Stovey's OK

“Why should insurance companie have to pay for flood damage? It's pretty much well known unless you are an idiot that regular homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Sueing is just a giagantic waste of money for all parties involved.”

“I'm back at work for the first time since the storm.
Very weird in the office.
Lots of damage, people very quiet.
Lots of my coworkers are as bad off as me.
Many much worse.”

“Hey stovey...did you get what I sent you the other day?”

“Yes, Thank You very very much bit.”

“Can you send email from your work account? The contents weren't from me, they were from someone else. I was merely forwarding them.”

“My cousin is going back to work tommrow at the Exxon refinery in Saint Bernard Parish for the first time since the storm. Rita may send everbody packing again. Current model link.
http://www.sfwmd.gov/org/omd/ops/weather/plots/storm_18.gif”

“Plot for Rita from NOAA doesn't show it curving north over the next 3 days. The northern Gulf area might escape this one.

”

“That track is based on model runs from yesterday. The current models are shifting north. The high pressure ridge in the gulf is weakening and the dry air moving west into mexico. It takes a while for the models to lock on. When the spagettie comes together watch out!”

“If they are trying to make the companies pay on policies that exclude floods, I am with DdX - otherwise the companies should pay.

I have to say I was less than impressed with my company. They dragged their feet for months before making a formal offer and they keep making lowball offers even when the amount they should pay is clear. Apparently they hope to get me to take a lower sum than the policy states, so I can get the money closer to when I need it. If that doesn't work, at least they get to hold onto their money longer.

Selfishly, I'm hoping Katrina doesn't give them an excuse to drag this out even longer. I'm also hoping to get the settlement before too long, because then I can afford to donate some more money to relief efforts.”

“Both Allstate, FEMA, and the Blue Roof guys are no shows up to this point. Still waiting for any to show up at my house.”

“Hey, SS. Just went back and caught up on this thread. If I could get time off without my coworkers killing me -- we are way understaffed right now -- I would love to come and shovel muck out of the basement. I take it that's the kind of maid service you need.

On another note, I think excluding a storm surge by calling it flood instead of hurricane damage is a bunch of ......... you know what. Just my 2 cents.”

“Stove - I'm glad to hear your back at work. I remember how much that meant to me after my life got turned upside down.

Blessings to you and yours. I appreciate your posting.”

“Everyone who owns property in a hurricane zone already knows that you have to get a separate flood policy.

Excluding flood damage from a hurricane policy is the same thing as excluding smoke damage from a fire policy.

It's total bullcrap and another attempt to get more money out of the customer for less service.

Insurance is a racket.”

“Techntrek,

See what I mean about a shift in the guidance. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/145105.shtml?5day The NHC lives and dies by their models. The update at 5 Am., 11Am., 5Pm. and 11Pm. The models at 5Pm could bring some bad news to south Florida and the TX/LA border. I'm resupplying my hurricane supplies today. I've ran through most of what I had especially gasoline. I had 50 gallons last time this time I'm getting more. Dang what did we do to pee off Mother Nature!”

“Insurance is a racket.”
humanpackmule
9:41:23 AM
9/19/05


heck yes it is.

I know its good to go back to work stoveman. Anything that feels somewhat normal helps.

Hang in there.”

“Stovie, I heard on CNN this morning that the blue tarps can take months to be approved. That's a long time to pray for no rain.”

“Dang what did we do to pee off Mother Nature!”
Bateauxdriver
11:00:13 AM
9/19/05


....We are watching to see what happens......Best of luck !!!!!”

“Hey Stovie, how big of a tarp do you need for your roof?”

“I say the hell with the insurance company....photo document the damage, and let's roof the house NOW, settle the claim LATER!”

“Hey Stovey. Sams Club up here sells huge tarps. If you are interested, I will find out the size. I wouldn't mind picking up however many you need and sending them to you.”

“wow such enthusiasm Super!!!...someone give that man a hammer!!!!!

..you can come help us put 2 tin roofs on....Lee, and his dad are both having to replace roofs....”

“heck we have to have a seperate wind insurance on our house plus the flood. so i guess we are covered both ways, if one doesn't get us the other will.
iv'e been on vacation out west, in cody wy now. glad to hear thing are going good for you now stovie!
last edited: 9/21/05 6:46:01 PM”

“Bateauxdriver - yup, definitely pointing north now. Looks like west Louisiana is in for it again, they'll be on the eastern (worst) edge even if it "directly" hits east TX, since this thing is so big. One possible saving grace - one talking head on TV said last night that the waters in the NW Gulf are cooler so this storm may chill out (pun intended) some before hitting.

