LA Times: Property Damage? Know Your Policyhttp://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-questions22feb22,1,1115401.story?coll=la-headlines-californiaProperty
Damage? Know Your Policy
By Catherine Saillant
Times Staff
Writer
February 22, 2005
Are flooding and mudslides covered by
most common
homeowners insurance policies?
No. Standard homeowners
insurance covers rain and
wind damage but not property ruined by
flooding,
landslides or mud. The rule of thumb is that if
the damage is
caused by falling rain, it's
covered; if it's caused by rising water,
it's
not.
Flood insurance is available but takes 30 days
to
activate and costs $300 to $600 a year, according
to the Insurance
Information Network of
California.
Although no carrier protects
against landslides,
flood insurance may cover minor mud damage, said
Pete
Moraga, a spokesman for the network.
What's the difference?
"If it
sticks to a shovel, it's a slide," he
said. "If it doesn't, it's a
mudflow."
What should one do if a tree is about to fall or
there is
rising water near the house?
Safety first is the rule, experts said.
Homes can
be fixed. Have a family evacuation plan mapped
out, and if your
house appears to be in imminent
danger, get out. If there is time, check to
see
if a clogged storm drain is flooding the
neighborhood. If so, call the
city to get it
cleared. Don't clear it yourself.
Why do some hillside
homes fail while others do
not?
Many factors come into play, but a
home's
stability essentially comes down to two things:
geology and water,
said Randy Jibson, a landslide
expert at the U.S. Geological Survey. Homes
built
on weaker materials, such as clay, are more prone
to slides, he
said, while those built on rock are
more stable.
There may be an
ancient landslide that wasn't
detected during the home's grading, he
said.
Problems occur when these slopes become so
saturated that built-up
pressure causes failure,
Jibson said.
The steepness of a hillside also
is an important
factor. Riskiest locations include slopes of 26
degrees or
steeper and homes near the foot of a
steep slope or "benched" into a steep
slope,
according to the Southern California Area Mapping
Project.
Mudslides can move at avalanche speed,
about 40 feet per second (27 mph). On
gentler
hills, slippage can be as slow as 1 foot per
second.
The
highest risk occurs when rain falls at the
rate of more than 0.2 of an inch
an hour for more
than three continuous hours on a slope that has
already
received at least 10 inches of rainfall
for the season.
What are the
dangers for flatland homes?
Falling trees, wind damage and water damage
are
all possible, said Candysse Miller, executive
director of the
insurance network. Make sure rain
gutters are clear so that water flows in
the
desired direction. If you don't have gutters,
install them to prevent
water flowing down the
side of your house near the foundation, where
it
can cause rot and mold, she said. Swimming pools
should be lowered at
least 3 inches to prevent
flooding.
What can I do to prevent rain
damage?
Patch roof leaks, remove branches overhanging
cars and homes,
clean out drains and lower the
water level in pools. Many claims are made
by
homeowners whose houses have sustained water
damage from overflowing
pools.
Sandbags can be helpful, but make sure to divert
water away
from the house. In areas prone to
flooding, homeowners should consider
flood
insurance.
Finally, make an inventory of property
for
insurance purposes. This can be done with a video
or still camera, or
a written list.
Why does Southern California have so
many
potholes?
Most roads are made of asphalt. Asphalt
is
considered a good road material because its
flexibility allows it to
absorb the region's
heavy traffic, but it tends to crack over time.
During
heavy rain, water seeps through those
cracks to the road base of crushed
rocks. When
the base erodes, the asphalt can collapse,
creating a
pothole.