This afternoon we attended the House Insurance Committee meeting. We were mainly interested in HB23 regarding the use of credit scoring among insurance companies. However, the bill that really caught our attention was HB941, which has something to do with water damage and insurance. The bill's author (We think that was who presented it to committee) spent a seemingly long time ruminating on hoses in dishwashers, and how they can go bad. A committee member commented that this was the problem they had with mold legislation. Do you understand the connection? Because we weren't able to follow. Here was the line of discussion: mold = toaster fire = bad dishwasher hoses. . . Anyway, we are so very glad that our tax dollars are going to fund such discussions. As someone near us asked, "Are we actually talking about hoses in washers?" Why, yes, apparently we are. We left the meeting soon after that because it was just too ridiculous. Plus, it was hot in that room and too many people were shedding layers.
We actually saw a few quite attractive legislators and lobbyists today. Yum! We didn't hit on anyone, though. Darn it.
Also - is there a 15-year-old on the Insurance committee? We don't see his picture on the site, but a very young committee member came in late wearing a burnt-orange backpack. He was somewhat cute, in a schoolboyish way. If he's not a member of the committee, we are a little confused as to why he was sitting up front with them. Well, we are confused most of the time, so it's nothing new.
okay citizen -- here goes -- simply for you.
last session the lege prohibited an insurance company from raising your rates if the water damage you claimed was caused by an appliance.
the theory is that its not part of a "system" in the house, and therefore not a continued risk requiring a rate adjustment.
the implementing agency then said that hoses were not part of the appliance -- so if they broke and caused damage rates COULD be raised.
appliance -- no increase.
hose -- rate increase.
simply put, the bill seeks to stop the insurance companies from hosing you.