Anyone buying a house now or in the future should read this article.

Bear this in mind if you sheetrock your shop in the future.



TMT

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – James and Maria Ivory's dreams of a relaxing
retirement on Florida's Gulf Coast were put on hold when they
discovered their new home had been built with Chinese drywall that
emits sulfuric fumes and corrodes pipes. It got worse when they asked
their insurer for help — and not only was their claim denied, but
they've been told their entire policy won't be renewed.

Thousands of homeowners nationwide who bought new houses constructed
from the defective building materials are finding their hopes dashed,
their lives in limbo. And experts warn that cases like the Ivorys', in
which insurers drop policies or send notices of non-renewal based on
the presence of Chinese drywall, will become rampant as insurance
companies process the hundreds of claims currently in the pipeline.

At least three insurers have already canceled or refused to renew
policies after homeowners sought their help replacing the bad
wallboard. Because mortgage companies require homeowners to insure
their properties, they are then at risk of foreclosure, yet no law
prevents the cancellations.

"This is like the small wave that's out on the horizon that's going to
continue to grow and grow until it becomes a tsunami," said Florida
attorney David Durkee, who represents hundreds of homeowners who are
suing builders, suppliers and manufacturers over the drywall.

During the height of the U.S. housing boom, with building materials in
short supply, American construction companies turned to Chinese-made
drywall because it was abundant and cheap. An Associated Press
analysis of shipping records found that more than 500 million pounds
of Chinese gypsum board was imported between 2004 and 2008 — enough to
have built tens of thousands of homes. They are heavily concentrated
in the Southeast, especially Florida and areas of Louisiana and
Mississippi hit hard by Hurricane Katrina.

The defective materials have been found by state and federal agencies
to emit "volatile sulfur compounds," and contain traces of strontium
sulfide, which can produce a rotten-egg odor, along with organic
compounds not found in American-made drywall. Homeowners complain the
fumes are corroding copper pipes, destroying TVs and air conditioners,
and blackening jewelry and silverware. Some believe the wallboard is
also making them ill.

The federal government is studying the problem and considering some
sort of relief for homeowners.

Meanwhile, the AP interviewed several homeowners who, like the Ivorys,
were unlucky enough to purchase properties built with Chinese drywall,
and are now being hit with a second and third wave of bad news: Their
insurers are declining to fill their claims, then canceling the policy
or issuing notices that policies won't be renewed until the problem is
fixed. The homeowners have little recourse since neither the Chinese
manufacturers nor the Chinese government are likely to respond to any
lawsuits or reimburse them for the defective drywall.

In each instance, the insurer learned of the drywall through a claim
filed by the homeowner seeking financial help with its removal.

The Ivorys have sued their builder, but it could take months for their
case and hundreds like it to work their way through the courts. In the
meantime, they have moved back to Colorado because their three-bedroom
ranch home two miles from the Gulf of Mexico is unlivable and soon
will be uninsured.

"It's been an emotional roller-coaster," said James Ivory, who is
still making mortgage payments on the house. "It was all in our heads,
nice weather down there, calm life, beaches. Now I don't know what to
do."

John Kuczwanski, a spokesman for the Ivorys' insurer, Citizens
Property Insurance Corp., said their claim was denied because the
drywall is considered a builder defect, which is not covered under the
policy. It also considers the drywall a pre-existing condition that
could lead to future damage, which is why the company won't renew the
policy unless the problem is fixed.

"If someone were to have bought a new car and there was a defective
part, would that person go to their auto insurance to get that fixed
or would they go back to the manufacturer?" Kuczwanski said. "We
provide insurance, not warranty service."

Citizens, a last-resort insurer backed by the state of Florida for
people who can't find affordable coverage elsewhere, has received 23
claims about Chinese drywall, and has so far denied five. Citizens
could not immediately say how many policies had been canceled or not
renewed because of the drywall.

Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute,
agreed that homeowners policies were never meant to cover "faulty,
inadequate or defective" workmanship, construction or materials.

Tom Zutell, spokesman for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation,
said the cancellations are troubling, but legal. No law prevents
insurance companies from canceling policies because of Chinese
drywall.

"We are staying out of the fray at the moment," he said.

Even if a homeowner does not file a claim over the drywall and remains
covered, they could later be denied a claim for a fire or another
calamity if insurance investigators determine the home contained
undisclosed Chinese drywall.

"If you think that by not telling your insurance company about the
drywall that you're protected, you're sadly mistaken," Durkee said.

A newly married couple in Hallandale Beach, Fla., saved up for five
years to buy their first home only to later discover it had Chinese
drywall. They filed a claim with their insurer, Universal Insurance
Co. of North America, and were denied.

Universal then sent the couple a letter, stating their policy was
being dropped because "the dwelling was built with Chinese drywall."

The couple then signed on with Citizens, but didn't divulge the
drywall issue, and hasn't filed another claim. The 31-year-old man
requested anonymity because he's afraid of losing his insurance
policy, and thus his home.

"I honestly don't know what I'd do if that happened," he said. "All
this has basically taken us back five years. We saved money to buy
this home."

Universal did not respond to requests for comment.

Louisiana lawyer Daniel Becnel Jr., who represents more than 200
owners of homes containing Chinese drywall, is advising his clients to
avoid filing claims with their insurers or they could lose their
houses.

"I really believe everybody should have an insurance claim with this,"
Becnel said. "But it's hard to tell somebody to go make a claim, then
they lose their policy ... This is a nightmare for people."

"I tell people flat out if you file, you may lose your insurance,"
agreed Mississippi attorney Steve Mullins, who has about 100 clients
with Chinese drywall in their homes.

Chris Whitfield, a 29-year-old tire repairman, bought a house in
Picayune, Miss., after his home in Louisiana's St. Bernard Parish was
destroyed by Katrina. He soon discovered it was built with Chinese
drywall, and moved out because it was making his family sick.

