Help W/Homeowners Insurance

[billex]

Hi,
Filed Ch13 in July, everything going as planned even though I think we have a high payment (950) with 2 old vehicles which I'm sure I'll have questions later.
My question now is that we received a non-renewal for our Homeowners policy due to BK. Called agent, lender and laywer with no help yet. Will be calling around to agents this week for quotes. Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions, I googled it and looked on this site w/no info. (Coastal South Carolina)

Any help would be appreciated - I've been following this site since May and it provided much help - thanks to everyone for the input, it is sure helpful.

[AngelinaCat]

Welcome to the Forum, and I am pleased you finally joined.

If you have an independent agent in your community, go and see him/her in person. They usually handle several different insurance companies, and can shop around and usually get you a good rate.

Some companies will not insure a home when the homeowners has filed bankruptcy--period. Which I think is just outright WRONG--but who am I? I suppose the underwriters think that because a person filed BK, that he/she is more likely to burn the house down. Other companies won't accept a person, until the BK has been discharged for five or more years. Others may want to know the reason for the BK in the first place, such as medical, legal, or just bad planning. Other companies do not care.

Be prepared to spend a lot of time in your local agent's office answering questions about your home and situation. Some companies are 'picky' about things they will insure and things they won't insure--such as a wood stove or fireplace; how far you are from the local fire station; can your home be seen from the road--all kinds of questions. Each insurer will have a different set of questions.

Edited to add: This is something that you HAVE to do in person. You cannot do it with a phone call, or through a website.

That will give you a start while I go dig up the thread with my saga of homeowner's insurance.

Good wishes!

[billex]

Thank you!

Thanks for the input - I will get to work and hopefully be able to share some good info with the others on here!

[AngelinaCat]

Hi billex:

Here is the link to the thread about homeowner's insurance:

http://www.bkforum.com/showthread.php?34621-Can-t-get-homeowner-s-insurance-after-BK&highlight=insurance%20angelincat

My 'rant' starts at post #6. That was a real experience.

BTW, I am going to remove your identical post concerning this subject from the CH 13 board. It is too confusing for people trying to follow and respond to two or more identical threads.

Thank you

[billex]

Thank you!

Thanks for the link, It gave me an idea to call the South Carolina Insurance Commission!
Will post if I get somewhere!

[8forme]

Alfa dropped us due to "heavy losses" in our area from the April 2011 tornados. They did not say for BK but I really think that is what it is from. We had no problem switching to Farmers. Not sure if they are in SC though.

[SMinGA2]

We started a HO policy with Allstate in 10/09. (Had been with USAA but they terminated all of our accounts, including insurance, when we defaulted on loans/cards.) Filed ch. 13 in 12/09, dismissed it in 3/10. Never heard a peep from Allstate. Changed to Travelers in 10/10, and we're still with them. Our rate went up about 8% this past fall.

[billex]

Thanks for all of the comments - called SC Insurance Commission and they listed some independant agents who work with bk. Seemed very helpful.
Our problem is we are in Coastal Carolina and are very limited with ins. companies even bfore ch 13.
I have 2 indemendant agents working on quotes- will keep all posted!