Hurricanes can be costly for many homeowners in Florida who rely on insurance policies to pay for damages after a serious storm. Indeed, Florida storms extract a financial cost as well as a physical one. Between 1987 and 2016, damages from storms in Florida comprised 13 of all insured losses across the country. While hurricanes can strike elsewhere, six of the 10 most damaging hurricanes in the nation's history hit Florida during at least part of their paths. In 2004 and 2005 alone, four of these storms hit the state, inflicting damage on top of existing damage.
Insurance is critical in Florida hurricanes
Floridians still suffering from Hurricane Michael
It seems like Floridians must worry about the possibility of storm damage after a serious hurricane every year. Many residents count on their insurance companies to help them negate their losses and rebuild after a hurricane. Nevertheless, thousands of property owners in Florida are still waiting for payments from Hurricane Michael, which struck in October 2018.
The cost of outdated maps on Florida homeowners
Florida homeowners must always be concerned about the possibility of hurricane damage. In doing so, they often rely on flood maps from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) to help them determine the amount and type of insurance they should carry. However, the agency hasn't updated many of its maps in quite some time, resulting in a number of Sunshine State residents being seriously underinsured.
