer coverage in coastal counties in the future. The U.S. has gone very long without many major hurricane hits during the quiet cycle from 1970-1994. But times are changing and major hurricane hits on very populated areas like south Florida are much more likely in the near future. A few "good hits" and many companies may go bankrupt. One way or the other, there will likely be a movement away from dangerous coastal locations in the future. Only the very rich will be able to afford to live there without insurance coverage. Fine with me, as long as they don't ask me to rebuild their homes when they are destroyed.
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#11 Postby MSRobi911 » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:58 am

wxman57 I am at a loss as to what you have said. I want to scream and shout and cuss and jump up and down and rant and rave and throw things and just about anything else I could get my hands on to throw, maybe my iron skillet...well not mine, my cousin gave it to me, as there was absolutely nothing left of my home! There was no piece found of my home! The house to the East of me was up 10 feet off the ground and he had major wind damage and had to destroy it because of instability, we were scared it was going to fall on our FEMA trailer, it was listing to the left. The house to the West of me was gone, BUT their insurance (who is also my insurance) paid them! The house on the other side of them was left as was the one behind us. Yes they were shells but there was structure left.

And talking about only paying for relatively cheap flood insurance, go check your figures again, my flood insurance cost $1,400.00 per year for only 137,000 of coverage with contents of 70,000. We could not afford any more. Basically when you think of a Hurricane you don't think of entirely flood damage and NO STRUCTURE left, you think of water damage, which we had in Georges. So between the two policies of Homeowners with a Hurricane provision and a flood policy combined would rebuild my home......duhhhh what dummies we were! How dare we think there would be any wind damage "beyond a few shingles being lost" according to the structural engineer that came on December 21st, hmmmm how long was that after Katrina, of course everything was gone.

Perhaps you need to rethink your insurance situation, Winds in Hattiesburg, MS that is approximately one hundred miles (yes that is 100 miles) north of Gulfport were documented at Cat III winds of 164 mph, I think is what the top winds were, I am not sure of what the sustained winds were but there was wind damage all the way up past Jackson and even into Oxford MS which is in the very NORTH of the State of MS.

Perhaps if you step back a minute and put yourelf in our place and rethink those words of "we that live on the coast expect to be bailed out by YOU because we want to live on the Beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast and in Florida" you would realize that that is not true. I was born and raised in Pascagoula and this is where I hope to rest in peace some day. I am 51 years old and have been through many many Hurricanes, and that includes Camille. I have never seen such wide destruction with a storm and as far north as it went. I don't want you to bail me out, I don't want the government to bail me out, I just want my insurance company to pay for damages that I paid a premium for and a mighty hefty one that was, for the damages received from Hurricane Katrina. Just for you information I did not receive one penny of Grant money, nor do I want any. We had flood insurance, we lived in a flood zone, we knew the chance we were taking and took precautions against rising water and paid dearly through our noses for flood insurance. Flood insurance paid us in full. Homeowners said we had no damage, even though all three houses in a row were covered by the same insurance company and two in the same shape after the storm with the same agent and they were paid and we were TOTALLY denied.

Don't tell me that insurance companies will go broke, HECK they made a profit last year and the year before even with paying out claims, few though that they were!

People can spin their song and dance somewhere else! The next thing you know the insurance companies will not pay for damages caused from the water that came in your house when your roof flew off because it could be considered "flood"! Insurance companies have no regulation and can do what they want when they want and will continue to do so.

I mean no disrespect to you as a meterologist, but those views of people that think we are just waiting for a handout from the government are wrong, South Mississippians have picked themselves up and dusted off their pants and are working toward getting back to normal.

Mods if you need to delete this go ahead, I guess this could be considered flaming someone but being told that I expect somebody to bail me out does not make me a happy person!

Mary
Last edited by MSRobi911 on Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:55 am, edited 4 times in total.
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#12 Postby MSRobi911 » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:03 am

Linda,

What is this about Nationwide??? I haven't heard that....we specifically asked if we would be cancelled if we filed suit, but again why believe what an insurance agent will tell ya, right? Matter of fact, he told us to do it!

I am sooooo excited about the cases not being moved to Oxford and the ruling for the State Attorney General that says that cases can be filed in State Court!!!!

