# Could Tony Stark get homeowner's insurance? (Potential Marvel movie spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 24, 2015, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700 "2015-05-24T03:41:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.Pu-du-he-pa-as)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/1 "2015-05-24T03:41:37Z")
After watching the various recent Marvel movies, it seems like Tony Stark’s house gets shot up/blown up with some frequency. Would Tony still be able to get homeowner’s insurance given his track record? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/2 "2015-05-24T03:45:00Z")
Likely not simply because he develops and tests experimental weapons in his basement, but he could readily self-insure. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/3 "2015-05-24T03:56:16Z")
Anyone can buy insurance for anything, if you’re willing to pay high enough premiums. But at some point, the premiums get high enough that there’s no point any more. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/4 "2015-05-24T03:56:45Z")
Sure he’s got the cash, someone will sell him a policy. Given the cost of such policy however he might be better off just paying for his own repairs. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/5 "2015-05-24T04:04:20Z")
He could probably get a policy for normal insurance needs with various exclusions on the additional risks his property would face that are associated with his super heroing activities. Having Loki smash up your high-rise, for example, clearly falls under the “act of god” exclusion. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/6 "2015-05-24T04:04:31Z")
Yeah, I agree with the “premiums are too damn high” issue. A better question is whether Malibu and New York City have insurance policies against Stark-caused catastrophes. I can just imagine the conversations with underwriters. **Stark:** My premiums went up again?! I saved New York for cryin’ out loud! **Underwriter:** Well, I’ll see if I can get you any discounts. Hmm…let’s see here…have you ever made a televised challenge to a major terrorist? **Stark:** Uhhh…define “major,” because you heard that the Mandarin was just a front man, right? **Underwriter:** I don’t think I can help you. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/7 "2015-05-24T04:37:35Z")
If the actuarial tables are accurately calculated and you can afford the replacement cost out of pocket it doesn’t make any sense to have insurance. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/8 "2015-05-24T15:11:30Z")
Hope he knows a guy who’s good with a hammer. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/9 "2015-05-24T15:41:29Z")
If you can afford an insurance company, you can find at least one company that will underwrite you. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/10 "2015-05-24T15:41:52Z")
It’s implied in Age of Ultron that there’s now an entire branch of Stark Industries (Stark Relief something-or-other, I forget the exact name) dedicated entirely to cleaning up after metahuman-related catastrophes, so Tony’s probably bankrolling his home repair himself. If they ever decide to delve that deep into the Marvel archives, they could easily base a Damage Control movie after that branch. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/11 "2015-05-24T16:30:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Having Loki smash up your high-rise, for example, clearly falls under the “act of god” exclusion. That gave me a good chuckle. (since Loki is a literal god, but those act of god clauses were not written with the possibility of greek gods being real beings that can physically show up…) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/12 "2015-05-24T16:34:24Z")
Possible tangent: after the events in The Avengers, wouldn’t most of the insurance companies have gone bankrupt paying out claims to, well, everybody? It’s not like they’re going to get compensatory damages from Thanos, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/13 "2015-05-24T16:47:25Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Possible tangent: after the events in The Avengers, wouldn’t most of the insurance companies have gone bankrupt paying out claims to, well, everybody? It’s not like they’re going to get compensatory damages from Thanos, after all. An attempted alien invasion is a military assault by a foreign power. Insurance doesn’t cover those. The Federal government and FEMA might. (for example, the Federal government gave a chunk of change to every relative of a victim in the world trade center since this was an attack that the federal government was theoretically supposed to have prevented, and also because the stated reason for the attack was as retaliation for actions taken by the federal government…) ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/14 "2015-05-25T15:03:02Z")
I don’t know how it works in the USA but here, the really priceless stuff is generally not insured. Good examples are Hampton Court Palace with all the paintings etc; York Cathedral and St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle. All the above had serious fires and the last two decades. Was the roof of York cathedral being struck by lightening an act of God? - some though so and that it was retaliation for having female clergy. They effectively are self insured because it’s cheaper to have good security/safety than to pay some insurance co humongous premiums. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/15 "2015-05-25T16:06:31Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > If the actuarial tables are accurately calculated and you can afford the replacement cost out of pocket it doesn’t make any sense to have insurance. You might need to stick a “without hardship” into that statement somewhere, in my opinion. (Somewhere near affording the replacement cost.) ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/16 "2015-05-25T17:17:33Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > That gave me a good chuckle. (since Loki is a literal god, but those act of god clauses were not written with the possibility of greek gods being real beings that can physically show up…) Loki is a Norse god, he’s not Greek. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/17 "2015-05-25T18:35:32Z")
…he’s adopted. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/18 "2015-05-25T20:20:09Z")
OK, then, Loki is a Norse Jotün, he’s not Greek. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/19 "2015-05-25T21:10:25Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I don’t know how it works in the USA but here, the really priceless stuff is generally not insured. Good examples are Hampton Court Palace with all the paintings etc; York Cathedral and St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle. All the above had serious fires and the last two decades. Was the roof of York cathedral being struck by lightening an act of God? - some though so and that it was retaliation for having female clergy. > > They effectively are self insured because it’s cheaper to have good security/safety than to pay some insurance co humongous premiums. I know the World Trade Center was insured because there was a lawsuit over its coverage. The policy set a cap on the insurance payout of three and a half billion dollars per event. After 9/11, the owner claimed that there had been two separate attacks while the insurers argued there had been a single attack. The difference was whether it was one event or two events and the maximum payout would be three and a half billion or seven billion dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700/20 "2015-05-26T16:22:31Z")
> [@oft\_wears\_hats](#): > > Yeah, I agree with the “premiums are too damn high” issue. A better question is whether Malibu and New York City have insurance policies against Stark-caused catastrophes. There was a mini-series called Damage Control, which was about the people doing the cleanups, insurance issues, etc. **Smapti** referenced it but didn’t quite say what he was talking about. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-tony-stark-get-homeowners-insurance-potential-marvel-movie-spoilers/720700.md?page=2)