Portland, Tennessee Blog

I was so happy to find this information posted out here on the web. My husband & I both wanted to know what insurance refused, so that we could ensure we do not have them or will not choose them in the future.

Thank you for all your comments!

Regarding the New Madrid fault zone- it is a major concern to both government and insurance as well due to the immense size of the risk zone. During the 'quakes of 1811-12 (which measured an 8.1-8.4, respectively) there was a thirty foot tall waterfall on the Mississippi River, causing it to flow backwards and Church bells rang as far away as Montreal. Reelfoot Lake was created during that series of seismic events, along with four other lakes which were subsequently filled by the Army Corps of engineers. To say that earthquakes are a major concern along this fault zone is an understatement, thus insurance companies have been forced to address the issue, although with the karst geography it would seem sinkholes would be a common point of contention on policies. Here's hoping they come to their senses and realize what a PR nightmare this could be for them.

My grandfather used to tell me that insurance was the biggest waste of money known to man. He said he remembered when no one had insurance. If your house burned down...the neighbors would come over and rebuild it. If a storm came through and blew your barn down...the neighbors would come over and rebuild it. Pa always said the best insurance you could have is good neighbors. On January 14th at the Portland Middle School some of Troy and Yvonne's neighbors will gather to help provide some of the insurance they had been paying for all these years. A benefit will be held featuring Jamie Denton,TV star from "Desperate Housewives" along with music legend Brenda Lee, Grand Ole Opry star Jeanie Sealy, our own Portland City Limits and some surprise guests. Admission is 5.00 per person and donations will be accepted. It's a chance to meet some real stars and help our neighbors recover. Please join us. The event gets underway at 4pm. Now is the time for us to take Pa's advice.....Good Neighbors are the best insurance you can have.

Hey, this is good to know. I just called my insurance company (Farmers) and told them about State Farm and the Farm Bureau covering sink holes and they were really SURPRISED!! I guess it's time to check into switching.

I received this postcard form my insurance agent today. I had not called him; the postcard just arrived in the mail.

"Dear Homeowner: We would like to take some of the worries off of your Holiday Season. Under the State Farm Homeowners insurance, there is coverage for sinkholes. It is covered under Amendatory Endorsement form FE-7242.2."

Suzy appears to be quite correct: all insurance policies in Tennesee are not the same.

In my opinion, The Hartford Insurance Company needs to do two things immediately:

1. Honor the Given's claim.

2. Amend every Tennessee homeowners policy to include sinkhole coverage.

If The Hartford does not do this, I would think they are going to lose a heck of a lot of business in Tennessee. They are also going to trash their reputation. As another wise man said: You only have one reputation, and once you lose it, it's impossible to get it back.

Just look at what the media is doing to Wal-Mart over not doing the right thing.

I do not beleive that all insurance companies are the same. My family and I all have our insurance with Farm Bureau. We called and spoke with them and we DO HAVE SINKHOLE COVERAGE. Sinkholes are something that is covered standard with ALL of the property policies through Farm Bureau. You can also get earthquake coverage with their policies. All insurance companies are not the same. Each company has its owns underwriting guidelines. Each company will cover different things. I am glad to know that I am covered if something like what happened to the Givens' happens to me. This just makes all of us check our insurance policies a little closer.

On my policy Earth Movement is described as follows: Earth movement means movement of earth, including, but not limited to the following:
a. earthquake, landslide or mudslide, all whether combined with water or not.
b. collapse, settling, cracking, shrinking, bulging, subsidence, erosion, sinking, rising, shifting, expanding, or contracting of earth, all whether combined with water or not.
c. volcanic eruption, including explosion, lava flow and volcanic action.
As for the eathquake rider, I will be checking on that. My orginal post was pointing out the fact that your basic insurance policy, without riders, does not cover any kind of earth movement in Tennessee which I hope is changed very soon.

Hi, Debra,

I'm a little confused. One can get an earthquake rider in Tennessee. (I have one on my homeowner's policy from State Farm.) I guess sinkholes are not considered the same kind of earth movement as an earthquake???

Also, I'd love to see your list of the things your insurance policy does not cover. That should be interesting!

By the way, as far as earthquakes are converned, Portland is in the best part of the state. Memphis will be devastated if the New Madrid fault ever has another major earthquake. I've also read that Chattanooga is seismically active. A lot of that city is built on fill which leads to liquifaction in an earthquake. Middle Tennessee is on fairly stable ground (except for the sinkholes, of course.)

Thanks.
Charlie

Yes, this is sad but we can't just single out The Hartford insurance company. Every insurance company in Tennessee is the same. They do not cover EARTH MOVEMENT. I wonder what would happen if Portland had an earthquake? After the sinkhole happened I found by insurance policy and read it from beginning to end and was really surprised at what they DO NOT cover.