How You Can Help Len Wein And His Family

[NOTE FROM CHUCK: after checking with fellow insurance professionals, I've found that, while it is rare, it is possible for a homeowner's insurance policy to list "loss of use" in terms of months instead of a dollar amount. Either way, what is paid for "loss of use" is up the insurance adjuster handling the claim, so it's very likely there will be expenses not paid, and very likely the Wein's will benefit from help from their family, friends and fans.]

I've posted several stories about the Len Wein house fire, and the story has been all over the Internet on blogs and news sites, so I won't rehash the details. However, the question has been asked "what can we do for them?" Right now, from what I have read, they aren't needing or asking for anything immediate. The best thing we can do is pray for them and be ready to help when the time comes.

I did want to repost my comment to a story on The Beat regarding what the insurance on the Wein household will cover, and how that will affect the kind of aid we might need to offer at the given time.

Unless California homeowners insurance is vastly different from Florida insurance, the Weins don't have up to six months for temporary housing. In Florida we have a set dollar amount for "loss of use" which is a percentage of the insurable value of the house. That relatively small dollar amount not only has to pay for a temporary home, but for any personal expenses beyond their normal expenses (eating out, for instance, when it costs more than their normal grocery bill). So, one thing that could be done for the Weins would be proving them an inexpensive place to live while their home is being repaired.

The other thing to consider is, if the damage to their home was severe enough, their insurance company might just pay the total limit of their policy to them and their mortgage company (if they have one) and be done with the situation. If that happens, they may have to find a new permanent home, and that's something else our community can help them with.

Helping them meet their basic needs is more important than replacing "stuff," so when the time comes to donate money or anything else, let's make it count.