This one is for Texas --IKE

[RobJ]

I don't have the statistics to either prove or disprove it, but everything I've seen in the news indicated that Texans are already paying the highest homeowner insurance rates in the country. As to what they'll do in the future . . ., I don't even have a guess.

Correct Bird. Several places around Houston the feds have stopped writing flood insurance. No more building in some cases, bought out homes, or you are on your own.

And yes we have the highest homeowners rates in the country(if not the highest). We also pay more for power than about all of the country.

 

[RobJ]

Also remember hindsight is 20/20.

 

[MossRoad]

...

There's also another small problem for which I have no solution. I believe (might be wrong again) that our weather forecasters usually (not all the time) forecast worse conditions than actually occur. That seems understandable to me. If a real disaster occurs that they did not forecast, they'll be severely criticized, so they have to do that. But of course, one result of that is the old story of crying wolf too often. I suspect that people often don't really believe it's going to be as bad as the forecast....

My wife does not believe the weather forecasters any more. Even when we have heavy thunder storms and tornado warnings, she is reluctant to go down to the basement because we never have any damage. Only one branch off of a tree in 12 years here. She's heard the hype so many times that she just doesn't believe them any more. I make her go with me and the kids to the basement when it starts getting close. One time all the pipes in the basement lit up with sparks from a lightning strike. I'd feel pretty foolish if I had the advanced warning and failed to take action in any emergency situation, but you are on to something about them hyping the situation too often to the point that the public does not believe them any more.

 

[RobJ]

here is another lucky Texas insurance bonus. The deductable on my insurance goes from 1% of coverage to 2% for any "named" storm. I don't want to name anymore hurricanes. We'll call them, that one, it, or the other one.

 

[tallyho8]

here is another lucky Texas insurance bonus. The deductable on my insurance goes from 1% of coverage to 2% for any "named" storm. I don't want to name anymore hurricanes. We'll call them, that one, it, or the other one.

I think that you have discovered the answer to our insurance crisis!

If anyone has lost any livestock in the hurricane this info might help: The USDA Farm Service Agency has a Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) available to compensate producers for lost livestock. To participate, producers may be asked for verifiable records or certifications. The USDA Farm Service Agency may be reached at 1-866-680-6069 for more information.

 

[redneckford]

Thanks Guys----weather man is the only job i know that you can be wrong 60% of time,stay in business and get a weekly pay check!!!!! 30% chance of rain and it hadn't rained in two months----how can you believe 'em

 

[Bird]

Thanks Guys----weather man is the only job i know that you can be wrong 60% of time,stay in business and get a weekly pay check!!!!! 30% chance of rain and it hadn't rained in two months----how can you believe 'em

It's not an exact science, but it's sure better than what they had when the hurricance hit Galveston in 1900, isn't it? And a 30% chance of rain? That's still better than a 2 to 1 chance that it won't rain, so they were right, weren't they?

 

[RobertN]

Since I am active in volunteer Fire out here, wondered if any of you in Texas know how the local, Galveston, Houston etc, fire stations/apparatus made it through everything? Did they evacuate engine companies to minimze the impact and then send them back in post storm?

 

[firedog]

Since I am active in volunteer Fire out here, wondered if any of you in Texas know how the local, Galveston, Houston etc, fire stations/apparatus made it through everything? Did they evacuate engine companies to minimze the impact and then send them back in post storm?

Not sure about any of the smaller volunteer depts in the area, but as far as I know Houston & Galveston sheltered in place. I have not heard of any damage other than somebody broke into the local VFD here and stole two generators.

sidenote: Galveston's EOC was setup in a hotel that was built on top of some old WWII big gun bunkers. I believe a substantial portion of their responders were housed there.

 

[RobJ]

Power is a beautiful thing. They were working on a main line near our house, when it went hot most of us got power. Luckly the breaker off the main dod not pop during the storm. If it had we would be SOL. This crew was not doing house to house. We cleared a tree on the line near our house, thank goodness. Our zip code is not set to get power back until after Thursday. Still a couple streets up and down that do not have power.


Rob