• ReadMoreBooks@lemmy.zip
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    1 day ago

    While I can empathize with losing everything in a fire, the only explanation I can come up with for your comment is that the homes and their contents aren’t insured for their replacement value. The only two explanations I’ve got for that are that people aren’t fiscally literate or insurance companies refused to insure for fire in that area.

    Why are people “completely fucked”? Did they own houses that they couldn’t afford to insure or that couldn’t be insured?

    • -6-6-6-@lemmygrad.ml
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      1 day ago

      https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/05/what-homeowners-need-to-know-as-insurers-leave-high-risk-climate-areas.html

      This happened in 2023. Some people who had fire insurance before were suddenly left with very limited options; some far out of their price range in a city that already has an incredible COL and competitive labor market. Where does financial literacy come into this at all? A lot of people stay in these areas because they are affordable and they have a good job for the area that they are complete with transportation infrastructure. You were correct on your second assumption though, they refused to insure new homes in certain areas past 2023.

      People are going to become increasingly more fucked because this is the beginning of climate change. More and more will change. Not just here, but globally where far more people will straight up die because of it. It’s just hitting in the core especially hard right now.

      Also; losing your home and your belongings in a fire is a pretty fucked position to be in. Even with a decent savings it’s a lot to plan for, expensive and insurance will try to fuck you any way they can. People are shooting insurance executives here.

      • ReadMoreBooks@lemmy.zip
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        1 day ago

        I don’t think I asked my question near as well as you answered it. Thank you for that.

        To demonstrate understanding, it’s the same thing as what’s happened to many good people in Florida. They’re not stupid. They knew what was going to happen. But, there was no way out of the situation, no practical alternative choices but to assume the risk.

        Thanks again.

        • FuckyWucky [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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          1 day ago

          not really, the federal government can provide funds to rebuild. whether they should provide funds for oversized multi-millionaire homes in Malibu is another question, but they aren’t the only ones affected. the obvious is to rebuild more densely packed areas and multi-family buildings. and the rebuilt homes can be made more fire/earthquake resistant.

          i don’t think Phoenix should be rebuilt if it burns down though or shit like this.

          • ReadMoreBooks@lemmy.zip
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            1 day ago

            The Feds could help poor and middle class people. But, while I don’t know much about California wildfires, I know that helping poor and middle class people is rarely the most profitable choice. Only pretending to help, the marketing, is profitable.

            • FuckyWucky [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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              1 day ago

              fed doesn’t need money profits (eg. troubled asset relief program or paycheck protection program), that it doesn’t help regular people is a political choice, U.S. is ran by the oligarchs and all.

              • ReadMoreBooks@lemmy.zip
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                1 day ago

                fed doesn’t need money profits… that it doesn’t help regular people is a more political problem

                I’ve little tolerance for such minimization and deflection of the consequences of unmitigated capitalism.

                • FuckyWucky [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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                  1 day ago

                  i didn’t minimize anything at all. unmitigated capitalism? you mean regular peoples’ homes burning down? sure, destroy capitalism but that doesn’t mean ‘natural’ disasters stop all of a sudden.

    • FuckyWucky [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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      1 day ago

      Homes are the only major asset most Americans have.

      Even the assumption that you have to have insurance to not be financially ruined is ridiculous.

      Insurers will try any possible means to deny insurance claims.

      climate change makes insurance unprofitable for the corps. The only possible (long term) provider of funding in such a case is the Federal Government.

          • Murple_27
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            1 day ago

            It’s more, their own immediate revenue streams, that the insurers are prioritizing. Why they are legally allowed to do this, however, is certainly a quandary though.