House Explosion in North Arlington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do people have to be thugs and criminals?

It was a mentally disturbed man whose mental problems were well know to the neighbors, the police, social welfare agency, and his family. He has created problems for years and no one took his issues seriously enough to help him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So hold on - this family is literally f#cked because their neighbor committed a crime?

What if they owe $500K on their mortgage? They now have half of a worthless property that will sell for peanuts.

If my neighbor sets his house on fire and in the process burns down my house (live in a townhouse), am I essentially screwed and my insurance won't cover ANYTHING?

I didn't think this was how insurance worked. Yes, if I burn down MY house in purpose I can't collect..but if I burn down my neighbors house that is different. Burning down my own house ans attempting to collect is insurance fraud. Burning down my neighbors house with them having no part in the crime is NOT insurance fraud and therfore I dont see why they can't collect.

Say you and your neighbor decide to burn down each other's houses. Now what?

Well, setting fire to each other's house - even via an agreement - is a crime (arson). And, actually, the agreement itself is a separate crime (conspiracy, maybe RICO).

So insurance wouldn't payout to either party.

It's not clear to me that this family will get anything from their home owners' insurance. Someone else committed a crime that resulted in the destruction of their home. It's the same logic where insurers don't pay out to a policy owner after a riot - a crime was committed that resulted in the destruction of insured property. That lets home owners insurance off the hook.

I hope this family has hired a good lawyer and claims adjuster to deal with the insurance company.

Civil unrest is usually a specific exemption (typically to protect insurance companies from too many claims if half a city is razed). I don't this this would fall in that bucket, but would be a different exclusion.

Usually arson exclusions are intended to keep you from collecting if you burn down your own house or if you neglect your house (leave it vacant) causing it to be vandalized. There's no rational reason to exclude compensating this family, who are without blame, but it will depend what it says in the policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do people have to be thugs and criminals?

It was a mentally disturbed man whose mental problems were well know to the neighbors, the police, social welfare agency, and his family. He has created problems for years and no one took his issues seriously enough to help him.

I'm guessing you've never had an adult relative with serious mental health issues. It is very difficult to help adults who don't think they need help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So hold on - this family is literally f#cked because their neighbor committed a crime?

What if they owe $500K on their mortgage? They now have half of a worthless property that will sell for peanuts.

If my neighbor sets his house on fire and in the process burns down my house (live in a townhouse), am I essentially screwed and my insurance won't cover ANYTHING?

I didn't think this was how insurance worked. Yes, if I burn down MY house in purpose I can't collect..but if I burn down my neighbors house that is different. Burning down my own house ans attempting to collect is insurance fraud. Burning down my neighbors house with them having no part in the crime is NOT insurance fraud and therfore I dont see why they can't collect.

Say you and your neighbor decide to burn down each other's houses. Now what?

That is obviously a crime and you are in it for financial gain. But if an innocent party has their house burned down on purpose insurance should cover that. The issue is not the act of arson itself but the motivation for financial gain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So hold on - this family is literally f#cked because their neighbor committed a crime?

What if they owe $500K on their mortgage? They now have half of a worthless property that will sell for peanuts.

If my neighbor sets his house on fire and in the process burns down my house (live in a townhouse), am I essentially screwed and my insurance won't cover ANYTHING?

I didn't think this was how insurance worked. Yes, if I burn down MY house in purpose I can't collect..but if I burn down my neighbors house that is different. Burning down my own house ans attempting to collect is insurance fraud. Burning down my neighbors house with them having no part in the crime is NOT insurance fraud and therfore I dont see why they can't collect.

Say you and your neighbor decide to burn down each other's houses. Now what?

That is obviously a crime and you are in it for financial gain. But if an innocent party has their house burned down on purpose insurance should cover that. The issue is not the act of arson itself but the motivation for financial gain.

Okay, I just did more research. I guess it depends on the policy. No policies cover arson from the homeowner but some cover arson by a third party where the homeowner was innocent. My guess is that in this case the insurance will cover since it is such a high profile case, but who knows.

[Anonymous]

So apparently this case is becoming some sort of Qanon deep state hit job conspiracy theory. Our society is so f*cked with conspiracy theories. Apparently, the internet has made everyone more stupid. Everything is the deep state.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know if the family previously called the police or pressed charges for stalking or harassement?

[Anonymous]

Ouch, this is so sick. Glad all the neighbors and police are safe, but the explosion must have released chemicals/toxins from the building. Really hope no one got poisoned involuntarily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So apparently this case is becoming some sort of Qanon deep state hit job conspiracy theory. Our society is so f*cked with conspiracy theories. Apparently, the internet has made everyone more stupid. Everything is the deep state.

What are the nutters saying? (no Twitter account)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So apparently this case is becoming some sort of Qanon deep state hit job conspiracy theory. Our society is so f*cked with conspiracy theories. Apparently, the internet has made everyone more stupid. Everything is the deep state.

What are the nutters saying? (no Twitter account)

This is DCUM. Everyone has a Twitter account, but hates Elon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ouch, this is so sick. Glad all the neighbors and police are safe, but the explosion must have released chemicals/toxins from the building. Really hope no one got poisoned involuntarily.

Toxins? You mean like asbestos or something ?

[Anonymous]

and lead. torched up lead is a big danger

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do people have to be thugs and criminals?

It was a mentally disturbed man whose mental problems were well know to the neighbors, the police, social welfare agency, and his family. He has created problems for years and no one took his issues seriously enough to help him.

I'm guessing you've never had an adult relative with serious mental health issues. It is very difficult to help adults who don't think they need help.

Speaking of mentally disturbed, wasn't there new house on the corner of Haycock in FC, burned down 2-3 times by a neighbor, because it was new, and the neighbors did not want new homes in their neighborhood? Different situation, but does involve a burned down house, and I guess one never knows who one lives next to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So hold on - this family is literally f#cked because their neighbor committed a crime?

What if they owe $500K on their mortgage? They now have half of a worthless property that will sell for peanuts.

If my neighbor sets his house on fire and in the process burns down my house (live in a townhouse), am I essentially screwed and my insurance won't cover ANYTHING?

I didn't think this was how insurance worked. Yes, if I burn down MY house in purpose I can't collect..but if I burn down my neighbors house that is different. Burning down my own house ans attempting to collect is insurance fraud. Burning down my neighbors house with them having no part in the crime is NOT insurance fraud and therfore I dont see why they can't collect.

Say you and your neighbor decide to burn down each other's houses. Now what?

That is obviously a crime and you are in it for financial gain. But if an innocent party has their house burned down on purpose insurance should cover that. The issue is not the act of arson itself but the motivation for financial gain.

I agree this will likely be covered as vandalism. And there are usually specific exclusions for things like terrorism, civil unrest, etc. so the comparison to riots is not accurate.

However, there was a news story within the past year or so about a woman run over on purpose by a driver and the car insurance wasn’t covering it as an intentional act. But I believe it was the driver who had the insurance. Which sucked because the innocent third party could not collect. In this case the family is the policy holder. I think they will be okay, but it’s going to be a long process to get everything paid out, settle into a new home for the long term, deal with any litigation against the neighbor’s estate. My heart goes out to them and I hope they have a good lawyer and third party adjuster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if the family previously called the police or pressed charges for stalking or harassement?

Good question. I wonder if they could have a claim against the local government if this wasn’t handled properly before.