[at-l] OT Hurricane Charley & Insurance

[jbullar1 at twcny.rr.com (Jim Bullard)]

At 01:24 AM 8/14/2004 -0400, RoksnRoots@aol.com wrote:
>I'm hearing that the causeway to  the island is passable and residents will
>be allowed on island tomorrow. This  was a strange storm sparing areas 
>expected
>to be damaged and devastating other  areas.
>
>       The storm took out steel framed buildings,  cinder block and concrete
>structures, a hospital roof and leveled a steel framed  Walmart and many 
>other
>commercial buildings. I'm seeing worse and worse video of  damage including
>many steel framed garages and auto shops wrecked like they took  an F-5 
>tornado.
>
>        I have to drive back at first light to  try to see if we have 
> anything
>left of our house. The fact that the causeway  didn't get condemned bodes
>well, but it was 4 miles further east from the  eyewall. Bad reports from
>up-island Captiva 10 miles north of 160 homes  destroyed remainder heavily 
>damaged.
>Eye-witness reports say "Andrew type  damage." Only undamaged building was 
>fire
>station. Report of 15 foot surge  overwash. Casualty reports trickling in...
>
>       Sanibel fire chief reports 60% structures  heavily damaged or
>destroyed...

My son called last night and we were talking about the hurricane and the 
damage it was doing. He told me that when there were fires around him in 
California the insurance companies cancelled policies en-mass to limit 
their liability. He (and apparently many around him) lost insurance when 
the fires began and couldn't get new policies until the fires were all 
under control. Does that happen in FL when hurricanes come through?