Preparing for Hurricane Season
Part 2
Large amounts of time and money are spent every year analyzing storms and weather events that peril life and property. Our certified team of Public Adjusters at messtx.com would like to share some interesting facts and information from The Insurance Information Institute at http://www.iii.org/issue-update/catastrophes-insurance-issues.
Total catastrophe losses over the 20-year period, 1993 to 2012 :
Hurricanes and tropical storms – 40.4%
Tornado losses – 36.0%
Winter storms – 7.0%
Terrorism – 6.3%
Earthquakes and other
geologic events – 4.7%
Wind/hail/flood – 3.8%
Fire – 1.7%
Civil disorders, water damage,
utility services disruption – >1.0%
- Each year about 6 percent of homeowners file claims.
- By the end of the 2015 hurricane season, 11 tropical storms developed in the Atlantic Basin, including four hurricanes:
- Tropical Storm Bill made landfall on the southern coast of Louisiana on June 30 and resulted in four deaths, wind- and storm-surge damage, power outages and a tornado.
- Tropical Storm Erica formed on August 24 and was responsible for at least 20 deaths on the island of Dominica.
- Joaquin became a hurricane on September 30 and reached Category 4 in strength. Joaquin battered the Bahamas and Bermuda with strong winds, storm-surge flooding and torrential rainfall. Joaquin also combined with other weather systems on the southeastern coast of the United States producing record rainfall for Charleston, South Carolina, and other parts of the state.
- The eastern Pacific Ocean was active again in 2015 as 18 named storms formed, with 13 becoming hurricanes.
- Hurricane Patricia, the strongest storm on record in the Western Hemisphere, hit the west coast of Mexico on October 23, 2015 as a Category 5 storm with 165 mph winds.
- Disaster losses along the coast are likely to escalate in the coming years, in part because of huge increases in development. One catastrophe modeling company predicts that catastrophe losses will double every decade or so due to growing residential and commercial density and more expensive buildings.
Storm categories are regulated by wind speed.
The Saffir-Himpson Hurricane Wind Scale is used to determine the category of the storm along with the associated warnings:
Category 1 – Wind speeds from 74-95 mph. Will produce some damage.
Example: Hurricane Dolly 2008, South Padre Island, Texas.
Category 2 – Wind speeds from 96 – 110 mph. Will cause extensive damage.
Example: Hurricane Frances, 2004, Port S. Lucie, Florida.
Category 3 – Wind speeds from 111-129 mph. Devastating damage will occur.
Example: Hurricane Ivan, 20014, Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Category 4 – Wind speeds from 130 – 156 mph. Catastrophic damage will
occur.
Example: Hurricane Charley, 2004, Punta Gorda, Florida.
Category 5 – Wind speeds over 157 mph. Catastrophic damage will occur.
Example: Hurricane Andrew, 1992, Cutler Ridge, Florida
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, National Hurricane Center.
Even the best predictions cannot outplay Mother Nature. Double-check your insurance policy for adequate coverage and take precautions to protect life and property. Always remove yourself from the path of destruction; your safety is worth more than anything you own! Our team of certified Public Adjusters stand ready to assist when disaster strikes. Contact us at 281-201-1110 or visit messtx.com.
