Hurricane Irene expected to birth higher insurance premiums in the East Coast

Hurricane Irene has come and gone but the storms effects may linger for several years. To date, the storm accounts for an estimated $7 billion in damages throughout the East Coast, making it one of the most costly natural disasters to strike the nation. The costs of damage are expected to influence property insurers who have long been leery of offering coverage to homes and businesses in risk prone areas. Consumers may be seeing higher premiums this year as a result of the hurricane. Higher premiums have been the theme…

Read More

Hurricane Irene threatens to make landfall in the U.S. this week

The first major hurricane of the season has manifested in Irene, and it has been gaining strength as it surges toward the Bahamas. Weather trackers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are predicting that Irene may make landfall as soon as Thursday. The hurricane has been growing in strength since its formation early Tuesday and has yet to show signs of slowing. Florida will be the first state that is hit by Irene should the hurricane reach the U.S., but both South Carolina and North Carolina will bear the…

Read More

Coastal area residents should prepare for the worst

The impending hurricane season is expected to be one of the most active in years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).While it is impossible to predetermine whether hurricanes forming in the Atlantic Ocean will ever reach land, NOAA is advising residents of coastal areas to be prepared for the worst. The Insurance Information Institute recently released a statement regarding the importance of adequate property insurance, particularly for those living in Florida. According to the Institute, there are many things to consider when preparing for hurricanes. Florida has…

Read More

Officials urge policy reviews due to predictions of an overactive hurricane season

In the last two months, the southern and Midwest portions of the U.S. have been pounded by a rash of tornado outbreaks. These tornadoes have caused billions of dollars worth of damages and taken hundreds of lives. Unfortunately, they have struck areas where many of the homeowners were not insured or underinsured for the amount of damage that occurred. In the past eight weeks there have been reports of over one thousand tornadoes; 960 of those reports have been confirmed. This year, the portion of the U.S. known as “tornado…

Read More

The long debated coverage question…wind or water?

With hurricane season about to start in the U.S., many states that stand in the way of potential storms are looking for ways to improve their respective insurance industries. In Mississippi, legislators are considering a newly introduced bill that will help settle wind-versus-water insurance disputes. In the past, homes that have been destroyed by hurricanes have been the subject of dispute as to whether the majority of the damage was caused by wind or water. The bill hopes to remedy this issue by establishing a process through which insurers will…

Read More