10-25-2006, 09:47 AM
West Hawaii Today, said that the major insurance companies, do not offer earthquake insurance on the Big Island. Surplus line carriers do, but the premiums are high, and I bet they went higher due to the recent eartquake. When prospective home buyers get sticker shock, when pricing eartquake insurance, and with the damage due to the recent quake still in their mind, they will be in less of a mood to buy on the Big Island, and will buy on the other islands that have more reasonable eartquake insurance. This should add to the already downturn in the price of real estate on the Big Island.