Seniors are all shaken up

My husband and I downsized to a townhouse about seven years ago. We did this because we no longer needed the big house. The state of California rewards senior citizens who do this by allowing us to take our Proposition 13 tax rate with us.

We have been getting special-assessed by our development in order to pay for the constantly rising cost of earthquake insurance. This is not for our personal earthquake insurance but for our association's policy.

The insurance companies have been lowering earthquake insurance for people who own single-family homes. But for us who live in townhouse and condominium complexes, the cost is being raised every year. The insurance companies say this is because they had to pay for natural disasters, some of which occurred last year in the southeastern states more than 2,000 miles from California.

The insurance companies are classifying us in the same category as businesses such as WalMart or Home Depot. We are not a business. We are mostly senior citizens who have downsized and own our home, which happens to be in a townhouse development.

If any of you are in our situation, please write to Commissioner Steve Poizner, California Dept. of Insurance, 300 S. Spring St., South Tower, Los Angeles, CA 90013 or call (213) 897-8921. Ask him to look into this deplorable situation.
Sharon and Herb Cohen
Westlake Village