Hawaii's Big Island on high alert after earthquakes, lava fissures

For those homes destroyed would the home insurance cover them, presumably destroyed by Fire, or would the Insurers claim Volcanic activity and invalidate the cover ? Insurers are always trying to wriggle out of paying up these days.

There are also extremely high levels of dangerous Sulfur Dioxide gas near the eruption. Even if you do not see lava, an eruption is a dangerous event.

Hard to believe, but there is actually something in our country that can compete with Trump for spewing hot gaseous air...

This increase in volcanic activity is a direct result of man-mad climate change, exacerbated by the policies of the Trump administration.

I guess the owners would need volcano and earthquake insurance as in Japan earthquake and tsunami insurance are needed in some zones.

The Big Island (Hawaii) is broken into 9 separate zones, each rated by the chances of a volcanic eruption occurring. The lower the zone number the higher the risk. In zones 4 through 9 the risk is considered to be fairly low. Homes in those zones are covered by regular homeowner policies. Zone 1 is considered so risky that you can't even get a building permit, in zone 2 you can get a building permit but good luck in finding someone to sell you insurance,at least at a reasonable price. There are special volcano policies available but they are pricey and they have their own "catch 22". They will only pay out if your house is directly destroyed by the lava flow or pyroclastic material. If the eruption sets the forest on fire and that spreads to your house, you're out of luck. Puna, where this current outbreak is occuring, is in zone 2. Most of the folks I know, that live in the Puna district, just forgo insurance all together and take their chances with Madam Pele.

I have a friend who bought a lot in zone 3 ( a little less hazardous than zone 2) on which he built his tropical dream home. He was able to buy a regular homeowners policy and felt pretty confident that he had his bases covered. Well... in a subsequent eruption, with a flow bearing down directly at his house, Madam Pele played a trick on him. For some reason the flow diverted around his home and it was spared. The trick was that although the house was spared destruction it was left stranded in the middle of miles of raw fresh lava flow.

Went to see Kilauea some years back, quite spectacular - even if we couldn't get too close to it. I always remember two British girls on the tour complaining that it was "really boring".

I hope everyone on the big island is safe.

I think I’ll stay away from the beach here. Tsunamis move quickly.