Preparing for a Particularly Severe Hurricane Season
Welcome to Wayne’s Claims World!
In this series, we share information on claims trends as well as tips and resources for our insureds to better protect themselves if they have a claim. This month, we’re diving into an important and timely topic: hurricane preparedness.
Hurricane season, which officially runs from June through November, is always stressful for insureds — and in 2024, they need to be prepared for what’s predicted to be one of the most active, severe and potentially damaging seasons in history.
Colorado State University’s tropical meteorology project team is forecasting a “well above-average” Atlantic hurricane season with 11 hurricanes, including five major hurricanes that will be Category 3 or stronger. On top of warmer ocean temperatures, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warns there is a 69% chance of a La Niña climate pattern developing by the summer, which would further intensify the season’s storms and the destruction they cause.
Hurricane preparation is key to avoiding or minimizing costly claims.
Now is the perfect time for agents (and your insureds) to review the important steps to take before, during and after a hurricane — as well as what to do after a loss occurs.
Did you know…
- The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season may be one of the most active and costly due to La Niña and warmer ocean temperatures, both of which exacerbate storms.
- Hurricanes cause the most economic damage of any weather phenomena, reaching $1.34 trillion from 1980 to 2023!
- The three hurricanes that caused the most economic damage (in today’s dollars) are Hurricane Katrina ($191.3 billion), Hurricane Harvey ($152.5 billion) and Hurricane Ian ($114 billion).
Agents, if your insured suffers damage to their property as a result of a storm, please inform us immediately.
Disclaimer: The information and recommendations in this blog are not legal advice and are not intended to constitute legal advice. If anyone reading any part of this blog believes that they want legal advice or need legal advice, they should seek legal counsel with lawyers who are licensed to practice law in their State. The recommendations in this blog are for general informational purposes only.
As a benefit of partnering with NSM Insurance Group, Wayne is available as a resource to help agents and their insureds at any time! Wayne can assist in many ways, from reviewing manuals to visiting a site to discuss loss mitigation.
Wayne King
[email protected]
(860) 707-6273