So, I have a less than modest home, with less than modest square footage, and a modest house payment.

Four years ago, a nasty hail storm comes through... nasty enough, in fact, that it prompts my insurance company to send me a letter to get it fixed. If I don’t get it fixed within a year, it’ll affect my coverage.

Nine months later, I’ve managed to budget my deductible. I find a roofing company, get the roof done, and turn it in to the insurance company.

Turns out, the roofer and the insurance company have a disagreement about how much that new roof cost. A $1,500 disagreement about how much that new roof cost.

So, I end up nose-diving into debt to find an extra $1,500 to cover my roof shortage. Fine, that’s done... right?

Three years ago, my home premium renewal arrives. Only, because there was a claim my premium went up, I believe, about 85%... almost double.

Okay, I’ve learned my lesson. No more claims. New insurance company. I manage to find a quote that brings my premium down to around the level I was paying.

Oh joy! Rapture! I’m not going to lose my house over the escrow shortage!

Fast forward three years. No claims. Seeing loyalty discounts for being a “good customer.”

And today, a letter from my mortgage company arrives. It warned me of an upcoming payment bump to cover my escrow shortage. How much? It didn’t say... it only used the word significant.

So, I look for a notice of my premium renewal. No notice has been sent yet, but it HAS posted on the insurance company’s website.

118%

Significant? Holy shit, that’s significant. That’s lose my house significant!

So, I don’t make claims... can’t afford to, really... and my insurance still more than doubles.

How bad is it? When I called, the insurance company advised me to shop for cheaper insurance. They say it’s because of my credit. Astonishing, because my credit is loads better than it was when I shopped for insurance three years ago.

They can’t do anything for me. Well, shit. If I cannot find cheaper insurance, I guess the bank just inherited itself a house.

Seriously, I’d be better off just flushing that money down the toilet. I know it’s all about risk, and the house always wins, but my insurance premiums over thirty years will come to about 80% of my house principle... and takes so much to cover there cannot be any improvements to the home. There’s just no money left.

So, by then the home might be worth a cool $3,000... adjusting for inflation, of course.

Fuck insurance.