Hurricane Ian killed at least 100 people in Florida and the Carolinas, according to news reports, and is estimated to have caused more than $60 billion in insured losses.
Thousands of homeowners in southwest Florida—where the most severe damage came from flooding and storm surge that topped 12 feet in some areas—do not have flood insurance.
William Rabb, Southeast Editor for Carrier Management’s sister publication Insurance Journal, checked in with Florida insurance carriers and agents to see how they fared. He also shared a video taken by his son, showing some of the destruction Hurricane Ian left in its path.
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“We expect this to be a wake-up call for Floridians,” Trevor Burgess, CEO of Neptune Flood Insurance, told Rabb. He noted that only about 15 percent of Florida homes carry flood insurance—a number that has dropped slightly in recent years.
Many homeowners mistakenly believe that their homeowners insurance policy will cover flood damage, Burgess said. Others don’t think they’re in danger because “the FEMA flood maps are wrong.”
For more industry reactions, check out Rabb’s article on Insurance Journal: Video Shows Hurricane Ian’s Storm Surge Devastated Part of Florida; Losses Mounting
Photo: A boat that appeared to carried over a destroyed building on hard-hit San Carlos Island, next to Fort Myers Beach (Insurance Journal photo).
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