Homeowners Insurance in Nanawale est.

[John S. Rabi]

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Originally posted by DickWilson

Thanks John; Now that you've scared the sh** out of me, I Google earthed Hapuu rd in Nanavale and it is thankfully in LZ2.

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Yep, after coming to the office and checking my files, I was right, a small part of Nanawale is in Lava Zone 1. If you e-mail me privately I will e-mail you the lava zone map showing the subdivisions.

Aloha,
John S. Rabi, GM,ARB,BFT,CM,CBR,FHS,PB,RB
808.989.1314
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"

[MarkP]

It is a legitimate point to make that many people may be in denial about what it means to live on a volcano and what the lava zones mean. Lava zones express probability but that doesn't guarantee that zone 3 (where I have property) won't get hit before zone 1. I agree that volcanic activity above a certain threshhold level would have far reaching effects beyond just the geographic limits of lava flow.

[Kelena]

When Pele was threatening to slice through Pahoa and across Highway 130 in November 2007, people were looking at things in new ways, with most of Puna becoming inaccessible, and with a finger of lava threatening to run right through zone 3. Thrill-a-minute back then! I think we will see a lava lake at the summit of Kilauea this year.

[jdirgo]

There is a small (quite small) portion of Nanawale that is lava zone 1. The vast majority of it is lava zone 2. I don't think you have a lot to worry about, Dick.

John Dirgo, R, ABR, e-PRO
Aloha Coast Realty, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.alohacoastrealty.com

[missydog1]

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Lava flow with the exception of the Hilo eruption have historically been slow allowing time to get out of the way

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I don't think this is right ..
for one thing, Hilo had plenty of time. The lava has to come a long way from Mauna Loa to even get to the upper Kaumana region.

In contrast, the Kapoho eruption on the rift zone happened super fast.

Eightfingers, the line wouldn't run from Hilo to Kona. In South Kohala there are lava fields from 1959. Mauna Loa can affect Waikoloa, which is why it's Zone 3.

The most worrisome spot for Civil Defense, I have heard, is HOVE, because the rift zone there is not that far from houses and the slopes are steep. They estimate it could be as little as three hours before lava hit homes, and there's only one escape route.

I agree that Hualalai erupting would be huge in terms of damages. Some people believe that even though Hualalai is still active and due for an eruption, that the hot spot under the islands is now under Kilauea and moving southeast. Others don't. Some believe that while Kilauea erupts it takes the pressure off the other volcanoes. As they have distinct magma chambers, this may not be true either.

Re insurance, no I don't have earthquake insurance.

Re regular insurance, the thing is it doesn't cover you if the lava swirls around you and lays your neighborhood to waste but doesn't burn your home. Then you are left to deal with the consequences. It's only fire insurance, not lava insurance, and it only covers the loss of structures and contents if the house does burn, not the loss of the land if you can't rebuild. But I'm sure you know that Dick ... and the land is relatively cheap.

Thanks all for answering. I'm sorry if I hijacked Dick's topic.

[Greg]

I know a couple of people near Kaimu who's home was not destroyed by lava, but temporaryly isolated (1992). FEMA gave them a low interest loan to rebuild elsewhere. They now have a home and a nice rental property without using their insurance carrier.

[Carey]

The fastest NORMAL flows on this island are from Hualalai & the SW rift of Mauna Loa. (the last SW Mauna Loa flow went from the summit to ocean in hours. With the population growth in these 2 areas, those to mountains have the potential for disaster.

That said, all the volcanoes on Hawaii Island & Maui have the potential to have lava flows (the last one on Maui was in the 1790s, 2 centuries is nothing in the ages of these volcanoes, so even if you live in lava zone 8, you are living on an active volcano that has the potential to have lava flows.... and the subsidence earthquakes (the really deep ones) we get are reminders that this island is still not done, geologically speaking (all of the Hawaiian Islands subside below sealevel, as new ones arise.... that is the whole process of living in the middle of an oceanic plate that moves over a 'hot spot'.

[Devany]

Carey,

What do you mean by a termite policy? Insurance against termite damage? We have a contract with a pest control company that comes every month... but I have never heard of a termite policy.

