Less than three months ago, a town’s Veterans Hall had planted a second car on the roof, just days before the building reopened.
The latest crash in the Clay Ray Veterans Hall on St. Louis Avenue in Excelsior Springs, Missouri was injured and has left nonprofits scrambled.
Lieutenant Ryan Dowdy of the Excelsior Springs Police Department told KCTV: "They just fixed it.
The brand new roof was only restored after the incident on February 15, when a fugitive in Kansas lost control of the vehicle while police chased and fired it to the same location.
The veterans' hall of clay rays is located under the road in a fragile position. Its roof is balanced with the level of the street, which has a 25 mph speed limit.
Locals say the problem is not the road, but the driver. "If you drive speed limits, that's not a problem," said Lisa Reinhart, who lives nearby. "It's 25 years old here, so it's not a problem unless you blatantly don't listen to speed limits."
Reinhart heard the impact in shock. "It sounds like the gas explosion is gone," she said. "It makes the windows and everything rattle. It's crazy."
The damage is not just physical. It is working to combat the financial situation of the Veterans Group. Chris Stull, president of the Clay Ray Veterans Association, said repeated repairs are limited to budgets. “It’s crazy,” Stell said. “It’s crazy.”
The American Legion Post relies on bingo nights to earn revenue and cannot host events during repairs. This also means there is no income to help pay bills or support donations from local communities.
Despite this, the Legion still had no intention of relocating. "We live here," Stoll said. The organization has been at the site for more than 100 years.
But staying does not mean doing nothing. Stewart said the association has spoken with city officials about installing roadblocks to prevent future crashes.
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While commercial property insurance will often cover losses like clay ray veterans’ halls, the frequency of these events can lead to higher premiums and potential challenges in renewal policies.
Insurance companies can adjust premiums based on the property's claim history. Therefore, if there are frequent claims, the property can be considered as high risk, resulting in higher premiums.
If the property has multiple claims history, the insurance provider can also choose not to renew the policy. Ultimately, insurance companies often make decisions based on what they consider the risk of the property.
In one example, about 14,400 Connecticut homeowners received unrenewed notices of their property insurance in 2023, an increase of 45% compared to the previous year. Insurance companies retreat from high-risk policies due to more frequent weather-related disasters and rising repair costs.
In recent years, premium growth in the commercial real estate insurance market has been consistent. Since 2017, the cost of commercial real estate insurance has increased by an average of 7.6% per year.
In 2023, even without major hurricanes, insurers paid more than $120 billion in losses, partly due to increased construction costs and inflation.
With these things in mind, there are some steps you can take to manage and potentially reduce the impact of frequent claims on premiums and coverage:
Consider risk prevention measures: Strengthening safety protocols such as security barriers required by the Clay Ray Veterans Office, maintenance routines can help reduce the likelihood of events. Understanding what potential vulnerabilities are in your particular property can tell you what steps to mitigate these risks.
For example, the Pacific Palisades resident, while not a commercial property, used fire protection measures and materials to ensure that his property is as protected as possible from potential wildfires commonly found in the California area. These efforts ultimately paid off for him.
Maintain public communication with insurance companies: Make sure to regularly update the insurance company's improvements and changes regarding your property.
Study alternative coverage: Some insurance companies specialize in high-risk properties and they may offer the best choice for your situation. Despite its imperfection, the National Fairness Program is another option.
As for the veterans' hall of clay rays, the staff worked again on the work roof again, for the second time, and the nonprofit was trying to keep its doors open and keep its mission open.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is without any warranty of any kind.