Remind me not to buy beachfront property in eastern North America any time soon.”

“well... Stovey's never been "OK," but then again, we all know that and accept that.

LOL!

Glad you're back at work.

So, if I read right catching up on this thread, you ARE getting snail mail, correct?

And since your house didn't float away, you are at the same address, correct?

Me thinks you need some good old Midwestern hired hands to muck out that basement, the ones that can relate to life before a Slurrystore. :-)”

“SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Allstate Corp. won't pay flooding claims stemming from Hurricane Katrina, Chief Operating Officer Tom Wilson said on Tuesday, in a direct challenge to a lawsuit filed last week by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood.

Katrina, a Category 4 storm that hit Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on Aug. 29, may end up being the most expensive catastrophe in U.S. history, costing insurers as much as $60 billion, according to one estimate.

Controversy has emerged surrounding the devastating flooding that followed the storm. Standard homeowners' insurance policies typically exclude flooding, partly because a national, government-run program covers those risks. However, many homeowners hit by Katrina may not have bought this extra coverage.

Mississippi's Hood sued Allstate and four other leading insurers in the state on Sept. 16, arguing that their flood exclusions should be voided and that they should pay flood claims.

"The Mississippi attorney general's view [is] that we should pay for claims -- flood claims even though we never insured those," Allstate's Wilson said during a speech at a Banc of America Securities conference in San Francisco. "We do not intend to do that."

Allstate has contracts that specifically exclude flooding that were enforced and approved by regulators in all the states affected by Katrina, Wilson added.

Allstate hasn't had problems with customers not knowing that their policies excluded flood damage, partly because the government flood-insurance program advertises heavily in flood-prone areas every year, Wilson continued.

"Exhibit one for us will be just the national flood-insurance programs -- advertising programs, which they put on very aggressively every year," he said. "People know this is a separate coverage, so we're not having many issues with our customers."

Analysts have been concerned that the insurance industry may be vulnerable to political pressure to cover some of the costs of flood damage, especially in New Orleans, where it's been estimated that about a quarter of the city's inhabitants didn't have flood insurance.

This problem is accentuated because the industry has more than $400 billion in capital after several years of rising premiums.

"The nature of the industry's 'deep-pocket' risks are especially acute in the case of Hurricane Katrina, since only a fourth of policyholders are reported to have purchased flood insurance, which could severely raise the cost, and limit the availability, of funding for rebuilding efforts," Ken Reed, an analyst at rating agency Fitch, wrote in a note to clients on Monday.

Allstate's Wilson did concede that there will be "issues" when assessing what damage was caused by wind and what was the result of flooding.

Wilson also said that Allstate hasn't finalized an estimate of its Katrina-related losses yet.

Allstate shares fell 31 cents to $53.11 on Tuesday. The stock has dropped more than 8% since Katrina hit on Aug. 29.”

““That track is based on model runs from yesterday. The current models are shifting north. The high pressure ridge in the gulf is weakening and the dry air moving west into mexico. It takes a while for the models to lock on. When the spagettie comes together watch out!”
Bateauxdriver
9:38:59 AM
9/19/05
I didn't want this early projection to come true but it looks like it's going to be close.

I love to watch mother natures power. I track these storm facinated by them, knowing the hurt and suffering that they will bring. I guess that is why I love hiking. Last month in the Tetons was almost spiritual to me. The mountains are so sheer and emense that you feel much smaller and less in control of your own path. A mountain is headed formy neighbors to the west and possible me. I'm almost certain that I will flood this time. I don't plan to evacuate at this time because flood waters here usually come slow and mostly from rain. We are 10 feet above sea level and almost 50 miles inland. Keep us in mind in your thoughts and prayers. I know you guys are going to offer help but right now it's not necessary. Just like Stovey I like handling things on my own. I'll have lots of help from neighbors and family and will be helping friends and neighbors. Good luck to all those in the path.”

“Keep us in mind in your thoughts and prayers.

Bateauxdriver
6:13:59 PM
9/22/05

Bateauxdriver.....best wishes, hugs and prayers to you and your family.....check in when ya can.....hugs....”

“Stovie???...ya gonna be ok???????”