Mary

Oh and did you see WLOX and the footage of the attorneys coming out of the courthouse? Poor old John B...bless his heart! I guess its his job, huh? He did still have structure left of his house.
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#13 Postby Aquawind » Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:48 pm

Insurance reformers on spot
Rate reduction primary goal for Crist

By AARON DESLATTE
news-press.com Capital Bureau
Originally posted on January 14, 2007

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Charlie Crist says he has awakened at night worried about the insurance horror stories he's heard over the past year.

"It's frightening, isn't it? It's been a nightmare for a lot of people, literally," Crist said last week.

On Tuesday, Florida lawmakers will convene in a special session called to try to do something about that nightmare.

House and Senate proposals released in the past several days would make sweeping changes to how the state pays for major storms and are designed to entice insurers to do business in Florida and to exact fair premiums for homeowners.

"There are all different levels of risk," Crist said. "We believe the proposals that have been put forward are responsible ... and most importantly will provide relief for our people."

From voters' perspective, the expectation is simple: lower rates sooner rather than later.

"If a guy says 'I lowered your insurance $100 a year,' that is bunk. That is garbage. I could do that myself by raising my deductible," said Andy De Maio, 28, a painting contractor from Port St. Lucie who e-mailed Crist last week to ask him to keep his word to consumers.

Crist replied, "Thank you for your trust and support."

Larry Orlando, 70, of Merritt Island, also asked the governor to follow through on his promises after his insurance bill went from $2,000 to $7,800 last fall.

"I don't think anything short of rolling those back is going to be satisfactory," Orlando said.

"But I don't think they're going to roll them back. I think they're going to shim-sham us."

CAMPAIGN PROMISES

Touring eight media markets one day before his Nov. 7 election victory, Crist never missed a chance to peer into a TV camera and say, "We've got to lower insurance rates."

Crist told reporters he didn't like legislation passed by the Legislature earlier in 2006.

Then, legislators said Florida's problem was that premiums were set too low. This year, a Legislature with dozens of new members is focused on reducing rates.

"I think we should be judged by what we accomplish this week, and I think we will," said freshman Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral.

Ready for repeal are pieces of last year's bill that gave private insurers freedom to raise rates and forced state-run Citizens Property Insurance to do so.

Last spring's legislation "wasn't just a free credit card to raise rates," said Senate Banking and Insurance Chairman Bill Posey, R-Rockledge.

"But when you leave, and people start applying for 70 percent and 80 percent rate increases, you start to look at things differently."

RATE CUTS

With Crist as governor, House and Senate leaders are trying to craft consumer- friendly insurance plans.

One way is to roll back Citizens' Property Insurance rate increases required by last year's law. Citizens, the largest property insurer in the state with 1.3 million policies, would see its rates frozen at last year's levels under both plans.

Under the Senate plan, Citizens also would be allowed to offer competitive rates and policies beyond wind-only coverage.

"It looks like it's going to be very favorable to the consumer," Citizens Chairman Bruce Douglas said last week. "How much will rates go down? 20 percent? Can I do some homework?"

A less direct approach would be to insert the state of Florida further into the insurance business.

Expanding the state's Hurricane Catastrophe Fund would save money for insurers in the pricey reinsurance market. Lawmakers say they would require those savings to be passed on to homeowners through lowered rates.

Still, it could be midsummer before any savings work their way down to consumers.

No one is willing to speculate how much policyholders might save.

ELIMINATING 'PUPS'

House leaders support two of Crist's campaign promises.

They would stop national insurance companies from creating Florida-only subsidiaries, called "pups," and force Florida insurers that sell homeowners' policies outside the state to offer them here, too.

The Senate is cool to the idea, and the business and insurance industries are downright icy.

Instead of lowering rates, they argue, it would make insurers less willing to take a chance here.

"That's going to send that wrong signal to insurers who might want to come into the state," said David Daniel, with the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Both chambers have developed plans to stop companies from imposing rate increases before they get state approval.

Critics say the proposals are likely to do long-term damage to the private market.

"If we create more regulations, more mandates and rate rollbacks, then we will have even fewer companies willing to do business in Florida," said Barney Bishop, president of Associated Industries of Florida.

Crist disagrees.

"All these ideas promote competition," the governor said. "I don't know a lot about the insurance industry ... but I do know rates are high. And if we have a chance to lower them, then there will be more competition. More people will have an opportunity to make money in this field."

A NATIONAL FUND

One campaign pledge from the fall from candidates at all levels is to keep pushing Congress to create a national disaster fund to help bail out states after catastrophic storms, earthquakes and disasters.

