4/13/2004: Boulder hits house

Undertoad · 04-13-2004, 12:47 PM

1:30 AM, one day last week, homeowner Ron Dickman was awakened by a loud ruckus coming from another part of his house. Ruckus, no, more like an explosion. He went downstairs to find that an 8 TON boulder had come loose from an outcropping 1000 feet away, managed to miss the concrete barriers set up to keep falling rocks from hitting houses, and rolled right through a residential neighborhood. And right into Dickman's house, busting through a wall, finally coming to rest a foot away from where his old arthritic dog was sleeping.

Contractors drilled into it in order to break it up into manageable pieces. The other bad news for Dickman is that his homeowner's insurance won't cover it, which begs the question: if your homeowner's doesn't cover a big-ass rock coming right through your wall, almost killing your dog, and flattening one side of your favorite easy chair... what *does* it cover?

full story and another

glatt · 04-13-2004, 01:28 PM

They won't pay because it's an "act of God."

God must be trying to send this guy a message.

Note to self: Don't live under a cliff, in an avalanche zone.

lumberjim · 04-13-2004, 01:38 PM

damn. I can't decide whether i want to make a "dickman" joke or a "rock-n-roll" joke.

decisions decisions.

ah, boulderdash!

glatt · 04-13-2004, 01:47 PM

Ha! You said "dickman." Heh heh.

jdbutler · 04-13-2004, 02:52 PM

Boy, that Dick-man got some stones now, don't he?
Look at the oozing gore on the middle rock in the center photo-
Betcha God got one of those camel spiders before it ate the Dick-mans ear off!

glatt · 04-13-2004, 03:33 PM

That "gore" is probably oil. Lubricating the jackhammer or drill that helped split this thing.

xoxoxoBruce · 04-13-2004, 06:59 PM

Gee, I hope they didn't get any oil on the rug.

Sucks to be him, but being an accountant I'm sure he'll make the most of it.

Leah · 04-13-2004, 07:43 PM

Wow, that person was obviously never told not to throw stones.

dasviper · 04-13-2004, 09:10 PM

Any underwriters in the house? I'd like to know why homeowners insurance doesn't cover "acts of God." It seems like exactly the thing we want to insure against; there's no moral hazard involved (you're not going to be more likely to build your home in avalanche country if you know it's covered in your insurance), and the costs are extremely unequally distributed. Why shouldn't every homeowner in the country contribute $0.005 to the rebuilding of this poor man's wall?

Happy Monkey · 04-13-2004, 11:39 PM

Usually, an "Act of God" hits a ton of people at once. Serving all those claims could put the insurance company out of business, so they either don't cover them or require higher premiums fr them. Sucks to be the homeowner, but that's business.

Nothing But Net · 04-14-2004, 12:02 AM

"He who live in rock house should never stow thrones"

Clodfobble · 04-14-2004, 02:22 PM

you're not going to be more likely to build your home in avalanche country if you know it's covered in your insurance

It works the other way around though. You're right, I wouldn't say, "Hey, honey, this insurance agent offers coverage for rock avalanches, so let's go build at the foot of that cliff!" but you bet your ass I AM going to say, "No, honey, I don't give a damn how much you like that house, it clearly says here that we're not covered against those regularly-falling rocks, so we're not buying it."

Elspode · 04-16-2004, 03:59 PM

How, exactly, does a giant rock (unquestionably a natural entity) differ from a tornado when both are unpredictable and cause destruction?

A tornado is an act of god, yet insurance unquestionably pays for tornado damage...and hurricanes, and forest fires, even floods and earthquakes (although both can require specific riders for coverage).

Just doesn't seem reasonable.

glatt · 04-16-2004, 04:33 PM

I HATE insurance companies. They are a good idea in theory, but a leech on society in reality. Evil bastards. You pay and you pay and you pay, and then you need to make a claim, so they fight you on it and then drop you. Happens all the time. Did I mention they are evil bastards?

Troubleshooter · 04-19-2004, 07:46 PM

It's like those monkeys on the east coast who get to rebuild their homes every few years because a hurricane wipes them out.

The live in hurricane alley and act surprised when Ma Nature plays etch a sketch with the beach areas.

