Hoaders risk home insurance banishment

Photo credit: Fairfax County, Virginia

The compulsion of hoarding has been in the spotlight recently thanks to shows on A&E and TLC that document the plight of people who collect piles of items that end up filling their rooms, hallways and stairwells, making life unbearable for both themselves and their families.

Hoarding is a compulsion to collect anything from newspapers to containers to rocks to food to pets. And when hoarding reaches a critical level, homes become a safety hazard: the fire risk increases, personal safety suffers and emergency personnel have a hard time getting in and out of hoarders’ houses.

For home insurance companies, the risk increases as well. The potential for fire and liability claims increases, making hoarders undesirable insurance customers.

For more, read I’m a hoarder . . . don’t tell my home insurance company!