primitives going nuts

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7703997

Oh my.

Jack Sprat  (1000+ posts)       Fri Feb-12-10 10:31 PM
Original message
 
I'm going nuts!

I think I am. Maybe some of you too. I live in Florida. I think that's why I'm falling apart. Yesterday, I placed a deposit on an apt in another city. I was told that every applicant must have residence insurance before they receive keys. $50,000 of personal liability at minimum. I have had renter's insurance years before on contents at my option. Certainly it was optional. But this insurance is required in case you are responsible for damages to the property or a neighbor's property; even a sewage backup according to the agent who was darn near rude. It was as if he knew I had to have the insurance to get the lease, so there was no need to be courteous.

Then after calling another company to get a quote, I was actually told I needed even more coverage. Since I have little of value, I inquired why I needed more insurance. This agent said because lawsuits were so commonplace and people would sue for everything you have. So, I reluctantly went back and accepted the first company's policy. This, and I didn't want any insurance at all.

Because I was relocating, I notified my auto insurance company of my new address upon moving. The agent said I needed more coverage. I told him my truck was 9 years old and I wasn't taking anymore comprehensive out on it. He said I needed more liability because damages were going up and someone could sue me for everything I have.

Is the USA only about insurance and lawsuits now? I wish I could have married Donna Reed and lived forever with her in eternal 1959 bliss. How have we somehow devolved into a society where insurance is now mandated by law? Mandating the purchase of health insurance is another example of this. Does this have something to do with so many of our legislators being ex-attorneys? Why is life getting so complicated and threatening? To me, the corporate greed is getting monstrous. If we don't give them what we have willfully, the insurance companies will just mandate your income to them.

babylonsister  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-12-10 10:34 PM
NON-DONOR TO SKINS ISLAND!
THE BABBLING SISTER PRIMITIVE
Response to Original message

1. I moved in November, and will get back to you, because I've been there/done that, but not in FL, and went from TX to GA.

Maybe FL is the culprit, not you? I'll be in touch.

Jack Sprat  (1000+ posts)       Fri Feb-12-10 11:14 PM
Response to Reply #1
 
10. I think maybe FL is the culprit. 

The insurance companies are not popular anywhere near the Gulf coast since Ivan and Katrina. The rates have skyrocketed. They get whatever they want for the most part. If they aren't making money, they leave the state.

Florida has enacted all sorts of recent fees and other things that they don't have to refer to as a tax. I would rather pay more taxes than awaken to find some new sewage fee that I never paid before or mandatory insurance that wasn't around 2 years ago. Something is going on and it's rotten in Florida. Even with the increased storm activity in recent years, the state wants to drill off the coasts for oil.

Oh, btw, we have a $7 trash compaction monthly fee now. This is added to your rent fee. Electric, telephone, cable, internet, water and sewer are the resident's responsibility.

Lorien  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-12-10 11:30 PM
NON-DONOR TO SKINS'S ISLAND!
THE LYING LORIEN PRIMITIVE
Response to Reply #10

13. All this happened in the past two years? I've lived in Florida for 21 years and rented for nearly half of that. I never was required to have renter's insurance or pay a trash compaction fee. Have you thought about renting something like a guest house or apartment over a garage? There are a lot of renters in my neighborhood who just pay for rent plus their utilities-but they aren't renting an apartment in a large complex.

Jack Sprat  (1000+ posts)       Fri Feb-12-10 11:51 PM
Response to Reply #13
 
18. Wish I had something like that.

My last rental was not assessed those fees. This is not called renter's insurance. It's called residence insurance. It can cover your contents, too, if you want them insured for extra. But the mandatory part of the insurance is for a minimum of 50,000 liability insurance for damages.

It's like I was telling Warpy, I think the property owners have come up with something to offset some or all of their insurance costs that have gone up so high since climate change and damaging storms. The insurance companies gouge the property owners. The property owners raise hell with their state reps and suddenly........a new mandatory insurance for renters.

madinmaryland  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-12-10 10:55 PM
NON-DONOR TO SKINS'S ISLAND!
THE RABID TERRAPIN PRIMITIVE
Response to Original message

7. I've rented much of the last 25 years and have never been required to hold renter insurance. I've never carried it until just recently, and that is only for my stuff and personal liability. If I got rid of the personal stuff, I could probably get the insurance down to about $150/year.

I suppose if you plan on burning down the apartment building then liability insurance might be a good idea, but other than that no reason.

