Lava Insurance

[benthudd1]

We are getting closer to retiring in the next few months and just returned from the BI to confirm for ourselves that we are ready for the move. We are probably going to buy a house instead of building,  but have heard horror stories about recent increases in the cost of  lava insurance in zones 1 and 2. We are curious about whether the cost has really skyrocketed (and whether this accounts for what seems like a lot of homes being up for sale in Sea View--or is there another reason?). We are inclined to stick to the Volcano area (zone 3) but the lure of Red Road has us wondering as we narrow down where we want to live. Thank you for your input and sharing info!

[punikahakaiferret]

Obviously if you buy outright you don't have to have insurance, you'll just run the risk of losing it all in case of lava. Good reason to buy very small and as inexpensively as possible.

Also, have anyone coming to your house sign a waiver so if they trip or fall or injure themselves in any way they won't sue you!

[HiloJulie]

Just my opinion on what my husband and I did and considered when we planned and built our retirement home here 30 years ago:

1. Stay away from Lava zone 1 and 2. 
Why? 
Because. 
Vegas will give you better odds on your money long term.

2. Do you now or anticipate needing medical care often? Meaning, for example, do you have diabetes? Other disabilities or medical conditions that might require above normal medical care? If you do, don't buy or build where you have a 20 to 30 minute "off rode" drive to get to a paved road. Also, and for example, a Paramedic response and transport to Hilo Medical from a residence in Hawaiian Acres is 3 grand. That's right, $3,000.00. Just saying.

3. Steps. Buying or building a house with the only ingress and egress is a flight or more of steps is a huge consideration. Maybe not right now, but picture yourself when you are 80 years old having to carry a trunk load of groceries up those steps. And every time you want to go outside, steps. Got dogs? Bang, bang, bang, up and down the steps they go! Every time they go out! And come back in. Only to go out. Again. Up and down. So, my opinion, NO STEPS!

4. Seclusion verses ocean/mountain/volcano views versus rooster/pig farm neighbors' verses automobile traffic. Choose wisely. Also, climate. In a short 60-mile radius from Volcano to Hilo, to Pahoa, Keaau etc., there can be several different climates you can be in. Hotter versus cooler versus rainier versus drier. 

5. Moving the stuff you have there here. Consider this very carefully. Depending on where you are moving from, it may cost 5 to 10 grand or more to ship it here. That beautiful leather couch you have in New Mexico or wherever, will be a molded rotten mess within a year here. And the cost it might take to move that stuff here and then store it while you look for or build a house, can be much better used to buy some pretty cool brand-new or even used local made stuff that will last you a much longer time.

6. Everything else that CAN make your paradise a living hell. Think, research and ask lots of questions. Haste makes very expensive waste. 

Whatever you do do, enjoy! And remember this isn't the mainland. When your fridge or stove goes out, be prepared to wait 2 to 3 weeks plus for your new one!

Good luck! And Welcome to Puna!

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

We are inclined to stick to the Volcano area

I like Volcano.  Golf Course subdivision is relatively dry, 50 inches of rain a year, mostly in winter.  Volcano Village is wetter, 150 inches.  As you head towards Hilo wetter still until you reach Hirano Store / Glennwood, 225 inches, then less as you head downhill.  Let me know if you have specific questions about Golf Course and Village, I’m less knowledgeable about the other subdivisions.

[punikahakaiferret]

I appreciate the better-thought-out higher quality responses than the off-the-cuff one I gave. I was feeling my oats earlier and maybe shoulda just let that one go unsaid...(or just delete my silliness).

Good advice, all! Hopefully more chime in with sound info. There needs to be rational, balanced info about what it takes to move here to this area...so much wrong info, or all bogus glowing talk that overlooks the numerous bad bits...everything from pigs to crime to drugs to unlicensed/uninsured drivers, expensive EVERYTHING, and as HiloJulie brought up, proximity to medical care.

Best to benthudd1 for a successful relocation to wherever they decide, as well :-)

[HiloJulie]

A few more opinions/observations...

My husband and I picked Hawaiian Acres. We went for the seclusion, and we went with no steps, and we are (knock on wood) both in pretty good physical shape. 

But one more observation about the climate. These 2 links are from a website known as Weather Underground. There are monitoring stations all over the island. You can play with it and find all the other locations as you like.

This link is close to where my husband and I live:

Hawaiian Acres Weather Underground

This link is for Volcano:

Volcano Weather Underground

These links are virtual - so when clicking on them - it is the weather at the moment.

Here are 2 screen shots from 7:45PM HST on January 21, 2026:

   

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As you can see in the screen shots - it was 67 degrees in the Acres and 58 degrees in Volcano at 7:45PM. From my house to Volcano is 21 miles. The Acres are at about 1000 feet elevation while Volcano is 3000 feet. So as both HOTPE and I have pointed out, the climate can be all over the map in a very short distance. The amount of rain fall can vary as drastically in those same very short distances as well.

Now, don't get me wrong. As HOTPE mentioned, Volcano is a beautiful place. If we had not done what we did in the Acres, we would have done it in Volcano. The Acres deal turned out to be one of those real dreams come true. I just want to show the climate differences in short distances we have here.

As for this Wisconsin native girl, 67 degrees here in the Acres is the old 10 below in Wisconsin! Which coincidently, it will be 10 below in Wisconsin by Saturday!

And if I may get a bit sappy and philosophical and maybe spiritual for a moment.

You will come as you are. 

Soon, and I mean very very soon after you are here for good, this place will begin to change you. It will always change you from that point on. Accept and adapt to that change. If you fight it, even a little bit, as the saying goes "The islands either accept you or spit you out"

And again, WELCOME to PUNA!

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[kalianna]

At the risk of offending Miss Know It All, I strongly disagree with not bringing your furniture. We were told by friends living here, don't bring leather because it will get moldy. Brought 'em. We saved a long time for those leather couches and ten years in, they're fine. Rub them down with leather cleaner every six months. We were also told not to bring our bed. We brought our bed. it's doing fine. More often, we lament what we didn't bring. Like hoses. Yes, you'll need hoses and they're far more expensive here. Warm clothes? Yes, for winter nights and volcano trips. We spent years and a lot of money trying to replace what we didn't bring. Look at Craig's List. Lots of mattress frames and very used couches or $5000 koa dining sets. Good luck.

[HiloJulie]

Show our newcomers just how full of Aloha you are kalianna!

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

The Acres are at about 1000 feet elevation while Volcano is 3000 feet. So as both HOTPE and I have pointed out, the climate can be all over the map in a very short distance.

Yes, Volcano is cold but as you pointed out it’s Hawaii cold, not Wisconsin cold!  I lived at 4000’ elevation for about six years on Maui, a good wood stove and hot tub made the winters more comfortable.  Once we had ice on the roof.

Volcano Golf Course is generally 50-70 degrees in the winter.  But on cold windless mornings when the air from Mauna Loa sinks down the mountain, there can be frost for a brief time right before dawn.

I haven’t noticed a big change in insurance premiums in zone 3.  Insurance companies are looking more carefully at the condition of roofs, as well as the age of the roof.  If you’re buying a house have the inspector pay close attention to that aspect in his report.  Try and get documentation for when the roof was installed or replaced.

[Chas]

As to your original question, I grilled our insurance agent (Liberty Mutual) about lava insurance. He said that since lava causes your house to burn down, it's covered with a standard home insurance policy under fire.

Now, whether that would actually be the case, as I have a very dim view of insurance, I couldn't tell you. 

There are probably people on this forum who have lost their homes to fire caused by lava who could better answer the question.