“The best to anybody caught up in this. They're now saying that after landfall, the storm will stall out along the Tex-LA state line, with up to two feet of rain expected.”

“RITA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 12
INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES OVER
SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS AND SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AS IT MOVES INLAND.
SINCE RITA IS FORECAST TO SLOW DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY AFTER MAKING
LANDFALL...TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF 25 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE
OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS ACROSS EASTERN TEXAS AND WESTERN
LOUISIANA. IN ADDITION...RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE
POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW
ORLEANS.

ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE TODAY OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN
TEXAS AND SOUTHERN LOUISIANA.”

“enough hurricanes already!! skeery. i hope everyone stays safe!”

“global warming??”

““Stovie???...ya gonna be ok???????”
divinity
7:55:11 AM
9/23/05

:-)

I sitting in my plywood floored house on my new $20 Wal-Mart chair watching the Weather Channel and eating Krispy Kreams.

I'm gotta be fine. :-)
Thanks for asking!”

“Damn dude, ya couldn't get any more southern redneck than that!”

“He didn't say he was drinking a beer with the KK's, so he could be a little more redneck if he tried...”

“that image makes me laugh. dunno why”

“Ummmmm!
Ise kreem!
(ise kreem is the verry good snak that is helfy for ever buddy and gets good belly mussels!)”

“Hey Stovie! Yeah, you're gonna be fine. I just moved up in life. We have a new, used couch. Sure beats the hunter orange bean bag chairs we were using! And I haven't been affected by the huricanes. We backpackers will survive. We're minimalists. Or are we just cheap? hmmmm.... ;o)”

“Well heck, after the flooded carpet was dragged out, all that is left is the plywood. ;-)”

“STOVEY!! Hey... so ya got snail mail??

THANK GOD for the Krispy Kremes!”

“Stove Stomper, I hope you're keeping a journal and taking pictures. When all of this is behind you, it'll be one heck of a trip report. Good thoughts going your way :)”

“Ewker, hurricanes run in multi-decadal cycles. We were in a low cycle for many decades. In the late 90s we began to move into a high cycle. It will continue high for another 10-20 years. Global warming might be a factor in intensity, but probably a small factor.

There have been more severe hurricanes in the past, but they did not do as much damage owing to smaller populations in harm's way and less infrastructure.

For instance, the lowest barometric pressure for Rita was 897 millibars. That is the third lowest recorded pressure, after Gilbert in 1988 (888 millibars) and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 (892 millibars).

Katrina at its height was 902 millibars. Andrew was 922.

Nobody knows what the pressure was for the Galveston storm of 1900. That storm was Category 4 at landfall with 150 MPH winds and a 16 foot storm surge.”

“Ha Ha, my parents have me a new used couch waiting for me too. I don't want to fill my house back up with to much crap. I'll just have to move it around and out of the way as repairs come about.

Sunshine, I almost bought a beanbag but the only color they had was orange, UT's colors. Can't handle that. ;-)”

“Yep, lizzy, mail started back about a week ago.

The huge mounds of flooded stuff from people's homes have been removed so the neighborhood smells a hell of a lot better.

All the flooded appliances were left. That is on a different contract for removal.

I got most of mine working again, at least for a little while.”

“Are they all alcohol-burning now?”

“UT orange??
Tennessee ain't all that bad Stovie.. ;)

Love ya..can't wait til all is better for you..”

“isn't it funny how southern rednecks are the only ones who care about university colors?”

“lol, you've obviously never been beaned in the head with a beer bottle for wearing the wrong color on game day...”

“I sitting in my plywood floored house on my new $20 Wal-Mart chair watching the Weather Channel and eating Krispy Kreams.

I'm gotta be fine. :-)
Thanks for asking!”
StoveStomper
2:15:54 PM
9/23/05
ignore this user


“Damn dude, ya couldn't get any more southern redneck than that!”
treebait
2:16:54 PM
9/23/05
ignore this user

~AHEM~
If I may?
Thank you.

I'm sitting in my plywood floored house on my new $20 Wal-Mart chair in my boxers and dirty wifebeater switching between watching a fishing show on the public access channel and a nascar race on the working TV that is sitting on top of the broken TV and eating Krispy Kreams and drinking RC cola because I already killed the last case of Busch.



Keep on keeping on Mr. Stomper.
last edited: 9/23/05 2:20:59 PM”

“So Stovey, what are your thoughts about dating gals named Katrina?”