Warpy  (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-12-10 11:00 PM
NON-DONOR TO SKINS'S ISLAND!
THE DEFROCKED WARPED PRIMITIVE
Response to Original message

8. This is nuts.

You need to find out if there is a statutory minimum and then get it. You don't need to be insured for damage to the flat, that's what your security deposit is for. The landlord is also required to carry his own property insurance unless he owns the building outright, the mortgage requires it. As for liability, there again, get the minimum unless you have something high risk going on or lots of furs and jewelry to insure.

My own feeling is that your landlord has probably been burned by meth cookers and wants to be protected every which way in case someone else decides to use his place and turn it into a hazmat site. Those can cost $50,000 to clean up.

Do contact a lawyer and pay the retainer to find out what your rights are in this case. I've certainly never heard of such a racket.

Jack Sprat  (1000+ posts)       Fri Feb-12-10 11:41 PM
Response to Reply #8
 
16. I don't think it's that, Warpy

I think the state has just pacified the outcry of the property owners. The insurance companies have hiked their rates in coastal areas and the property owners made a big fuss. So, this is very likely a way for the property owners to pass along some of their pain to their tenants. That's what I think.

Repubs always used the methodology of disguising revenues in new fees and something that isn't named a tax. If the city government privatizes their trash pickup, then the city reduces government costs, but the consumers pay more out of pocket for private trash pickup and disposal. It's getting to be an old story. But, the cons can crow about reducing government spending. Nevermind that it ends up costing the consumers much more than before for the service.

Uh, isn't it the Dems who disguise new taxes as "fees"?

I thought so.

[Carl]

I can`t obviously speak for Florida insurance laws but an auto insurance company telling someone they had to increase their liability protection just because they were moving?

It sounds to me like Jack Schitt here hasn`t had any medical problems but wants to get in on being a victim of insurance so he spins as disjointed bouncy.

It's like I was telling Warpy, I think the property owners have come up with something to offset some or all of their insurance costs that have gone up so high since climate change and damaging storms. The insurance companies gouge the property owners. The property owners raise hell with their state reps and suddenly........a new mandatory insurance for renters.

In true DUmmy fashion there is no point A to B line there.
If a property owners rates have gone up they would and do recoup that in the form of increased rent,how on earth would making a renter buy a policy recover the owners premiums paid?

It is mind numbing to try to grasp how utterly ignorant these folks are.

[Randy]

They probably need the insurance to offset the costs of meth heads blowing up apartment complexes when their labs go awry.

[Specbid]

Jack Sprat  (1000+ posts)       Fri Feb-12-10 11:41 PM
Response to Reply #8
 
Repubs always used the methodology of disguising revenues in new fees and something that isn't named a tax. If the city government privatizes their trash pickup, then the city reduces government costs, but the consumers pay more out of pocket for private trash pickup and disposal. It's getting to be an old story.

Oh my gosh...which universe is this guy living in?

[Tucker]

Is the USA only about insurance and lawsuits now?

All that sue happy shit was started by DUmmy's who wanted something for nothing. Your ex Presidential wanna be John Edwards made his fortune chasing ambulances.

Don't bitch about it. You hatched it, nurtured it and watch it grow to fruition.

[IassaFTots]

I dunno.  The last apartment I moved into, back in 2002 or 03 required $50 K in renters insurance.  It was the agency that owned the apts, Equity Residential, I believe.  I had always maintained RI for my own stuff, but had never been required to, so I asked them why, and they said it was to off set the cost of any damage I may do, that would impact the apts or the other residents.  Made sense to me.  I felt much safer in the apts knowing that everyone had to maintain renters insurance.

[The Village Idiot]

I thought they liked higher taxes and government mandates.

It's like I was telling Warpy, I think the property owners have come up with something to offset some or all of their insurance costs that have gone up so high since climate change and damaging storms. The insurance companies gouge the property owners. The property owners raise hell with their state reps and suddenly........a new mandatory insurance for renters.

Oh please. What date was that climate change anyways?

[NHSparky]

I dunno.  The last apartment I moved into, back in 2002 or 03 required $50 K in renters insurance.  It was the agency that owned the apts, Equity Residential, I believe.  I had always maintained RI for my own stuff, but had never been required to, so I asked them why, and they said it was to off set the cost of any damage I may do, that would impact the apts or the other residents.  Made sense to me.  I felt much safer in the apts knowing that everyone had to maintain renters insurance.

Assuming you could get it--in the last apartment I lived in (CA), there were NO insurance companies that were issuing renter's insurance.  Zero.

[GOBUCKS]

Every year we graduate thousands upon thousands of new trial lawyers. Every single one is entitled to a new Lamborghini within five years, and a Gulfstream jet within fifteen years. Every single one is also a contributing member of the democrat party. They are the scum of the earth, and the sole reason for most of the things that are wrong with this country.