His claim was denied by his insurer, Nationwide, which followed up
with notice that he would be dropped because his policy didn't cover
unoccupied dwellings.

Nationwide spokeswoman Liz Christopher declined to comment on
Whitfield's case and could not say how many drywall claims had been
submitted or how many policies had been canceled or not renewed.

Whitfield offered to move back into the house, but he said he was told
he'd first have to replace the drywall.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," he said.

___

Associated Press Writer Damian Grass in Miami contributed to this
report.

On 10/16/2009 12:02 AM, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
Anyone buying a house now or in the future should read this article.

Bear this in mind if you sheetrock your shop in the future.

Wow. That's just nutty that the insurance companies are allowed to drop
them because of it. The car analogy doesn't wash...if I'm in an
accident due to a defective car part I would expect the insurance
company to pay me and then turn around and sue the manufacturer to get
reimbursed.

I wonder if there are any standards on allowable chemical fumes emitted
by drywall? If there weren't, the insurance companies shouldn't be able
to do this. If there were, then whoever approved the importing of the
drywall should be on the hook.

I bet any housing inspector with a chemical sniffer is going to be in
high demand for the next while.

Chris

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
Anyone buying a house now or in the future should read this article.

Bear this in mind if you sheetrock your shop in the future.



TMT

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – James and Maria Ivory's dreams of a relaxing
retirement on Florida's Gulf Coast were put on hold when they
discovered their new home had been built with Chinese drywall that
emits sulfuric fumes and corrodes pipes. It got worse when they asked
their insurer for help — and not only was their claim denied, but
they've been told their entire policy won't be renewed.

Thousands of homeowners nationwide who bought new houses constructed
from the defective building materials are finding their hopes dashed,
their lives in limbo. And experts warn that cases like the Ivorys', in
which insurers drop policies or send notices of non-renewal based on
the presence of Chinese drywall, will become rampant as insurance
companies process the hundreds of claims currently in the pipeline.

At least three insurers have already canceled or refused to renew
policies after homeowners sought their help replacing the bad
wallboard. Because mortgage companies require homeowners to insure
their properties, they are then at risk of foreclosure, yet no law
prevents the cancellations.

"This is like the small wave that's out on the horizon that's going to
continue to grow and grow until it becomes a tsunami," said Florida
attorney David Durkee, who represents hundreds of homeowners who are
suing builders, suppliers and manufacturers over the drywall.

During the height of the U.S. housing boom, with building materials in
short supply, American construction companies turned to Chinese-made
drywall because it was abundant and cheap. An Associated Press
analysis of shipping records found that more than 500 million pounds
of Chinese gypsum board was imported between 2004 and 2008 — enough to
have built tens of thousands of homes. They are heavily concentrated
in the Southeast, especially Florida and areas of Louisiana and
Mississippi hit hard by Hurricane Katrina.

The defective materials have been found by state and federal agencies
to emit "volatile sulfur compounds," and contain traces of strontium
sulfide, which can produce a rotten-egg odor, along with organic
compounds not found in American-made drywall. Homeowners complain the
fumes are corroding copper pipes, destroying TVs and air conditioners,
and blackening jewelry and silverware. Some believe the wallboard is
also making them ill.

The federal government is studying the problem and considering some
sort of relief for homeowners.

Meanwhile, the AP interviewed several homeowners who, like the Ivorys,
were unlucky enough to purchase properties built with Chinese drywall,
and are now being hit with a second and third wave of bad news: Their
insurers are declining to fill their claims, then canceling the policy
or issuing notices that policies won't be renewed until the problem is
fixed. The homeowners have little recourse since neither the Chinese
manufacturers nor the Chinese government are likely to respond to any
lawsuits or reimburse them for the defective drywall.

In each instance, the insurer learned of the drywall through a claim
filed by the homeowner seeking financial help with its removal.

The Ivorys have sued their builder, but it could take months for their
case and hundreds like it to work their way through the courts. In the
meantime, they have moved back to Colorado because their three-bedroom
ranch home two miles from the Gulf of Mexico is unlivable and soon
will be uninsured.

"It's been an emotional roller-coaster," said James Ivory, who is
still making mortgage payments on the house. "It was all in our heads,
nice weather down there, calm life, beaches. Now I don't know what to
do."

John Kuczwanski, a spokesman for the Ivorys' insurer, Citizens
Property Insurance Corp., said their claim was denied because the
drywall is considered a builder defect, which is not covered under the
policy. It also considers the drywall a pre-existing condition that
could lead to future damage, which is why the company won't renew the
policy unless the problem is fixed.

"If someone were to have bought a new car and there was a defective
part, would that person go to their auto insurance to get that fixed
or would they go back to the manufacturer?" Kuczwanski said. "We
provide insurance, not warranty service."

Citizens, a last-resort insurer backed by the state of Florida for
people who can't find affordable coverage elsewhere, has received 23
claims about Chinese drywall, and has so far denied five. Citizens
could not immediately say how many policies had been canceled or not
renewed because of the drywall.

Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute,
agreed that homeowners policies were never meant to cover "faulty,
inadequate or defective" workmanship, construction or materials.

Tom Zutell, spokesman for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation,
said the cancellations are troubling, but legal. No law prevents
insurance companies from canceling policies because of Chinese
drywall.

"We are staying out of the fray at the moment," he said.

Even if a homeowner does not file a claim over the drywall and remains
covered, they could later be denied a claim for a fire or another
calamity if insurance investigators determine the home contained
undisclosed Chinese drywall.

"If you think that by not telling your insurance company about the
drywall that you're protected, you're sadly mistaken," Durkee said.

A newly married couple in Hallandale Beach, Fla., saved up for five
years to buy their first home only to later discover it had Chinese
drywall. They filed a claim with their insurer, Universal Insurance
Co. of North America, and were denied.

Universal then sent the couple a letter, stating their policy was
being dropped because "the dwelling was built with Chinese drywall."