Florida House members have proposed a "memorial," a strongly worded suggestion to federal lawmakers and regulators.

Crist says he will press the issue at a National Governors Association meeting next month.

Business groups say the idea will never fly in Congress as long as small states that oppose such a fund have as much clout as big states such as Florida and California.

WHAT POLITICIANS SAY
“The goal for the special session is very simple: Lower insurance premiums now. We don’t want to complicate matters by trying to do too much for the long term right now. We want to focus on the matter at hand, and that is lower premiums now.”
— Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp

House of Representatives
“To everybody’s regret, we aren’t going to be able to roll back rates to 2004 levels, but we should be able to offer some relief. The House and
Senate proposals are not identical, so you can expect some arguing, compromise and horse trading.”
— Paige Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda

“I am encouraged by a lot of the work that has been done leading into the special session. There is a good plan, and it’s being embraced by both sides of the aisle as a good plan. I think we can offer some immediate relief and also offer some long-term solutions.”
— Garrett Richter, R-Naples

“We have the ability to make changes that will make property insurance more affordable and more available. We have to make that happen.”
— Nick Thompson, R-Fort Myers

“There are six bills filed to alleviate the crisis. ... What we can accomplish depends on how much dialogue and opposition there is. ... You have to look at all of the plans and pick the best of each. I don’t think there is a magic bullet.”
— Trudi Williams, R-Fort Myers

Florida Senate
“For the special session, I’m not really optimistic that we are going to get
significant
legislation that will drive down rates substantially. I think it’s going to take more effort.”
— Burt Saunders, R-Naples

“I think we all have the same goal, and I think we will accomplish it: Immediate relief to homeowners. ... The people back home aren’t looking for a feel-good message. They want real relief.”
— Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton

“My goal is to pass a bill that offers immediate rate relief to property owners in Florida. That’s what the people want. They didn’t send us up here to play partisan games.”
— Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres

“I think we should be judged by what we accomplish this week, and I think we will.”
— Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral

Rep. Mike Davis, R-Naples
He couldn’t be reached
for comment.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 40394/1075

The Sqeeky wheel gets oiled.. :wink:
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#14 Postby Lindaloo » Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:13 pm

MSRobi911 wrote:Linda,

What is this about Nationwide??? I haven't heard that....we specifically asked if we would be cancelled if we filed suit, but again why believe what an insurance agent will tell ya, right? Matter of fact, he told us to do it!

I am sooooo excited about the cases not being moved to Oxford and the ruling for the State Attorney General that says that cases can be filed in State Court!!!!

Mary

Oh and did you see WLOX and the footage of the attorneys coming out of the courthouse? Poor old John B...bless his heart! I guess its his job, huh? He did still have structure left of his house.



Call Donna. When she was visiting my Dad in the hospital a few weeks back, she mentioned something like that. I may have misunderstood her. She is in the same boat as you. You should call and talk to her. :D
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#15 Postby gtalum » Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:28 pm

This legislation is going to lead to a disaster when the next Andrew or God forbid Katrina type storm hits a densely populated area in Florida. I like "chain-gang" Charlie, and I want lower insurance premiums, but the state taking on the risk isn't a smart way to do it.
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#16 Postby wxman57 » Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:22 pm

MSRobi911 wrote:wxman57 I am at a loss as to what you have said. I want to scream and shout and cuss and jump up and down and rant and rave and throw things and just about anything else I could get my hands on to throw, maybe my iron skillet...well not mine, my cousin gave it to me, as there was absolutely nothing left of my home! There was no piece found of my home! The house to the East of me was up 10 feet off the ground and he had major wind damage and had to destroy it because of instability, we were scared it was going to fall on our FEMA trailer, it was listing to the left. The house to the West of me was gone, BUT their insurance (who is also my insurance) paid them! The house on the other side of them was left as was the one behind us. Yes they were shells but there was structure left.

And talking about only paying for relatively cheap flood insurance, go check your figures again, my flood insurance cost $1,400.00 per year for only 137,000 of coverage with contents of 70,000. We could not afford any more. Basically when you think of a Hurricane you don't think of entirely flood damage and NO STRUCTURE left, you think of water damage, which we had in Georges. So between the two policies of Homeowners with a Hurricane provision and a flood policy combined would rebuild my home......duhhhh what dummies we were! How dare we think there would be any wind damage "beyond a few shingles being lost" according to the structural engineer that came on December 21st, hmmmm how long was that after Katrina, of course everything was gone.

