Florida Hurricane Insurance Policy Claims Continue to Multiply

After a severe hurricane season in Florida, officials continue to assess damage and individuals scramble to file hurricane insurance policy claims.

Florida news reports that in addition to homes, important parts of Florida’s industry were destroyed by Hurricane Michael, including oyster and cotton farms. The level of destruction left Florida with almost seven times the debris of Hurricane Irma of 2017 and required nearly 375,00 Florida residents to evacuate their homes.

Now, lawmakers are attempting to determine how much federal assistance should go to Florida to help the state recover from the damage. Over 102,000 people have already registered for federal assistance, and 16 counties damaged by the hurricane have qualified for federal aid.

In addition to federal aid, many Floridians are turning to their hurricane insurance policy to help them recover from the damage. However, the number of people who have filed claims has caused many people to have to wait weeks for assistance.

Additionally, there was extensive damage to timber forests in the state, which means that there is less lumber to use in repairs. So, contractors are having to travel farther distances to access wood to repair buildings damaged in the hurricane. This means that even if a person is able to file an insurance claim in a timely manner, it make take a long time for repairs to get done.

Caroline Dauzat, the owner of Rex Lumber in Florida, shared her experience of damage to lumber in Florida with a Senate panel, according to the Orlando Sentinel. She noted that the losses sustained to trees in the area will take decades to regrow. She also stressed that lawmakers should invest in wildfire prevention as they think about recovery funding for Florida, stating that there is a “staggering” amount of timber left damaged on the ground because of the hurricane. 

So, even after initial insurance claims are filed, repairs may be slowed for a while because of damage to timber supplies, as well as to the structures in need of repairs.

Democratic Senator Bill Montford of Tallahassee said that “this is going to be a long, long recovery.”

This hurricane season has people wondering how best to move forward, and what may be to come for the reason. Unfortunately, the hurricane season in 2019 is expected to be just as intense as this year’s season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is set to give its official predictions for next hurricane season in May. 

As of Nove. 30, the 2018 hurricane season is over, and federal officials advise people in coastal regions to use the end of this season to start to prepare for next year and improve their strategies to prepare for hurricanes and recover from them if they do hit.

One of the big questions people in hurricane-prone regions are asking themselves is if they need hurricane insurance policy protection, and if so, what kind may be the best for them. In June of this year, Forbes outlined some advice for those seeking hurricane insurance protection, advising readers that when it comes to purchasing insurance, earlier is better.