The couple then signed on with Citizens, but didn't divulge the
drywall issue, and hasn't filed another claim. The 31-year-old man
requested anonymity because he's afraid of losing his insurance
policy, and thus his home.

"I honestly don't know what I'd do if that happened," he said. "All
this has basically taken us back five years. We saved money to buy
this home."

Universal did not respond to requests for comment.

Louisiana lawyer Daniel Becnel Jr., who represents more than 200
owners of homes containing Chinese drywall, is advising his clients to
avoid filing claims with their insurers or they could lose their
houses.

"I really believe everybody should have an insurance claim with this,"
Becnel said. "But it's hard to tell somebody to go make a claim, then
they lose their policy ... This is a nightmare for people."

"I tell people flat out if you file, you may lose your insurance,"
agreed Mississippi attorney Steve Mullins, who has about 100 clients
with Chinese drywall in their homes.

Chris Whitfield, a 29-year-old tire repairman, bought a house in
Picayune, Miss., after his home in Louisiana's St. Bernard Parish was
destroyed by Katrina. He soon discovered it was built with Chinese
drywall, and moved out because it was making his family sick.

His claim was denied by his insurer, Nationwide, which followed up
with notice that he would be dropped because his policy didn't cover
unoccupied dwellings.

Nationwide spokeswoman Liz Christopher declined to comment on
Whitfield's case and could not say how many drywall claims had been
submitted or how many policies had been canceled or not renewed.

Whitfield offered to move back into the house, but he said he was told
he'd first have to replace the drywall.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," he said.

___

Associated Press Writer Damian Grass in Miami contributed to this
report.

Isn't it about time we stop buying Chinese products? All the lead
problems, now this. The US should ban importing all Chinese products
until they make good for all the crap they have already sold us.

I'm curious if the drywall used in China has the same problem, or is it
just the stuff sent over here? And their children's toys, do they have
lead or just the stuff shipped over here?

On Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:57:23 -0400, Tony
wrote:

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
Anyone buying a house now or in the future should read this article.

Bear this in mind if you sheetrock your shop in the future.



TMT

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. €“ James and Maria Ivory's dreams of a relaxing
retirement on Florida's Gulf Coast were put on hold when they
discovered their new home had been built with Chinese drywall that
emits sulfuric fumes and corrodes pipes. It got worse when they asked
their insurer for help €” and not only was their claim denied, but
they've been told their entire policy won't be renewed.

Thousands of homeowners nationwide who bought new houses constructed
from the defective building materials are finding their hopes dashed,
their lives in limbo. And experts warn that cases like the Ivorys', in
which insurers drop policies or send notices of non-renewal based on
the presence of Chinese drywall, will become rampant as insurance
companies process the hundreds of claims currently in the pipeline.

At least three insurers have already canceled or refused to renew
policies after homeowners sought their help replacing the bad
wallboard. Because mortgage companies require homeowners to insure
their properties, they are then at risk of foreclosure, yet no law
prevents the cancellations.

"This is like the small wave that's out on the horizon that's going to
continue to grow and grow until it becomes a tsunami," said Florida
attorney David Durkee, who represents hundreds of homeowners who are
suing builders, suppliers and manufacturers over the drywall.

During the height of the U.S. housing boom, with building materials in
short supply, American construction companies turned to Chinese-made
drywall because it was abundant and cheap. An Associated Press
analysis of shipping records found that more than 500 million pounds
of Chinese gypsum board was imported between 2004 and 2008 €” enough to
have built tens of thousands of homes. They are heavily concentrated
in the Southeast, especially Florida and areas of Louisiana and
Mississippi hit hard by Hurricane Katrina.

The defective materials have been found by state and federal agencies
to emit "volatile sulfur compounds," and contain traces of strontium
sulfide, which can produce a rotten-egg odor, along with organic
compounds not found in American-made drywall. Homeowners complain the
fumes are corroding copper pipes, destroying TVs and air conditioners,
and blackening jewelry and silverware. Some believe the wallboard is
also making them ill.

The federal government is studying the problem and considering some
sort of relief for homeowners.

Meanwhile, the AP interviewed several homeowners who, like the Ivorys,
were unlucky enough to purchase properties built with Chinese drywall,
and are now being hit with a second and third wave of bad news: Their
insurers are declining to fill their claims, then canceling the policy
or issuing notices that policies won't be renewed until the problem is
fixed. The homeowners have little recourse since neither the Chinese
manufacturers nor the Chinese government are likely to respond to any
lawsuits or reimburse them for the defective drywall.

In each instance, the insurer learned of the drywall through a claim
filed by the homeowner seeking financial help with its removal.

The Ivorys have sued their builder, but it could take months for their
case and hundreds like it to work their way through the courts. In the
meantime, they have moved back to Colorado because their three-bedroom
ranch home two miles from the Gulf of Mexico is unlivable and soon
will be uninsured.

"It's been an emotional roller-coaster," said James Ivory, who is
still making mortgage payments on the house. "It was all in our heads,
nice weather down there, calm life, beaches. Now I don't know what to
do."

John Kuczwanski, a spokesman for the Ivorys' insurer, Citizens
Property Insurance Corp., said their claim was denied because the
drywall is considered a builder defect, which is not covered under the
policy. It also considers the drywall a pre-existing condition that
could lead to future damage, which is why the company won't renew the
policy unless the problem is fixed.

"If someone were to have bought a new car and there was a defective
part, would that person go to their auto insurance to get that fixed
or would they go back to the manufacturer?" Kuczwanski said. "We
provide insurance, not warranty service."

Citizens, a last-resort insurer backed by the state of Florida for
people who can't find affordable coverage elsewhere, has received 23
claims about Chinese drywall, and has so far denied five. Citizens
could not immediately say how many policies had been canceled or not
renewed because of the drywall.

Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute,
agreed that homeowners policies were never meant to cover "faulty,
inadequate or defective" workmanship, construction or materials.

Tom Zutell, spokesman for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation,
said the cancellations are troubling, but legal. No law prevents
insurance companies from canceling policies because of Chinese
drywall.

