No Insurance Coverage for Hawaii Quake Victims

As residents of Hawaii's Big Island begin the process of cleaning up after the earthquakes of Sunday, October 15 many have discovered that the damage to their homes is not covered by their homeowner's insurance policies.

Given the seismic history of the island, earthquake coverage has not been available or has been exorbitantly expensive in Hawaii for a number of years. In fact, almost no homes there are insured for earthquake damage.

Although Federal Emergency Management Agency teams are still preparing their reports, estimates suggest about 1,130 homes sustained minor damage with a total of 29 being uninhabitable as a consequence of the quakes. Officials condemned sixteen of those structures in the western and northern part of the island.

More than 500 requests have been made to officials for home inspections and damage assessment was also being cared out by FEMA teams and by the American Red Cross.

Most of the residents caught without insurance for the damage incurred to their property now hope than when FEMA makes its report they will be eligible for federal assistance to recover from the disaster.

Preliminary estimates place the quake damage at $46 million. On Tuesday President George W. Bush declared the incident a major disaster. As the numbers break down the quake caused $31 million in damage to schools, $8 million to harbor facilities, $4.89 million to businesses, $800,000 to roads, $750,000 to bridges, and $650,000 to homes.

The earthquake was the strongest to hit Hawaii in twenty years and measured 6.7. No serious injuries or deaths were reported.