Yet another hidden cost to this Republican created problem. As spring arrives in the US, there is concern over increased mosquito infestations due to neglected home swimming pools as others abandon their homes.
In what appears to be the latest symptom of the US mortgage meltdown and credit crisis, insurers, law enforcement, and state agencies nationwide have reported a jump in home and auto fires in the past year set by owners unable to pay debts. The numbers are small, but they're leading the insurance industry to scrutinize what seem to be routine blazes.
"We've seen a dramatic increase in this kind of fraud," said Dan Bales, director of fraud investigations at Mercury Insurance. "People upside down on their house with variable interest-rate loans, or upside down on their cars, are pretty quick to burn their property right now."