"We are staying out of the fray at the moment," he said.

Even if a homeowner does not file a claim over the drywall and remains
covered, they could later be denied a claim for a fire or another
calamity if insurance investigators determine the home contained
undisclosed Chinese drywall.

"If you think that by not telling your insurance company about the
drywall that you're protected, you're sadly mistaken," Durkee said.

A newly married couple in Hallandale Beach, Fla., saved up for five
years to buy their first home only to later discover it had Chinese
drywall. They filed a claim with their insurer, Universal Insurance
Co. of North America, and were denied.

Universal then sent the couple a letter, stating their policy was
being dropped because "the dwelling was built with Chinese drywall."

The couple then signed on with Citizens, but didn't divulge the
drywall issue, and hasn't filed another claim. The 31-year-old man
requested anonymity because he's afraid of losing his insurance
policy, and thus his home.

"I honestly don't know what I'd do if that happened," he said. "All
this has basically taken us back five years. We saved money to buy
this home."

Universal did not respond to requests for comment.

Louisiana lawyer Daniel Becnel Jr., who represents more than 200
owners of homes containing Chinese drywall, is advising his clients to
avoid filing claims with their insurers or they could lose their
houses.

"I really believe everybody should have an insurance claim with this,"
Becnel said. "But it's hard to tell somebody to go make a claim, then
they lose their policy ... This is a nightmare for people."

"I tell people flat out if you file, you may lose your insurance,"
agreed Mississippi attorney Steve Mullins, who has about 100 clients
with Chinese drywall in their homes.

Chris Whitfield, a 29-year-old tire repairman, bought a house in
Picayune, Miss., after his home in Louisiana's St. Bernard Parish was
destroyed by Katrina. He soon discovered it was built with Chinese
drywall, and moved out because it was making his family sick.

His claim was denied by his insurer, Nationwide, which followed up
with notice that he would be dropped because his policy didn't cover
unoccupied dwellings.

Nationwide spokeswoman Liz Christopher declined to comment on
Whitfield's case and could not say how many drywall claims had been
submitted or how many policies had been canceled or not renewed.

Whitfield offered to move back into the house, but he said he was told
he'd first have to replace the drywall.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," he said.

___

Associated Press Writer Damian Grass in Miami contributed to this
report.

Isn't it about time we stop buying Chinese products? All the lead
problems, now this. The US should ban importing all Chinese products
until they make good for all the crap they have already sold us.

I'm curious if the drywall used in China has the same problem, or is it
just the stuff sent over here? And their children's toys, do they have
lead or just the stuff shipped over here?


Drywall in china? Rice-paper walls - but if they use drywall it will
be the same crap.

As for the toys, you can be assured their citizens get the poisoned
stuff too. Remember the Melamine fiasco????? Killed a lot of chinese
kids.

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET


American Capitalism at its finest.
Buy the cheapest crap you can and charge the most you can for max profit.
Make sure it is not made in the USA where oversight and living wages
reduce your profit margin.

Tony wrote:

Isn't it about time we stop buying Chinese products? All the lead
problems, now this. The US should ban importing all Chinese products
until they make good for all the crap they have already sold us.

At this stage of the game, that might be rather difficult.

I'm curious if the drywall used in China has the same problem, or is it
just the stuff sent over here? And their children's toys, do they have
lead or just the stuff shipped over here?

Sad to say, they don't seem to be doing any better for their own kids.

The real problem appears to be a mix of greed and ignorance.

I'm certainly glad we don't suffer from those here. :-T

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

"Steve Stone" wrote in message
...

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET


American Capitalism at its finest.
Buy the cheapest crap you can and charge the most you can for max profit.
Make sure it is not made in the USA where oversight and living wages
reduce your profit margin.

Don't just blame the businesses. They sell what people will buy. Just watch
your neighbors shop for the lowest possible price on appliances, cars, home
goods, etc. They will buy the China stuff to save $5 even if their mother
works for the US appliance maker and will get laid off from lack of sales.
.. Why pay $129 for that color TV when I can get it for $119? I'm a smart
shopper, right?

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

"Steve Stone" wrote in message
...

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET


American Capitalism at its finest.
Buy the cheapest crap you can and charge the most you can for max profit.
Make sure it is not made in the USA where oversight and living wages
reduce your profit margin.

Don't just blame the businesses. They sell what people will buy. Just
watch your neighbors shop for the lowest possible price on appliances,
cars, home goods, etc. They will buy the China stuff to save $5 even if
their mother works for the US appliance maker and will get laid off from
lack of sales. . Why pay $129 for that color TV when I can get it for
$119? I'm a smart shopper, right?


Don't blame the buyers or the sellers--just recognize that (economic)
incentives matter
and the confusion will disappear. Economic incentives, of course, include
more than
pecuniary ones.

On 2009-10-17, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

"Steve Stone" wrote in message
...

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET


American Capitalism at its finest.
Buy the cheapest crap you can and charge the most you can for max profit.
Make sure it is not made in the USA where oversight and living wages
reduce your profit margin.

Don't just blame the businesses. They sell what people will buy. Just watch
your neighbors shop for the lowest possible price on appliances, cars, home
goods, etc. They will buy the China stuff to save $5 even if their mother
works for the US appliance maker and will get laid off from lack of sales.
. Why pay $129 for that color TV when I can get it for $119? I'm a smart
shopper, right?



It would appear that in this instance, home buyers

1) Had no clue that bad drywall could exist
2) Had no means to check what the builders installed
3) Were deceived by home builders, who likely knew everything but
chose not to inform buyers.

On Oct 17, 12:50*am, Ignoramus15879 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15879.invalid wrote:

It would appear that in this instance, home buyers

1) Had no clue that bad drywall could exist

Most people didn't.

2) Had no means to check what the builders installed

Well, yeah, it's kind of tough to test for something you don't know is
a problem.

3) Were deceived by home builders, who likely knew everything but
chose not to inform buyers.

