The complications of working with flood and hurricane insurance, as well as the deadlines of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is proving to be a huge burden on the people of Port St. Joe, Fla.

Hurricane Michael ran amok on Oct. 10, 2018 and the small town was on the edge of the storm’s eye, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

While the town of Port St. Joe was once—as indicated on the Visit Florida website—a “bustling port along North Florida’s Emerald Coast” on the Gulf of Mexico, it had become a small quiet respite from the world from seafaring vacations for some time. The devastation of Michael, however, is still felt three months after the fact.

The Tallahassee Democrat paints a picture of increasing rather than decreasing debris piled along the side of the road. The debris is destined for pickup from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

FDOT’s efforts are being paid for through an alleged FEMA contract, but at the end of January, the deadline for expecting covered pickup of debris was ending; attempts for securing an extension are in process.

Both commercial and residential storm waste is included in this pickup deadline which is forcing residents of limited means to make horrifying decisions about their damaged homes while they negotiate the dance between flood and hurricane insurance.

How Flood and Hurricane Insurance Work

Flood and hurricane insurance are different policies altogether, with flood insurance only being offered through a national program. Hurricane wind damage is covered by homeowner’s insurance, which is privately negotiated through a commercial carrier upon purchasing a home in this region.

How they impact a structure affect how insurance coverage happens.  For example, storm surge is a natural tsunami-like function where in the aftermath of a storm like Michael, coastal waters can rise to monstrous proportions, causing massive flooding and devastation. However, even if the cause is from a low-pressure storm, hurricane insurance does not kick in to pay for flood damage.

The exception to this situation is when the hurricane-force winds actually damage the structure which allows storm surges to enter the house. This would be the case if the residence’s roof, siding, or windows and doors were compromised. In this case, coverage of this type can theoretically be relied upon. In actuality, hurricane insurance is a painstaking process.

A claimant must provide a detailed document of all water and wind damage to primary and secondary structures as well as furniture and other personal belongings and often wait as the two entities—flood and hurricane insurance carriers which includes the U.S. National Flood Insurance program—duke it out. Florida faces billions in hurricane claims.

Costs of a Hurricane on a Small Town

For the people of Port St. Joe, the deadline looms and waiting on bureaucracy means tough decisions about whether to demolish and rebuild, repair, or sell and leave to buyers with the means to pay.

Once the deadline is passed, all debris removal will have to be contracted privately, and waiting on insurance totals and appropriate contractor availability can be time-consuming and deplete savings.  Moreover, employment that was once there is no longer unless tourism can be enticed to the small town that very recently had the quaint charm of antique stores, sidewalk cafes, parks, and beachfront boardwalks.