Do you think FEMA is doing a good job?

[BETO74 0]

Do you think FEMA is doing a good job with the people affected by Hurricanes, They supposed to help people and small bussiness to get on their feet after the hurricanes in FL and other states.

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[white_falcon 0]

Personally I think they do a fairly good job. My problem with the system is WHO it helps.

I am an insurance agent here in Florida and what ticks me off is that more than half the people who get $$$ for the loss of home / property DID NOT PURCHASE VOLUNTARY COVERAGE!!! Therefore, they DID NOT CONTRIBUTE to the pot from where the $$$ comes, they are FREELOADERS!!!

That said, again, I feel FEMA does a very adequate job.

Scott

[BETO74 0]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the FEMA dollars come from taxes not from voluntarily insurance.

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[white_falcon 0]

Its a generic "pot" I speak of. Sorry not to have been clear, and YES it is Federal $$.

Doesnt diminish the fact that the $$ should only go to those who attempted to help themselves. Those same people are part of the reason that YOUR insurance rates are so high.

Scott

[PhillyKev 0]

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Correct me if I'm wrong but the FEMA dollars come from taxes not from voluntarily insurance.

The National Flood Insurance Program is part of FEMA. It is self-financed through premiums, not through tax dollars. Emergency relief funds from FEMA are tax dollars.

[BETO74 0]

There are already people working just to pay insurance, we all pay taxes these are tax payers dollars that should be helping people/small bussiness to get back on their feet an example will be skydive Lake Whales, don't really know if they had insurance or not but some of those dollars should go to get them back on their feet, not talking about getting them the same hangar they got or brand new equipment just get them back on their feet. There are even small bussiness that had been turned down by FEMA because there is not damage to their building but what about disaster pay for their employees that could not work for those two or more weeks, I mean aren't we paying taxes for that and I really mean that a portion of your taxes goes to FEMA every year.

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[BETO74 0]

Emergency relief funds from FEMA are tax dollars***

Exactly my point, is tax money should cover basic needs for people and small bussiness.

I think this is going to be releveant for the upcoming elections since a lot of people were affected by the Hurricanes and even for those of us that were lucky enough to not have that much impact and are witneesing the whole recuperation process.

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[PhillyKev 0]

That's ridiculous. Why should I have to pay because you choose to live in a hurricane and flood prone area? It's not like this is the first hurricane to hit Florida. That's the whole reason the NFIP exists. So that people at risk can get insurance instead of hitting the tax payers with the bill.

[Jimbo 0]

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That's ridiculous. Why should I have to pay because you choose to live in a hurricane and flood prone area?

Watch it, Kev. More comments like that and they'll make you turn in your Leftie ID Card

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[pajarito 0]

What about the people in California who build their houses on fault lines where earthquakes are common and on cliffs where their houses fall over the side due to mud slides?

[PhillyKev 0]

That's why they sell earthquake insurance. And flood insurance covers mud slides.

[pajarito 0]

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That's why they sell earthquake insurance. And flood insurance covers mud slides.

Don't they sell hurricane insurance too?

[BETO74 0]

The question was do you think FEMA is doing a good job after the disaster?, not, what do you think of people living in adisaster area without insurance.

I can see having insurance will help, but what about Florida after Andrews when a lot of insurance companies went bankrupt and did not pay nobody they just pocketed the money and file bankrupt, three hurricanes in less than a month is taking a toll in the economy at all levels, like it or not FEMA is there for a reason a part of your and mine tax dollars are going to a disaster relief fund, if you don't know anything about the work FEMA is doing in the disaster areas just don't say anything.

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[white_falcon 0]

I personally never said FEMA does not do a good job at what they do, but as far as people being unable to afford the insurance, BS.

My personal OPINION is that if you can not afford the insurance, then you cannot afford the thing you purchased. Be it an automobile, a house, a mobile home, etc. Why should any one that is NOT willing to at least be PARTLY responsible for themselves be entitled to the tax $$ that ALL must pay in??

Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

[BETO74 0]

I personally never said FEMA does not do a good job at what they do,

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Why do you think they don't do a good job?

My personal OPINION is that if you can not afford the insurance, then you cannot afford the thing you purchased.
***

We are talking about to different things but still related somehow, I pay insurance in my condo and Townhouse but does not cover the things inside the property if the roof blows away the insurance will pay a portion of the cost of the roof unless you pay extra to get replacement cover, FEMA OR ANYOTHER INSURANCE WILL NOT COVER FOR THE THINGS INSIDE, but FEMA will try to give you money so you have a place to live minimun, roof over your head, or a electric generartor because you are connected to a respirator and have special needs.

Now we are not talking about one isolated case, we are talking about a DISASTER area that left without a roof people with and without insurance, including some skydivers.

I was very lucky to the point that I feel guilty, my two properties are insured and nothing happened to me or my family, my two jobs pay me for the time being off, disaster pay that comes right off the taxes we pay, but what about those small bussiness like dropzones and employees, gear sales, etc. Would you think they are entitle to help from the goverment or FEMA to get them backon their feet ? or tough luck for them. Don't we all pay taxes to get some help when we need it most.

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[PhillyKev 0]

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FEMA OR ANYOTHER INSURANCE WILL NOT COVER FOR THE THINGS INSIDE,

NFIP insurance will cover contents, and it automatically pays replacement cost on the dwelling as long as you carry inusurance for at least 80% of the value of the property. And the NFIP did not and does not go bankrupt.

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Would you think they are entitle to help from the goverment or FEMA to get them backon their feet ? or tough luck for them. Don't we all pay taxes to get some help when we need it most.

No. That business should have insurance. Why should they get a hand out because they didn't get insurance while other businesses, that do the responsible thing and pay for insurance don't get it?

It's called planning for the future and planning for the unexpected. why should tax payers pay people's salaries because they didn't plan properly?

Should the gov't help people survive a disaster and have basic necessities afterward? Definitely. But paying their wages? That's ridiculous.

[BETO74 0]

The operational costs for those bussiness that choose to get insurance for a Hurricane or any other disaster is enourmous, but I guess there people that's gets them, don't know any, or any insurance company that will pay 100% of your losess unless you pay that extra replacement insurance wich is expensive, example: I have a friend that's is been paying replacement insurance in his property because the house is too old he knew the roof was gonna collapse any time soon, his deductable is $4.000. he did the math on what he paid thru the years plus deductable and broke even after the hurricane ( he loss hes roof).
In this point I can't argue because there are so many diffrent positions and opinions that's what I'm only interested in the FEMA subject.

***
Should the gov't help people survive a disaster and have basic necessities afterward? Definitely. But paying their wages? That's ridiculous.
____
Funny thing, I though the same thing, maybe I'm gonna have to live out my savings for a couple weeks before I'm going back to work, end up not working out that way. I still got pay for those days disaster pay, so I was able to pay credit cards, mrgage etc. But thinking about those that did not get pay and still suffreing because there are no jobs, or they loss everything do they deserved that help, I believe so, they are tax payers after all.

The questions remains, do you think FEMA is doing what they supposed to be doing, getting those people back on their feet?.

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[white_falcon 0]

Gotta agree w/ PK on this one.

If you want your stuff to be covered for disaster, then insure it!!

I own two Insurance agencies and I gurantee you I have coverage. Not only for the building but, for the CONTENTS, for LOST INCOME, and for BUSINESS INTERRUPTION.

Why should I pay out of MY pocket to insure MY stuff and then ALSO inusure "YOUR" stuff w/ my taxes??

Insurance coverage IS available to the dropzones, and all the other small businesses out there (property coverage anyway) and if someone tells you otherwise, they don't know what they are talking about.

Scott

[wmw999 2,589]

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If you want your stuff to be covered for disaster, then insure it!!

The only reason that a huge number of people have either homeowner's or car insurance is because the state or mortgage-holder requires it.