You think builders knowingly installed material they knew to be
faulty? Huh?

R

RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:50 am, Ignoramus15879 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15879.invalid wrote:
It would appear that in this instance, home buyers

1) Had no clue that bad drywall could exist

Most people didn't.

2) Had no means to check what the builders installed

Well, yeah, it's kind of tough to test for something you don't know is
a problem.

3) Were deceived by home builders, who likely knew everything but
chose not to inform buyers.

You think builders knowingly installed material they knew to be
faulty? Huh?

R


If that's all they can get? Sure.

On Oct 17, 1:45*am, cavelamb wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:50 am, Ignoramus15879 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15879.invalid wrote:
It would appear that in this instance, home buyers

1) Had no clue that bad drywall could exist

Most people didn't.

2) Had no means to check what the builders installed

Well, yeah, it's kind of tough to test for something you don't know is
a problem.

3) Were deceived by home builders, who likely knew everything but
chose not to inform buyers.

You think builders knowingly installed material they knew to be
faulty? *Huh?


If that's all they can get? *Sure.

You honestly believe an established - notice I didn't say honest -
builder would install something he _knew_ would come back to bite him
in the but and result in lawsuits? I think that is just as likely to
happen as your lawyer taking your money and doing nothing, or any
other trade/profession screwing someone over when they knew they were
going to get caught. Such things are in the 1 to 2 percent range at
most.

Every builder's contract has a clause about conditions outside of
their control and limiting their responsibility. The Ignorant one said
the builders "knew everything" about the problem, and still installed
it. There are essentially no cases, no mention, of defective drywall
before the current Chinese created problem. How would these builders
know that there would be a problem? No one had ever encountered it
before.

R

RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 1:45 am, cavelamb wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:50 am, Ignoramus15879 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15879.invalid wrote:
It would appear that in this instance, home buyers
1) Had no clue that bad drywall could exist
Most people didn't.
2) Had no means to check what the builders installed
Well, yeah, it's kind of tough to test for something you don't know is
a problem.
3) Were deceived by home builders, who likely knew everything but
chose not to inform buyers.
You think builders knowingly installed material they knew to be
faulty? Huh?

If that's all they can get? Sure.

You honestly believe an established - notice I didn't say honest -
builder would install something he _knew_ would come back to bite him
in the but and result in lawsuits? I think that is just as likely to
happen as your lawyer taking your money and doing nothing, or any
other trade/profession screwing someone over when they knew they were
going to get caught. Such things are in the 1 to 2 percent range at
most.

Every builder's contract has a clause about conditions outside of
their control and limiting their responsibility. The Ignorant one said
the builders "knew everything" about the problem, and still installed
it. There are essentially no cases, no mention, of defective drywall
before the current Chinese created problem. How would these builders
know that there would be a problem? No one had ever encountered it
before.

R


It was likely that, or loose his business when he couldn't fulfill the contract.

But I doubt that anybody "knew everything" about what was going on.
So in that respect I'd concur with your last.

On Oct 16, 4:55*pm, Chris Friesen wrote:
On 10/16/2009 12:02 AM, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

Anyone buying a house now or in the future should read this article.

Bear this in mind if you sheetrock your shop in the future.

Wow. *That's just nutty that the insurance companies are allowed to drop
them because of it. *The car analogy doesn't wash...if I'm in an
accident due to a defective car part I would expect the insurance
company to pay me and then turn around and sue the manufacturer to get
reimbursed.

I wonder if there are any standards on allowable chemical fumes emitted
by drywall? *If there weren't, the insurance companies shouldn't be able
to do this. *If there were, then whoever approved the importing of the
drywall should be on the hook.

The key point here is that this type of problem was never covered
under any homewoner's policy that I've had, nor do I think any policy
would likely cover it. If the furnace turns out to be defective, or
the front door falls apart prematurely, your homeowner's policy won't
pay for it. The reason they are canceling is likely because they
know the risk of them having a claim of a secondary nature is high.
Examples would be the owner deciding to stage a fire to get out of the
problem, or a house guest suing them for medical claims. Now those
would typically be covered.




I bet any housing inspector with a chemical sniffer is going to be in
high demand for the next while.

Chris

On Oct 17, 2:04*am, RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 1:45*am, cavelamb wrote:





RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:50 am, Ignoramus15879 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15879.invalid wrote:
It would appear that in this instance, home buyers

1) Had no clue that bad drywall could exist

Most people didn't.

2) Had no means to check what the builders installed

Well, yeah, it's kind of tough to test for something you don't know is
a problem.

3) Were deceived by home builders, who likely knew everything but
chose not to inform buyers.

You think builders knowingly installed material they knew to be
faulty? *Huh?

If that's all they can get? *Sure.

You honestly believe an established - notice I didn't say honest -
builder would install something he _knew_ would come back to bite him
in the but and result in lawsuits? *I think that is just as likely to
happen as your lawyer taking your money and doing nothing, or any
other trade/profession screwing someone over when they knew they were
going to get caught. *Such things are in the 1 to 2 percent range at
most.

Every builder's contract has a clause about conditions outside of
their control and limiting their responsibility. The Ignorant one said
the builders "knew everything" about the problem, and still installed
it. *There are essentially no cases, no mention, of defective drywall
before the current Chinese created problem. *How would these builders
know that there would be a problem? *No one had ever encountered it
before.

R- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yeah, it's amazing how people jump to conclusions. I would think it
likely that the builders or yard carrying the product didn't know
anything about safety issues any more than the home buyer. Was every
toy store that sold the Chinese toys aware that they contained lead?

On Oct 17, 12:31*am, "Bill" wrote:
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message

...







"Steve Stone" wrote in message
...

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET

American Capitalism at its finest.
Buy the cheapest crap you can and charge the most you can for max profit.
Make sure it is not made in the USA where oversight and living wages
reduce your profit margin.

