Hurricane Force Winds in Panama City Lead to Huge Debris Collection

Officials in Panama City report that they have collected more than 20 years’ worth of debris along the side of the roads after being hit with hurricane force winds. The impact of Hurricane Michael left significant damage throughout Florida, and many are still attempting to recover insurance payments from the claims filed in association with that natural disaster.

According to the Panama City News Herald, the City’s Solid Waste Manager recently shared that the hurricane force winds and other weather-related impacts left a significant impact on the area. According to the report, more than 2.5 million cubic yards worth of debris has already been collected by city contractors, but more work is needed.

Insurance experts have chimed in to share that the danger associated with hurricane force winds could put policyholders in a problematic position when attempting to recover benefits.

The torrential rains and hurricane force winds associated with Hurricane Michael last September caused significant property damage. However, what exactly caused the damage to a policyholder’s home will be important for insurance claim purposes.

Coverage depends specifically on how the damage was caused. Hurricane force winds that caused roof damage and resulted in water damage could lead to an approved claim based on the way the policy is written.

However, if a nearby waterway flowed over as a result of heavy rainfall, leading to flooding and property damage, the damage to a policy holder’s house might only be covered by flood insurance.

According to MarketWatch, some insurance experts argue that those in the path of Hurricane Michael, who suffered impacts from the rain outside of hurricane force winds, would have been better off if their home had been struck by volcanic eruption or wildfire.

Many standard home insurance policies do not cover flood damage, and many people across Florida who were in the path of Hurricane Michael, did not have separate flood insurance. Estimates from property data firms show that the number of homeowners who had flood insurance coverage was quite low.

When Hurricane Irma hit the region last year, for example, only 14 percent of 3.3 million households across those 9 counties impacted by that disaster reportedly had flood insurance coverage. Consumers who did have appropriate hurricane insurance have also reported issues getting their claims approved.

The head of the Florida Department of Financial Services recently demanded that the insurance industry in Florida step it up in assisting consumers with the approval of their claims after numerous consumers complained about the length of time it took to approve benefits, according to the Insurance Journal.

Reportedly, many people who filed legitimate claims have had to wait a long time to get the funds necessary to fix the damage and move on with their lives.

Hurricanes tend to leave behind significant property damage, some of which is usually so bad that the family members inside have to move out of the home for a period of time.

These Florida residents likely turned to their insurance policy as a means of rebuilding, but delays in the process make it difficult for the homeowners to make repairs.