unable to acquire home owners insurance

[WNYresident]

How old is your roof exactly?

Excellent question.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Lets say there are 10 businesses in town that can supply a service/product. One business has "political/friend" connection so the 9 other business are shut out of the process.

Obviously with government there is corruption and insider baseball and this is the intent of no bid contracts.

Sometimes it's needed. An example would be a winter storm where a town does not have the time to do a open bid process. Which happened.

Or at times is just corruption. Like saying there is only a single provider that can perform all of the requirements. For example, Cheektowaga needs to have water quality sampled but the town puts out some specific requirements like: minority/woman owned, union workforce, located inside of the town itself or have someone at the company with a specific (even if unneeded) certification. In doing so 'they' can pretty much eliminate other companies on purpose and legally. This is the most common way corruption in contracts is done. It's done by both sides as well...it's how you get union yokes on a construction build at 3x the cost and how Halliburton gets DOD contracts....to which they pocket some nice funds as well.

So, while not fair it's legal.

[gorja]

Obviously with government there is corruption and insider baseball and this is the intent of no bid contracts.

Sometimes it's needed. An example would be a winter storm where a town does not have the time to do a open bid process. Which happened.

Or at times is just corruption. Like saying there is only a single provider that can perform all of the requirements. For example, Cheektowaga needs to have water quality sampled but the town puts out some specific requirements like: minority/woman owned, union workforce, located inside of the town itself or have someone at the company with a specific (even if unneeded) certification. In doing so 'they' can pretty much eliminate other companies on purpose and legally. This is the most common way corruption in contracts is done. It's done by both sides as well...it's how you get union yokes on a construction build at 3x the cost and how Halliburton gets DOD contracts....to which they pocket some nice funds as well.

So, while not fair it's legal.

I never thought about it that way before. You are so right. Just one little specific requirement could disqualify all but one bidder.

[4248]

Gorja - those are among some of the oldest crony tricks - they do the same with equipment, office supply, parks equipment , police car repairs, Town Vehicles, maintenance, insurance and so on.

In Politics every thing that be controlled or routed to a "Friendly Vender" - or some Party Insider is suspect and usually there's collusion. Most people just don't have the time or energy to look up all the little deals being made - and the Politicians count on that.

[gorja]

Gorja - those are among some of the oldest crony tricks - they do the same with equipment, office supply, parks equipment , police car repairs, Town Vehicles, maintenance, insurance and so on.

In Politics every thing that be controlled or routed to a "Friendly Vender" - or some Party Insider is suspect and usually there's collusion. Most people just don't have the time or energy to look up all the little deals being made - and the Politicians count on that.

So, that's how Joe Basil's dealership used to get the vehicle bids?

[4248]

Not only the bids - first they sell the vehicles at or near "state bid" - without actually using the bidding process -

But the real free bee cash cames after that - the cars have to be striped and marked after they arrive. Ellectronics and such much also be added - all at extra costs.

Now lets say that Basil's gets the contract and profits from the sale - it then gets to do the prep work mentioned above ! Thousands of dollars per car - extra !

Here is how it works - they don't have a guy to do the graphics - so they sell the job to a outside applicator. Lets say the graphics cost $1200.00 - the dealer takes about 20%(+/-) and lets the other shop do the work. -

Then there is the electronics - they take a slice of that job in the same manner. Bingo more money for doing nothing !

I was reading a bill once for one set of brakes on a police car - I asked Supervisor B.Giza at a Town Board Meetings - "I see a bill here for $271.00 for a brake job on a police car" - he said, "That is not allot its average" - Councilman D. Stempniak chimed in and added, "Yes, those are special brakes - right Bob" -

No big deal right "271.00" - sounds like a good or OK deal - then I asked, "Yes, but that was for one wheel" - given those numbers - a full brake job would be 4 x $271.00 = $1084.00 That was how much they charged us 10 years ago -

I worked for Ford Motor Company (the Town had Crown Vic's at that time) - total parts cost would have been about $60.00 if you replaced the disk pads, rotor and caliper - $90.00 max if you bought heavy duty lifetime warranted parts - for a one hour/two hours max labor .

Thats just one example !

[Genoobie]

I'm going to have to agree with FMD on this one. If the roof is in good shape (depending on which side gets southern exposure, etc.) then the insurance company should insure the property. I just put very high end shingles on my roof and got a 50-yr warranty. I'd be pissed if the insurer suggested I get a new roof after 20-yrs and the roof wasn't that bad. If it were me, I'd use the money for the roof and save up a few years, pay off the house and go without insurance.
Between three houses and two cars I drop almost $2500 / yr on insurance (and the coverage is awful, market value + high deductibles). Insurance is just another racket. They spend lots of money to lobby so that its required and they pay out nothing. In the event of major catastrophes (hurricane Sandy, etc.) then they just raise everyone's rates. They suck and their profits ought to be regulated.

[300miles]

I know people with roofs well over 20 years old, and they didn't seem to have problems with insurance. There must be something specific with FMD's roof that's a concern besides its age. Either that or it's a new change to policies with insurers.

[Genoobie]

I know people with roofs well over 20 years old, and they didn't seem to have problems with insurance. There must be something specific with FMD's roof that's a concern besides its age. Either that or it's a new change to policies with insurers.

Probably with all the claims this winter the insurers changed the rules.

[Genoobie]

My insurer is not going to renew my policy next year unless the house is sided / painted. Effin' ridiculous. The insurers are obviously in cahoots with someone...

[nogods]

making a claim on a homeowners policy is worse for your future underwriting then having a car accident and getting tagged for DWI.

Insurance companies seem intent on punishing anyone who dares to use their policy for the intended purpose.

It won't be long before they start to deny life insurance claims of people who die earlier than expected simply because they died earlier than expected.

[grump]

My insurer is not going to renew my policy next year unless the house is sided / painted. Effin' ridiculous. The insurers are obviously in cahoots with someone...

And who would that be? The painters Union? Don't renew your insurance. That'll show 'em.