Too many people just don't think of how few losses it takes to equal what they have invested directly into homeowner's or car insurance (e.g. one medium claim on homeowner's can eat up 8-10 years' worth of payments).

And I'm so not looking forward to next year's bill. I live close to the ocean too (Houston), and I'm sure that we're going to get socked because of the Florida hurricane damage. I understand it, but I'm going to hate paying for it.

Insurance costs are part of the cost of owning something. That shiny car with the $400/mo payment will run another $100/mo for insurance (if you're lucky). Can you afford that too?

Personally, I'd like to see FEMA limit itself a little more to what people NEED, rather than trying to restore some semblance of what they actually had. I don't know much about it, but that seems like it would spread my tax dollars a little farther.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[BETO74 0]

When did I say you or any tax payer should pay for my or any other persons stuff ?
Read the post again.

I'm talking about FEMA and their work not about if you have insurance or not, besides if you have insurance FEMA does not applied, secondarily there are people on the streets because of the hurricanes, do they deserved or not for FEMA to cover their basic needs?

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[BETO74 0]

Personally, I'd like to see FEMA limit itself a little more to what people NEED, rather than trying to restore some semblance of what they actually had. I don't know much about it, but that seems like it would spread my tax dollars a little farther.
***

That's exactly what it is, when did I say replacemnt for your stuff? Is cover your Basic needs, we have a pretty good example of somebody lossing the entire roof and belonggings inside, FEMA will HELP on the costs of putting a new roof, minimum livable conditions, the rest is up to the affected person.

Now that we are all worry about insurance companies, when Andrews hitted FL there were many insurance companies that went bankrupt because that was the profitable thing to do, just run with the money leaving a big percentage of people on the streets. We are talking about hundreds of peoples losing their way of living, and you're right when you say is going to affect everybody not just floridians.

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[white_falcon 0]

If FEMA uses tax dollars to pay the "claims" then "WE" are paying for there loss, the tax payers are provideing there insurance.

Do I think the people w/ homes should be left out on the street? NO. But I do think they should have to be responsible for there CHOICE not to insure. Let FEMA help, but not GIVE the $$. Make it a loan, that they MUST repay before they are eligible to recieve help in the future.

I think actually that is a VERY fair way.

Be responsible for your actions, accept responsibilty for your actions, thats all I'm saying. Part of whats wrong w/ this country is that people are never responsible for there own actions, its always some one elses fault.

As far as the Insurance companies going bankrupt to save $$ and not pay the claims, get real, that's the most rediculous accusation I"ve heard.

Scott

[BETO74 0]

Let FEMA help, but not GIVE the $$. Make it a loan, that they MUST repay before they are eligible to recieve help in the future.


Good point all the help FEMA is doing is actually a loan at 3% interest rate, that works for somebody that had a crappy motorhome, they can easily get 100,000 loan at 3%

Now the word is out there for those that bough electric generators they were gonna be reinburse a 100% of their money, hard for me to believe.

***

Are you serious??

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[PhillyKev 0]

I used to have my P&C license but sold only flood insurance through the NFIP. I got into it because they changed the law requiring a flood plain certification for all mortgages. If you were in a designated flood prone area, insurance is required to write the loan. I worked with FEMA and helped to develop the techniques and procedures for determining where properites and structures lie using their suck ass maps and when necessary performing onsite surveys.

It amazed me the number of people who were getting a second mortgage for their home next to a creek that would fight tooth and nail not to have to get the $200/year flood insurance to secure their mortgage. They'd bitch and moan and say they've lived there 20 years and it never flooded. I'd go out to the property and it would be obvious that their house was only 2-3 feet higher than the current level of the water running behind it.

One of the good things FEMA started doing years ago was instead of giving people loans to rebuild, they'd just buy the property from them and then make it a wetland.

[BETO74 0]

So do you know any of the guide lines for people to get reinburse or what percentage they get base on what type of damage, is it based on income?

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html