Uninsured Homes Can Leave Families Destitute
"It's just the way it is," said
Fire destroyed Riman's mobile home in the early-morning hours of
"I lost everything," Riman said.
When
What little is left, including a smoke-damaged violin that Sally played in
The Rimans did not have house insurance. They lost it when Jim lost his job. When they were ready to reinsure it, they couldn't.
Their daughter
"They all told me they would not insure a double-wide mobile home that old," she said.
The story of families losing their homes and belongings to fire are many in
The Bailey family of
"There is no law in
Most homeowner policies require homeowners to carry 80, 90 or 100 percent of the replacement cost of the home, according to the association.
While homeowners' insurance is not required in
If a homeowner with a mortgage is unable to pay for insurance, mortgage companies will "force placement" and purchase insurance on behalf of the owner to ensure the bank gets its money back in case of a fire or other damage, Trowbridge said.
Renters' insurance is for anyone who rents an apartment, condo or house, according to information from the
Affordability of insurance
Last year, Republican Gov.
But affordability remains the primary reason homeowners give for lack of insurance.
"I know there is a percentage of homeowners who do cancel their insurance because of the premiums being paid," Trowbridge said.
Many factors determine the premium a homeowner will pay, including the distance from the home to a fire hydrant or fire department, according to the
In fact, his proposal at last year's annual town meeting to construct a substation in
Each homeowner's insurance rate is defined by a number of factors, including availability of hydrants, but the proximity of a home to a fire station is a known factor, he said. Yates told voters that a fire station within 5 miles or less of a home could reduce homeowner's insurance costs.
Yates used as an example a home assessed at
If a substation was sited in the north end of town, that home could be pushed into Zone 4, which could reduce the homeowner's insurance rates to about
Help is needed, they say, not only for those who are uninsured but to help those who have insurance but must wait months to receive financial help.
"We need to bridge that gap,"
The Rimans are receiving help through family, friends, their church, the community at large and an online GoFundMe account, where their 9-year-old granddaughter donated a month's allowance and the ring bearer at his wedding 40 years ago donated money, among dozens of others.
The couple is looking for a long-term rental. They will get renters' insurance, Riman said.
"Darn right," he said. "My wife is 64 and I am turning 64 and we're starting off from scratch. It's an interesting thing to do."
___
(c)2015 the Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)
Visit the Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) at www.sunjournal.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
California insurance brokerage Confie buys WNY agency Bronkie
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News