Click here to subscribe today or Login.
WILKES-BARRE — Insurance Department Consumer Liaison David Buono this week urged homeowners in Moosic Borough, as well as homeowners throughout Pennsylvania, to consider purchasing flood insurance, regardless of whether they live in a federally designated special flood hazard area, where this insurance is required for most mortgages.
“Flooding happens throughout Pennsylvania, with federal government records showing 20 percent of claims under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in the state being for damages outside of designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs),” Buono said. “… More than half a million properties in Pennsylvania outside of SFHAs are at moderate or high risk of flooding.”
Buono addressed a public meeting organized by Moosic Borough officials following information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that additional areas of the community may be included in SFHAs with current re-mapping of flood hazard areas.
“FEMA’s planned re-mapping could result in more homeowners and businesses in Moosic and surrounding areas being required by their mortgage lenders to buy flood insurance, which is not included in most standard homeowners or business insurance policies,” Buono said.
FEMA’s flood hazard areas are those considered to have a 1 percent chance of flooding in any one year, which amounts to a 26 percent chance of flooding at least once during the span of a 30-year mortgage. Properties outside an SFHA with half the likelihood of flooding still face a 14 percent chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage.
Acknowledging flood insurance is an added expense, Buono encouraged property owners to shop for the best coverage and visit the Insurance Department’s flood insurance web page for information on the federal government run NFIP, as well as private market flood insurance.
“Our research has shown for homeowners in SFHAs with a relatively low risk of flooding, private coverage may be significantly less expensive than the NFIP. For properties outside of SFHAs, coverage is relatively inexpensive for both NFIP and private market products, with NFIP coverage being about $30 a month,” Buono said.
Since the Insurance Department launched its flood insurance web page a little over two years ago, the number of private, residential flood insurance policies in Pennsylvania has jumped from 1,500 to around 5,200.
“Renters should consider flood insurance as well,” Buono said. “While a landlord’s policy may cover the apartment itself and the building, it likely will not cover a tenant’s personal possessions.”
Wolf applauds Senate action
on domestic violence legislation
Gov. Tom Wolf this week praised the Pennsylvania Senate for unanimously moving a package of domestic violence bills, including those he endorsed in October, out of committee.
“These Senate bills are the logical next steps to provide further protections for victims of domestic violence, and tools for judges and law enforcement to aid in protecting individuals against crime,” Wolf said in a news release. “Most importantly, we must ensure that domestic abusers do not have access to firearms. There’s frankly no such thing as doing too much to protect and support victims of domestic violence.”
The domestic violence legislation includes:
• Senate Bill 313 allows a domestic violence victim to opt out of a shared phone plan with the abuser with no penalty.
• Senate Bill 449 provides additional assessment tools for district judges in cases of domestic violence to determine bail for a defendant based on the risk posed to a victim.
• Senate Bill 500 provides for a law enforcement official to accompany a victim to his or her residence before or during the service of a PFA order.
• Senate Bill 501 requires that a defendant relinquish all firearms, other weapons and ammunition upon entry of a final PFA order; eliminates the third party safe-keeping provision for firearms currently described in Pennsylvania’s PFA Act; and requires that a defendant convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence turn in their firearms to law enforcement within 24 hours of the conviction.
• Senate Bill 502 allows judges to extend the terms of a PFA order or create an entirely new one if the order is set to expire or has expired while a defendant is incarcerated. The victim would not be required to show that the defendant engaged in a new act of domestic violence that indicates a continued risk of harm.
• Senate Bill 919 allows a resident of a county housing authority to request relocation if they or someone affiliated with them has experienced domestic or sexual violence. The resident must certify their status as a victim of domestic violence.
PennDOT announces new
motorcycle training for ‘18
PennDOT will offer new clinics on the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program in 2018. The clinics are free for state residents who have a motorcycle learner’s permit or motorcycle license.
“It is important to practice and refine riding techniques from time to time. Riders of all skill levels can benefit from the valuable skills and safety lessons learned through Pennsylvania’s free motorcycle safety clinics,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards. “The short amount of time spent in training translates into many safe miles of riding by helping riders sharpen reflexes and hone the split-second decision-making required to safely operate a motorcycle.”
Developed by PennDOT’s new program coordinator, Total Control Training Incorporated, the initiative will offer five revamped training syllabuses tailored not just to hone a rider’s knowledge, but to test their ability to physically manipulate a motorcycle properly. All clinics are conducted under the supervision of certified instructors at one of numerous riding ranges located throughout the state. Three of the clinics – the Beginning Rider Clinic (BRC), the Intermediate Riding Clinic (IRC), and the 3-Wheel Riding Clinic (3WRC) — offer a pathway to earning a motorcycle license.
Many insurers offer discounts for motorcyclists who have completed safety courses, have memberships in certain associations, or have a safe driving record. Anti-lock braking systems help maintain control during sudden stops, and some insurers offer discounts for motorcycles with factory installed anti-lock braking systems. Individuals should check with their insurance company for any applicable discounts.
For more information or to enroll in a clinic, visit www.pamsp.com or call 1-800-845-9533. Potential riders who want a convenient way to study for their knowledge test can download the PA Motorcycle Practice Test app by visiting www.pa.gov and search the mobile apps for the Pennsylvania Motorcycle License Practice Test by clicking on the Apps link at the bottom of the page.