Don't just blame the businesses. *They sell what people will buy. Just
watch your neighbors shop for the lowest possible price on appliances,
cars, home goods, etc. *They will buy the China stuff to save $5 even if
their mother works for the US appliance maker and will get laid off from
lack of sales. . Why pay $129 for that color TV when I can get it for
$119? *I'm a smart shopper, right?

Don't blame the buyers or the sellers--just recognize that (economic)
incentives matter
and the confusion will disappear. *Economic incentives, of course, include
more than
pecuniary ones.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Well said. I wish basic economics would be required in high
school. Then people might understand how markets work.

Ed Pawlowski wrote:

"Steve Stone" wrote in message
...

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET


American Capitalism at its finest.
Buy the cheapest crap you can and charge the most you can for max profit.
Make sure it is not made in the USA where oversight and living wages
reduce your profit margin.

Don't just blame the businesses. They sell what people will buy. Just watch
your neighbors shop for the lowest possible price on appliances, cars, home
goods, etc. They will buy the China stuff to save $5 even if their mother
works for the US appliance maker and will get laid off from lack of sales.
. Why pay $129 for that color TV when I can get it for $119? I'm a smart
shopper, right?


No. A smart shopper would get one free, on Freecycle.org.


--
The movie 'Deliverance' isn't a documentary!

cavelamb wrote:

RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 1:45 am, cavelamb wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:50 am, Ignoramus15879 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15879.invalid wrote:
It would appear that in this instance, home buyers
1) Had no clue that bad drywall could exist
Most people didn't.
2) Had no means to check what the builders installed
Well, yeah, it's kind of tough to test for something you don't know is
a problem.
3) Were deceived by home builders, who likely knew everything but
chose not to inform buyers.
You think builders knowingly installed material they knew to be
faulty? Huh?

If that's all they can get? Sure.

You honestly believe an established - notice I didn't say honest -
builder would install something he _knew_ would come back to bite him
in the but and result in lawsuits? I think that is just as likely to
happen as your lawyer taking your money and doing nothing, or any
other trade/profession screwing someone over when they knew they were
going to get caught. Such things are in the 1 to 2 percent range at
most.

Every builder's contract has a clause about conditions outside of
their control and limiting their responsibility. The Ignorant one said
the builders "knew everything" about the problem, and still installed
it. There are essentially no cases, no mention, of defective drywall
before the current Chinese created problem. How would these builders
know that there would be a problem? No one had ever encountered it
before.

R

It was likely that, or loose his business when he couldn't fulfill the contract.

But I doubt that anybody "knew everything" about what was going on.
So in that respect I'd concur with your last.


Keep in mind that new drywall always has a slight odor, and there are
a lot of other odors on a construction site. It isn't as obvious until
it is installed in a fairly airtight home, when the fumes build up. The
joint compound, new lumber, paint, caulking and other odors could mask a
lot of odors, and there is a good chance that all the doors and windows
are open while the drywall is hung, finished and painted. Most crews do
an average house in a day or two. I helped some friends rebuild their
home after a major fire. Three of us did the drywall entire house in two
days. The bulk drywall is out in the open on a flatbed truck, where the
fumes can't build up.


--
The movie 'Deliverance' isn't a documentary!

wrote in message
...
On Oct 17, 12:31 am, "Bill" wrote:
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message

...







"Steve Stone" wrote in message
...

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET

American Capitalism at its finest.
Buy the cheapest crap you can and charge the most you can for max
profit.
Make sure it is not made in the USA where oversight and living wages
reduce your profit margin.

Don't just blame the businesses. They sell what people will buy. Just
watch your neighbors shop for the lowest possible price on appliances,
cars, home goods, etc. They will buy the China stuff to save $5 even if
their mother works for the US appliance maker and will get laid off from
lack of sales. . Why pay $129 for that color TV when I can get it for
$119? I'm a smart shopper, right?

Don't blame the buyers or the sellers--just recognize that (economic)
incentives matter
and the confusion will disappear. Economic incentives, of course, include
more than
pecuniary ones.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Well said. I wish basic economics would be required in high
school. Then people might understand how markets work.


Thanks, I was worried somebody would give me a bad time about it.
Back to woodworking posts for me.

In article ,
Steve Stone wrote:


Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET


American Capitalism at its finest.
Buy the cheapest crap you can and charge the most you can for max profit.
Make sure it is not made in the USA where oversight and living wages
reduce your profit margin.

Capitalism at its finest. Give the customer exactly what they are
willing pay for. That is why WalMart is making money and Macy's not so
much.

--
An old friend once said "You don't live on the edge,
you're taking up way too much space."
Scott Kirby "Lucky Enough"

On Oct 17, 5:08*am, "Michael A. Terrell"
wrote:

The movie 'Deliverance' isn't a documentary!

Well, maybe not most of it. The 'squeal like a pig scene' was the
next best thing. Read up sometime on what went on when they filmed
that. =:O

R

On Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:04:31 -0700 (PDT), RicodJour
wrote:

On Oct 17, 1:45Â*am, cavelamb wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:50 am, Ignoramus15879 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15879.invalid wrote:
It would appear that in this instance, home buyers

1) Had no clue that bad drywall could exist

Most people didn't.

2) Had no means to check what the builders installed

Well, yeah, it's kind of tough to test for something you don't know is
a problem.

3) Were deceived by home builders, who likely knew everything but
chose not to inform buyers.

You think builders knowingly installed material they knew to be
faulty? Â*Huh?


If that's all they can get? Â*Sure.

You honestly believe an established - notice I didn't say honest -
builder would install something he _knew_ would come back to bite him
in the but and result in lawsuits? I think that is just as likely to
happen as your lawyer taking your money and doing nothing, or any
other trade/profession screwing someone over when they knew they were
going to get caught. Such things are in the 1 to 2 percent range at
most.

Seams to be a bit higher in the investment/financial services sector
these days - and even 1 to 2 percent is WAY too high.

