Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Homeowners who had insurance with the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund should make sure they did not make any payments after two specific dates last year, warns Lloyd Lim, the fund's acting executive director. Make sure you’ve
stopped payment to
hurricane fundThe fund stopped collecting its special mortgage recording fee as of July 1, and stopped collecting property and casualty premium assessments as of Oct. 1, he said.
Lim said he has gotten a call that such payments were still being collected, with some institutions apparently believing they can ask for payments until officially notified by the state.
The hurricane relief fund terminated its insurance operations last year after private insurers, who stopped providing hurricane coverage because of losses incurred by Hurricane Iniki, began re-offering such coverage.
Lim said all "intermediaries" should have stopped collecting revenues on behalf of the fund after the two dates, and those that did should return those payments.
Affected homeowners should contact the institutions they have been dealing with regarding reimbursement, Lim said.
Q: Are there restrictions to a car detailing service working in a residential area? An outfit seems to have been working regularly in Manoa, doing cars almost every day. They work out of several vans with large logos.
A: A car detailing business is not permitted in a residential area, said William Deering, chief of the city's Housing Code Section. Call him at 523-6308 with the address next time you see work being done, and an inspector will be sent out, he said.
Q: I understand there is a good month to redeem savings bonds. Can you tell me what month that is?
A: There is no one month that's a good month.
Call the federal toll-free number 800-487-2663 or check the Web site www.savingsbonds. gov to get information about savings bonds.
Regarding redeeming your bonds, the information is that the best time to do so depends on when your interest is paid or when your bond increases in value. If your bond earns interest on Aug. 1 and Feb. 1, for example, and you redeem or exchange it in July, you won't receive any interest for the previous five months.
Also, according to the Web site, "It's also a good idea to cash and exchange bonds early in the month in which they increase in value or pay interest because interest accrues and is paid on the first day of the month."
Mahalo
I am 13 years old. Recently, I was traveling home from the mainland. I was with my sister and her boyfriend. We had a lot of luggage and were in a hurry. It took us all the way until we were home in Kailua to realize my guitar was missing. This guitar was a present from my dad, who is on the mainland, so I was mad at myself for leaving it. We called lost-and-found and someone had returned it. I want to say thank you very much and God bless that person. -- Cody Croy
Mahalo
To Mervin, who helped me change my flat tire on the freeway near Red Hill on Jan. 3. It's people like you who keep the aloha spirit alive! -- Robin
Got a question or complaint?
Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com