Peter Gay: Insurance companies are not your friends

A number of area residents last week learned the hard way the truth about the insurance industry. It's rigged in favor of major corporations.

We pay premiums every month thinking that we'll be protected if a disaster should ever strike. That was the case on Monday when nearly 5 inches of rain fell on North Attleboro. The amount was on top of earlier rain last weekend. In all, the town received nearly 10 inches.

Case in point: the Bonneau family's home on Paine Road was hit with 6 feet of water within about 30 minutes last week. The damage was so bad, a town building official had no choice but to issue a cease and desist order prohibiting Nate, Kristine and their children from returning to their home.

One would logically think their homeowners insurance would cover the cost of the work necessary to return, right? Wrong!

Why? I found the following from a page on the Allstate website, "No type of flood damage, no matter the source of water, is covered by standard homeowners policies. Flooding, for example, can occur from storms, over-saturated ground, overflowing or surging bodies of water such as rivers, ponds, lakes and oceans."

That last sentence describes exactly what happened in North Attleboro last week.

The company that claims "You're in Good Hands" obviously will wash their hands of any responsibility when a family loses everything.

Friends of the Bonneaus now know homeowners insurance is inadequate. A flood floater to a homeowners policy is also needed. Unfortunately, most homeowners don't realize that until they've lost everything.

By the way, the average flood insurance cost in Massachusetts is $1,305 per year, almost double the national average of $767, according to MoneyGeek.com.

Wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a country where our national leaders were doing something about it?

They are, of course, not doing a thing, probably because the insurance industry donates millions to senators and representatives from both parties.

The top 10 senators alone (Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.; Tim Scott, R-S.C.; Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.; Todd Young, R-Ind.; Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.. and Krysten Sinema, D-Ariz.) took in over $3.7 million last year from the insurance industry.

Members of the house didn't fare as well. Their top 10 (Richard Neal, D-Mass.; Patrick McHenry, R-N.C.; Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J.; French Hill, R-Ark.; Ann Wagner, R-Mo.; Andy Barr, R-Ky.; Bill Huizenga, R-Mich.; Darin LaHood, R-Ill.; Bryan Steil, R-Wis. and Tom Emmer, R-Minn.) feasted on only $3.2 million.

While I'm on Top 10s, here is how the representatives from Massachusetts stack up: Neal ($426,300), Katherine Clark ($98,690), Jake Auchincloss ($87,706), Stephen Lynch ($41,250), Seth Moulton ($31,216), Lori Trahan ($27,500), Jim McGovern ($18,470), Bill Keating ($7,000) and Ayana Pressley — who is a member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance ($2,057).

I strongly believe the majority of senators and representatives care more about their next election and the money needed to stay in office than the people who voted them in office. Accepting donations from special interests groups like the insurance industry is a good way to do that.

It is why approximately half of the members of Congress are millionaires. The number of Americans, on the other hand, who are in that category is only 2 percent.

How can we change that? Term limits would be a good start. I'd also like to see an end of the two-party system and the dominance of the two major parties.

Recent polls are an example why. The majority of Americans don't want to see a rematch of the 2020 presidential election. Members of the two parties don't care what most of us want, however, and Democrats will most likely nominate Joe Biden for a second term while Republicans will select Donald Trump in his bid to return to the oval office.

The implementation of term limits and the end of the two-party system might give us leaders who care more about little people like us rather than special interests like insurance companies.

Seriously?

The average hourly rate for a member of the striking United Auto Workers union is $29, according to the website factcheck.org. That equals $60,000 a year, not including overtime.

One of the demands the union is reportedly demanding is a 32-hour workweek while being paid for 40.

Is it any wonder why I am not a fan of unions?