Every builder's contract has a clause about conditions outside of
their control and limiting their responsibility. The Ignorant one said
the builders "knew everything" about the problem, and still installed
it. There are essentially no cases, no mention, of defective drywall
before the current Chinese created problem. How would these builders
know that there would be a problem? No one had ever encountered it
before.

R

Steve Stone writes:

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET


American Capitalism at its finest.
Buy the cheapest crap you can and charge the most you can for max profit.
Make sure it is not made in the USA where oversight and living wages
reduce your profit margin.

You didn't actually _read_ the article, did you? The Chinese drywall was
used because the demand exceeded the American supply. USG seems to do pretty
well making gypsum product's domestically.

We now live in Las Vegas, where during the 2001-2007 time frame,
hundreds of thousands of new homes were built during a real estate
feeding frenzy. While we lucked out on the drywall issue here
(several gyp mines locally and all local drywall), there were
other alleged construction defects that were or are being
litigated or negotiated. As far as I know, no contractor or
subcontractor knowingly installed anything that would have harmed
a home or the occupants. However, the litigators really had a
feeding frenzy with construction defect suits.

One of the fights here involved the elimination of weep screeds at
the bottom of stucco siding. Another involved Kitec plumbing
fittings and flexible piping, while another involved a different
reinforcement in slabs. There are also issues even with copper
pipe that comes in contact with soil under a slab. In NC, we had
the issue of disintegration of man made lap siding and
delamination of man made stucco over foam.

My reason for mentioning this is to illustrate my belief that
virtually any change from the old, tried and true methods or
materials of construction carries risk of varying degree. Homes
are built to last for generations and Murphy's Law applies to new
materials, construction techniques, different suppliers and man
made anything installed in a home. Even the most benign change
from what's been done for years and years with success can result
in a construction defect.

The insurance companies were dinged badly with the black mold
issue of the 90's. Whenever somebody discovered mold, even after
a window leaked for years, it was considered to be an insurable
event. Now, the folk with drywall problems are feeling the
spin-off effect. Insurance companies might exclude drywall
related issues in policies, but some judge somewhere at some time
will decide for the "social good" to make them responsible. Their
only hope to escape this is to cancel or refuse to renew policies
once they become aware of the drywall problem. I sure can't blame
them, since it's a huge liability otherwise.
--
Nonny

Live a good and honorable life.
Then when you get older and
think back, you'll enjoy it
a second time.

On Oct 17, 2:40*am, wrote:
On Oct 16, 4:55*pm, Chris Friesen wrote:





On 10/16/2009 12:02 AM, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

Anyone buying a house now or in the future should read this article.

Bear this in mind if you sheetrock your shop in the future.

Wow. *That's just nutty that the insurance companies are allowed to drop
them because of it. *The car analogy doesn't wash...if I'm in an
accident due to a defective car part I would expect the insurance
company to pay me and then turn around and sue the manufacturer to get
reimbursed.

I wonder if there are any standards on allowable chemical fumes emitted
by drywall? *If there weren't, the insurance companies shouldn't be able
to do this. *If there were, then whoever approved the importing of the
drywall should be on the hook.

The key point here is that this type of problem was never covered
under any homewoner's policy that I've had, nor do I think any policy
would likely cover it. * *If the furnace turns out to be defective, or
the front door falls apart prematurely, your homeowner's policy won't
pay for it. * The reason they are canceling is likely because they
know the risk of them having a claim of a secondary nature is high.
Examples would be the owner deciding to stage a fire to get out of the
problem, or a house guest suing them for medical claims. *Now those
would typically be covered.





I bet any housing inspector with a chemical sniffer is going to be in
high demand for the next while.

Chris- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I think you are right.

The first claim is not the last one in a corrosive environment.

TMT

On Oct 17, 2:46*am, wrote:
On Oct 17, 2:04*am, RicodJour wrote:





On Oct 17, 1:45*am, cavelamb wrote:

RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:50 am, Ignoramus15879 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15879.invalid wrote:
It would appear that in this instance, home buyers

1) Had no clue that bad drywall could exist

Most people didn't.

2) Had no means to check what the builders installed

Well, yeah, it's kind of tough to test for something you don't know is
a problem.

3) Were deceived by home builders, who likely knew everything but
chose not to inform buyers.

You think builders knowingly installed material they knew to be
faulty? *Huh?

If that's all they can get? *Sure.

You honestly believe an established - notice I didn't say honest -
builder would install something he _knew_ would come back to bite him
in the but and result in lawsuits? *I think that is just as likely to
happen as your lawyer taking your money and doing nothing, or any
other trade/profession screwing someone over when they knew they were
going to get caught. *Such things are in the 1 to 2 percent range at
most.

Every builder's contract has a clause about conditions outside of
their control and limiting their responsibility. The Ignorant one said
the builders "knew everything" about the problem, and still installed
it. *There are essentially no cases, no mention, of defective drywall
before the current Chinese created problem. *How would these builders
know that there would be a problem? *No one had ever encountered it
before.

R- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yeah, it's amazing how people jump to conclusions. * I would think it
likely that the builders or yard carrying the product didn't know
anything about safety issues any more than the home buyer. * Was every
toy store that sold the Chinese toys aware that they contained lead?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

They are now.

And are liable from now.

TMT

On Oct 17, 2:51*am, wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:31*am, "Bill" wrote:





"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message

m...

"Steve Stone" wrote in message
...

Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET

American Capitalism at its finest.
Buy the cheapest crap you can and charge the most you can for max profit.
Make sure it is not made in the USA where oversight and living wages
reduce your profit margin.

Don't just blame the businesses. *They sell what people will buy. Just
watch your neighbors shop for the lowest possible price on appliances,
cars, home goods, etc. *They will buy the China stuff to save $5 even if
their mother works for the US appliance maker and will get laid off from
lack of sales. . Why pay $129 for that color TV when I can get it for
$119? *I'm a smart shopper, right?

