Insurance companies have gone the way of airlines. They are poorly managed and consider their customers the enemy.
BTW both of my friends that had their homeowners insurance cancelled are going WITHOUT. They decided to take their chances since the homes are paid off.
I know a few that self insure that own theirs outright too
they have 'a lot' more money/capitol than me
(especially after paying off kids school loans, so they can have a good life
while I'm still here, see them enjoy it... I'm building it back up again)
I own all my stuff outright, too
no loans/mortgages on anything, cars trucks houses
just monthly stuff & taxes, emergencies, "freaken'' Ins. **** etc.
it's as much as property taxes now,
if not more, in some cases
I freaken' hate paying Insurance of any type
but it's a needed burden
I'm just not wealthy enough, to take that chance
here in the Sierras, fire taking my ****, is my greatest fear
even with all the precautions I have taken
I hate insurance companies too, it's mandated
govt. legal extortion 'RACKET', like
mafioso strongarming, donate to the right people
pay us now, so you can feel safe later,
if something 'maybe' happens,
then probably get denied funds, after a claim IMHFO
I do have higher deductibles on everything to make it more palatable
especially since I never have had any claims
my dad seems to do that enough,
he has/had a claim every few years on his stuff, usually vehicles not my home
if it (my stuff) was wiped out, burn down, flooded
destroyed by earthquake (latter 2 not likely here, on granite/clay, at elevation)
I don't have enough to rebuild it, immediately combined
& pay for another place to live, to have my dog & father living there,
food elec. water heat, A/C, paying all the reg. monthly stuff still
including property taxes twice a year, on something that's gone, while rebuilding it...
I could still rebuild, I know how, that's the easy part
but it's take a whole lot longer, without the needed capitol
(probably cost more than my place is worth to rebuild, how I wanted it to be)
& I'd have to get a construction loan, that sort of defeats the purpose
so I can live a decent life, without the payments...
Years of getting to this point "of having all my **** paid for",
then needing to make payment, again & forced to have insurance & PMIs
don't even want to think about that ****
sort screwed if you do & screwed if you don't