Perhaps you need to rethink your insurance situation, Winds in Hattiesburg, MS that is approximately one hundred miles (yes that is 100 miles) north of Gulfport were documented at Cat III winds of 164 mph, I think is what the top winds were, I am not sure of what the sustained winds were but there was wind damage all the way up past Jackson and even into Oxford MS which is in the very NORTH of the State of MS.

Perhaps if you step back a minute and put yourelf in our place and rethink those words of "we that live on the coast expect to be bailed out by YOU because we want to live on the Beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast and in Florida" you would realize that that is not true. I was born and raised in Pascagoula and this is where I hope to rest in peace some day. I am 51 years old and have been through many many Hurricanes, and that includes Camille. I have never seen such wide destruction with a storm and as far north as it went. I don't want you to bail me out, I don't want the government to bail me out, I just want my insurance company to pay for damages that I paid a premium for and a mighty hefty one that was, for the damages received from Hurricane Katrina. Just for you information I did not receive one penny of Grant money, nor do I want any. We had flood insurance, we lived in a flood zone, we knew the chance we were taking and took precautions against rising water and paid dearly through our noses for flood insurance. Flood insurance paid us in full. Homeowners said we had no damage, even though all three houses in a row were covered by the same insurance company and two in the same shape after the storm with the same agent and they were paid and we were TOTALLY denied.

Don't tell me that insurance companies will go broke, HECK they made a profit last year and the year before even with paying out claims, few though that they were!

People can spin their song and dance somewhere else! The next thing you know the insurance companies will not pay for damages caused from the water that came in your house when your roof flew off because it could be considered "flood"! Insurance companies have no regulation and can do what they want when they want and will continue to do so.

I mean no disrespect to you as a meterologist, but those views of people that think we are just waiting for a handout from the government are wrong, South Mississippians have picked themselves up and dusted off their pants and are working toward getting back to normal.

Mods if you need to delete this go ahead, I guess this could be considered flaming someone but being told that I expect somebody to bail me out does not make me a happy person!

Mary


Sorry I didn't see your post earlier, Mary. I'm not sure what your main point is here. As for your wind data, it appears to be in error. There were no confirmed 164 mph in Hattiesburg either as a gust or 1-minute sustained wind. Winds in Hattiesburg may have approached Cat 1 hurricane strength, though. Here's a post-storm wind analysis:

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Storm_page ... ll_mph.pdf

Remember, my mother lives right next to you in Gautier so I'm quite aware of the damage in your area. I spent quite a bit of time rebuilding her home after it was flooded with 2 feet of water. Fortunately, there was no structural damage. Not even a loose shingle. She had no flood insurance at the time, though. From what I observed, your winds may have approached 75 mph sustained, maybe just barely hurricane strength. That's enough to do only very minor damage to a well-built structure like the homes in Pascagoula. I saw no evidence whatsoever of extreme wind damage there or in Gautier, or even in Biloxi or Gulfport. What I did see was extensive surge damage that wiped homes off slabs (or off stilts).

I'm certainly not here to defend the insurance companies, but any government regulation of rates will make matters worse. They'll just refuse to cover any coastal locations. If you had flood insurance and your insurance company refused to pay, then they should be hanged. As for that $1400/year policy, perhaps you should look around. My mother pays only about $300/year. Her home is at 15 ft elevation in Gautier, though. That's SUPPOSED to be above the flood plain, but it wasn't with Katrina.

And just because you've lived there all your life doesn't mean you have to continue living in a dangerous place. My mother lived a bit closer to the water but they moved farther inland after Georges put 4ft of water in the house. They didn't move far enough away from the Gulf, though. I'd wager that in the current active cycle in the Atlantic Basin that your home will expereience some flooding again over the next decade or two. The Mississippi coast is one of the most surge-prone locations along the U.S. Coast. And major hurricanes seem to have an affinity for the area. You got very lucky with Ivan in 2004.

So don't throw skillets at me, I'm just calling it as I see it. And I have been there to see it. I was back in Pascagoula working at Signal International's shipyard in early December and was there in Gautier for Thanksgiving & Christmas. Quite a bit of progress since I was there after Katrina hit. I was quite impressed with how Mississippi has recovered as compared to New Orleans which still looks the same as after Katrina hit. Let's hope it's a long time before you're hit again.
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