Don't blame the buyers or the sellers--just recognize that (economic)
incentives matter
and the confusion will disappear. *Economic incentives, of course, include
more than
pecuniary ones.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Well said. * I wish basic economics would be required in high
school. * *Then people might *understand how markets work.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It should be.

TMT

On Oct 17, 9:41*am, RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 5:08*am, "Michael A. Terrell"
wrote:



The movie 'Deliverance' isn't a documentary!

Well, maybe not most of it. *The 'squeal like a pig scene' was the
next best thing. *Read up sometime on what went on when they filmed
that. *=:O

R

LOL...they are Republican home movies.

TMT

On Oct 17, 1:27*pm, "Nonny" wrote:
We now live in Las Vegas, where during the 2001-2007 time frame,
hundreds of thousands of new homes were built during a real estate
feeding frenzy. *While we lucked out on the drywall issue here
(several gyp mines locally and all local drywall), there were
other alleged construction defects that were or are being
litigated or negotiated. *As far as I know, no contractor or
subcontractor knowingly installed anything that would have harmed
a home or the occupants. *However, the litigators really had a
feeding frenzy with construction defect suits.

One of the fights here involved the elimination of weep screeds at
the bottom of stucco siding. *Another involved Kitec plumbing
fittings and flexible piping, while another involved a different
reinforcement in slabs. *There are also issues even with copper
pipe that comes in contact with soil under a slab. *In NC, we had
the issue of disintegration of man made lap siding and
delamination of man made stucco over foam.

My reason for mentioning this is to illustrate my belief that
virtually any change from the old, tried and true methods or
materials of construction carries risk of varying degree. *Homes
are built to last for generations and Murphy's Law applies to new
materials, construction techniques, different suppliers and man
made anything installed in a home. *Even the most benign change
from what's been done for years and years with success can result
in a construction defect.

The insurance companies were dinged badly with the black mold
issue of the 90's. *Whenever somebody discovered mold, even after
a window leaked for years, it was considered to be an insurable
event. *Now, the folk with drywall problems are feeling the
spin-off effect. *Insurance companies might exclude drywall
related issues in policies, but some judge somewhere at some time
will decide for the "social good" to make them responsible. *Their
only hope to escape this is to cancel or refuse to renew policies
once they become aware of the drywall problem. *I sure can't blame
them, since it's a huge liability otherwise.
--
Nonny

Live a good and honorable life.
Then when you get older and
think back, you'll enjoy it
a second time.

Well said.

TMT

On Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:27:52 -0700, "Nonny" wrote:

We now live in Las Vegas, where during the 2001-2007 time frame,
hundreds of thousands of new homes were built during a real estate
feeding frenzy. While we lucked out on the drywall issue here
(several gyp mines locally and all local drywall), there were
other alleged construction defects that were or are being
litigated or negotiated. As far as I know, no contractor or
subcontractor knowingly installed anything that would have harmed
a home or the occupants. However, the litigators really had a
feeding frenzy with construction defect suits.

One of the fights here involved the elimination of weep screeds at
the bottom of stucco siding. Another involved Kitec plumbing
fittings and flexible piping, while another involved a different
reinforcement in slabs. There are also issues even with copper
pipe that comes in contact with soil under a slab. In NC, we had
the issue of disintegration of man made lap siding and
delamination of man made stucco over foam.

My reason for mentioning this is to illustrate my belief that
virtually any change from the old, tried and true methods or
materials of construction carries risk of varying degree. Homes
are built to last for generations and Murphy's Law applies to new
materials, construction techniques, different suppliers and man
made anything installed in a home. Even the most benign change
from what's been done for years and years with success can result
in a construction defect.

The insurance companies were dinged badly with the black mold
issue of the 90's. Whenever somebody discovered mold, even after
a window leaked for years, it was considered to be an insurable
event. Now, the folk with drywall problems are feeling the
spin-off effect. Insurance companies might exclude drywall
related issues in policies, but some judge somewhere at some time
will decide for the "social good" to make them responsible. Their
only hope to escape this is to cancel or refuse to renew policies
once they become aware of the drywall problem. I sure can't blame
them, since it's a huge liability otherwise.

In Las Vegas, Sun City Summerlin found defects in homes, built pre
1995. Homes with PEX pipes and some brass connectors (Zurn ??!). The
connectors were made in Canada. They contained to much Zinc during
the manufacturing and corroded years later, leaked behind stucco,
caused mold, on and on.

The judge declared a class action case. IIRC, they went after the
Canadian company and the builder.

It might still be pending - dunno.

http://www.theplumber.com/theleaksgoon.html

On Oct 17, 10:34*am, Kurt Ullman wrote:
In article ,
*Steve Stone wrote:



Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated
Press Writer
Thu Oct 15, 2:10 pm ET

American Capitalism at its finest.
Buy the cheapest crap you can and charge the most you can for max profit.

terry wrote:

Denying insurance coverage for something a citizen had no control over
is inhuman.

You had better go read your insurance policies in detail. You are seriously
confused about what they do. -- Doug

"Douglas Johnson" wrote in message
...
terry wrote:

Denying insurance coverage for something a citizen had no control over
is inhuman.

You had better go read your insurance policies in detail. You are
seriously
confused about what they do. -- Doug

Why would you expect insurance to fix constuction problems? Replace my
stove because it was lemon? Pay to paint the house, as the weather
destroyed the paint after 15 years? You want insurance for bad
construction, you are going to have to pay for a policy for that. Not a
normal policy that covers accidents. Sue the builder and supplier and the
company that made the sheetrock.

terry wrote:

Denying insurance coverage for something a citizen had no control over
is inhuman.

Homeowner's insurance is to cover loss from certain damages and to cover
fire, theft, medical expenses if someone is injured on your property and
things of that nature. The coverage is very specific and is listed in the
policy.

There is nothing in the policy about defective materials in a house. They
are not denying coverage, you never had it and you never paid for it.
Insurance is a business transaction. You pay a premium for specific items
covered. Nothing inhumane about it at all.