04-13-2004, 12:47 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	4/13/2004: Boulder hits house 1:30 AM, one day last week, homeowner Ron Dickman was awakened by a loud ruckus coming from another part of his house. Ruckus, no, more like an explosion. He went downstairs to find that an 8 TON boulder had come loose from an outcropping 1000 feet away, managed to miss the concrete barriers set up to keep falling rocks from hitting houses, and rolled right through a residential neighborhood. And right into Dickman's house, busting through a wall, finally coming to rest a foot away from where his old arthritic dog was sleeping. Contractors drilled into it in order to break it up into manageable pieces. The other bad news for Dickman is that his homeowner's insurance won't cover it, which begs the question: if your homeowner's doesn't cover a big-ass rock coming right through your wall, almost killing your dog, and flattening one side of your favorite easy chair... what does it cover? full story and another

04-13-2004, 01:38 PM	#3
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	damn. I can't decide whether i want to make a "dickman" joke or a "rock-n-roll" joke. decisions decisions. ah, boulderdash! __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

04-13-2004, 02:52 PM	#5
jdbutler If ya cant take a joke, Effya! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 288	Boy, that Dick-man got some stones now, don't he? Look at the oozing gore on the middle rock in the center photo- Betcha God got one of those camel spiders before it ate the Dick-mans ear off! __________________ Phineas J. Twunt

04-13-2004, 06:59 PM	#7
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Gee, I hope they didn't get any oil on the rug. Sucks to be him, but being an accountant I'm sure he'll make the most of it. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

04-13-2004, 09:10 PM	#9
dasviper Belt Conveyor Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Hanover, NH, USA Posts: 67	insurance doesn't cover? Any underwriters in the house? I'd like to know why homeowners insurance doesn't cover "acts of God." It seems like exactly the thing we want to insure against; there's no moral hazard involved (you're not going to be more likely to build your home in avalanche country if you know it's covered in your insurance), and the costs are extremely unequally distributed. Why shouldn't every homeowner in the country contribute $0.005 to the rebuilding of this poor man's wall?

04-13-2004, 01:28 PM	#2
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	They won't pay because it's an "act of God." God must be trying to send this guy a message. Note to self: Don't live under a cliff, in an avalanche zone.

04-13-2004, 01:47 PM	#4
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Ha! You said "dickman." Heh heh.

04-13-2004, 03:33 PM	#6
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	That "gore" is probably oil. Lubricating the jackhammer or drill that helped split this thing.

04-13-2004, 07:43 PM	#8
Leah Love my Heffalumps Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia (best place in the world) Posts: 346	Wow, that person was obviously never told not to throw stones.

04-13-2004, 11:39 PM	#10
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Usually, an "Act of God" hits a ton of people at once. Serving all those claims could put the insurance company out of business, so they either don't cover them or require higher premiums fr them. Sucks to be the homeowner, but that's business. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

04-14-2004, 12:02 AM	#11
Nothing But Net Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Spring, Texas Posts: 1,481	"He who live in rock house should never stow thrones"

04-14-2004, 02:22 PM	#12
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	you're not going to be more likely to build your home in avalanche country if you know it's covered in your insurance It works the other way around though. You're right, I wouldn't say, "Hey, honey, this insurance agent offers coverage for rock avalanches, so let's go build at the foot of that cliff!" but you bet your ass I AM going to say, "No, honey, I don't give a damn how much you like that house, it clearly says here that we're not covered against those regularly-falling rocks, so we're not buying it."

04-16-2004, 03:59 PM	#13
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	How, exactly, does a giant rock (unquestionably a natural entity) differ from a tornado when both are unpredictable and cause destruction? A tornado is an act of god, yet insurance unquestionably pays for tornado damage...and hurricanes, and forest fires, even floods and earthquakes (although both can require specific riders for coverage). Just doesn't seem reasonable. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

04-16-2004, 04:33 PM	#14
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	I HATE insurance companies. They are a good idea in theory, but a leech on society in reality. Evil bastards. You pay and you pay and you pay, and then you need to make a claim, so they fight you on it and then drop you. Happens all the time. Did I mention they are evil bastards?

04-19-2004, 07:46 PM	#15
Troubleshooter The urban Jane Goodall Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 3,012	It's like those monkeys on the east coast who get to rebuild their homes every few years because a hurricane wipes them out. The live in hurricane alley and act surprised when Ma Nature plays etch a sketch with the beach areas. __________________ I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear of the law. - Aristotle

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