Also, earthquake insurance is a joke. We looked into it when we lived in CA. To have it there you actually have to pay huge premiums, ours would have been $1,000 a month. And that was not even for 100% coverage, I think it was for 80% of the structural damages. It did not cover any losses to art and household goods either.

Our neighbors there just said, "If there is an earthquake that does damage to your house, turn on the gas and light a match." I think that is probably good advice for if your house gets surrounded by lava too. []

Try getting a Tsunami insurance policy! LOL. We are also over due for one of those buggahs.

Just out of curiosity, what do you do differently in downtown Hilo in an earthquake than other places? I think most people do not know what to do in an earthquake no matter where it is. Get under the bed!!!

Actually this last one kept going and I had enough time to think about doing just that... but not enough time to actually do it before it was over. My dog and cat were running around panicked. The cat jumped a few seconds before I felt anything.

quote:

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Originally posted by Carey

The greatest danger for home on this island are termites & house fires, the greatest natural (if you don't count termites) danger is earthquake, & that is a constant threat, with up t 40 a week at times. Most of these are not in felt by us, but major damage ones happen about every 2 decades & areas of lava zones 8 & 6 have been the most effected by earthquake damage in the past century. (we have yet to find a company that insure for earthquake damage here, if anyone has info, love to have it)

So if you have a wood house & do not have a termite policy & an earthquake policy, the less likely chance of lava seems to be mote point... at least to me. If you are worried more about loss of life, do you know what to do if you feel an earthquake while in downtown Hilo? A survey done at the University found that a majority of respondents did not.

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Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.eastbaypotters.com
www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com

[frankiestapleton]

Devany, do NOT get UNDER the bed! Get in the "shadow" of the bed, or better, a counter or larger, solid piece of furniture, lengthwise, facedown with your hands over your head. By the shadow, I mean the side of the bed or counter, right up against the length of it so you would be in the 45 degree angled "shadow" and the top of counter or bed or whatever would catch objects falling from above (beams, roofing, whatever). This is what we were also told in the county emergency training many of us have gone through.

I was very close to the epicenter of the October 2006?7? earthquake and my friend got up and stood in the arch of a doorway which is what we all used to be told was the safe thing to do. I watched as objects from upstairs crashed down all around him and he was lucky to dodge. If his house was less stable, beams could have knocked him down and out. Right after this 6.7 EQ, authorities told us about the "shadow" defense.

Also, re: EQ's felt in Hilo...it depends where you are in Hilo. The first EQ I ever felt was on Mohouli Street, just up from Cafe 100. (My friend and I thought it was US causing the windows to rattle.) People living in the Halai Hill area of Hilo REALLY feel EQs a lot. So don't know who's saying Hilo doesn't usually feel EQs but they're not very knowledgeable.

BTW, I live in Nanawale, Zone 2, and have had homeowners insurance thru State Farm for the 30 years (this June) I've been here. But after the Lava Zone maps were created and the insurance companies got hit year after year with hurricane damages, mainly on the Mainland but a couple in this state as well, most insurance companies quit insuring homes in Lava Zones 1 and 2. Homeowners on Kauai and Oahu also had trouble getting insurance after hurricanes Iniki and Iwa. That's why the state had to come up with its own insurance plan. (State Farm told me they were no longer issuing insurance to homes in Nanawale but I was grandfathered in since I had been with them from the beginning.) It's my understanding (not known for sure) that all homeowners can get fire and hurricane insurance through the state-sponsored insurance program. Someone correct me if I'm wrong ;>)

[Dan De Soto]

Aloha,

I am a local insurance broker. Nanawale is lava zone 2, so is Hawaiian Beaches, Hawaiian Shores

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/hazards/maps.html.

It seems the most popular lava zone 1 subdivision is Leilani estates. In my opinion it is very tropical and a beautiful place to live. Lava is a risk Island wide but something we accept. I grew up in upper Hilo and lava was only a couple miles from our house in the 80's. That is a lava zone 3. If you need rate information or an insurance risk report give me a call or submit an online request. I write coverage Statewide.

Mahalo,

Dan De Soto
Mutual Underwriters
All Lines Agent
www.insurancehi.com
Tel: 808-961-3207
Fax: 808-969-1120
275 Ponahawai St., Ste#105
Hilo, HI 96720