• Home
  • About Us
    • Our History & Accomplishments
    • Our Leader
    • LMA Gives
    • Photo Gallery
    • Library & Resources
  • Services
    • Assignment of Benefits & Insurance Litigation
    • Associations & Nonprofits
    • Business Development & Procurement
    • Education
    • Energy & Environment
    • Emergency Management
    • Flood Insurance & Resilience
    • Healthcare
    • Insurance/Financial Services
    • Legislative & Regulatory Monitoring
    • Marketing Intelligence
    • Property & Casualty Insurance
    • Public Relations
  • News / Podcasts / Library
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our History & Accomplishments
    • Our Leader
    • LMA Gives
    • Photo Gallery
    • Library & Resources
  • Services
    • Assignment of Benefits & Insurance Litigation
    • Associations & Nonprofits
    • Business Development & Procurement
    • Education
    • Energy & Environment
    • Emergency Management
    • Flood Insurance & Resilience
    • Healthcare
    • Insurance/Financial Services
    • Legislative & Regulatory Monitoring
    • Marketing Intelligence
    • Property & Casualty Insurance
    • Public Relations
  • News / Podcasts / Library
  • Contact
  • MENU

Hurricane Michael’s Construction Lessons

SHARE THIS

Does Florida Need a Tougher Building Code?

Although Florida is recognized as having the toughest building codes in the nation, a large share of homes and other buildings in the Florida panhandle were built before 1995, when Florida’s tougher post-Hurricane Andrew building code was established.  The newer Florida Building Code (FBC) requires structures statewide to be built to withstand winds of 111 mph and up.  But it wasn’t until 2007 that homes in the panhandle built more than one mile from the coast were required to follow the higher standard.  (The Miami area is a “high velocity hurricane zone” with higher standards, in excess of 170 mph.)

Catastrophe claims adjusters Jason Brugh and Jeromy Harding spent much of the week following Hurricane Michael’s landfall surveying the damage from ground zero at Mexico Beach, Florida to the Alabama-Georgia state lines.  They also spent several days in service to local communities, helping clear downed trees from roads and people’s property, re-righting travel trailers, and in one case, putting out a fully-involved house fire.  Both had building construction backgrounds prior to becoming insurance agents and claims adjusters.

Lisa with catastrophe claims adjusters Jeromy Harding (center) and Jason Brugh (right) at the Panama City insurance village

I had the pleasure of interviewing them recently on the latest edition of The Florida Insurance Roundup podcast, which you can listen to here.

Brugh, of Catalyst Insurance Management in New Port Richey said he and Harding saw total destruction in their travels in the panhandle, with nearly every structure suffering damage.  Their inspections revealed that standing seam metal roofs performed very well in the hurricane, while gable and three cap shingles were often completely gone.

“FBC 110 mph-rated shingles came off like you’re peeling Post-It notes off a Post-It pad,” Brugh said on the podcast.  “We did see improperly installed metal roofs, where they were installed over existing shingles, allowing for an air gap between the two roof surfaces and those roofs were totally devastated.  Those peeled the roof decking off like a beer can.”  He added that the only damage he saw to properly installed metal roofs was impact-related.

We also talked on the podcast with Jay Neal, President and CEO of the Florida Association for Insurance Reform (FAIR).  He said Hurricane Michael is further proof that Florida needs to adopt the tougher Miami-Dade building code statewide.  “There’s no logic in having one higher standard for Miami-Dade County and not having it for the rest of the state,” he said. 

Neal and FAIR are pushing the Florida legislature to provide more funding for mitigation of existing structures; and to make homeowners more aware, too, of the difference installing impact-resistant windows and enhancing roof connections to walls can have on their home surviving the next hurricane.

“We spend about 15-cents per Florida resident giving cities, counties, and nonprofits the funds to spend on mitigation and that’s got to change,” Neal said.  He cited FEMA statistics that shows for every $1 invested in mitigation, $6 in damages are avoided.  It’s an issue FAIR will be presenting to the 2019 legislature.

Yet, there’s concern that a tougher statewide building code would increase the price of homes in areas like the panhandle, whose residents are predominantly lower income and couldn’t afford it.

“It’s an absolute no-brainer,” to have tougher building codes from an insurance standpoint, said Harding of the Barrett Harding Insurance agency in New Port Richey.  “From my experience out in the field and adjusting claims, they do work.  The newer building code homes in Hurricane Michael were survivable.  Yes, there was damage, but the structure is still there,” he said.  “Affordability is a Catch-22.  A lot of these people were uninsured.  So if those homes were built to a higher standard, they would come out on top whether there was insurance involved or not.”

Brugh said another issue he noticed with older homes built under outdated building codes: “a lot of them did not have hurricane clips, which when the wind got up in there, it upset trusses, it blew roof decks off, and the sort.”

Brugh pointed out that Florida’s wind mitigation credit program provides tremendous savings for homeowners in both shoring-up existing roofs and installing new ones.  Just mitigating a home’s existing roof with hurricane clips can provide an 18% savings on the wind portion of an insurance premium.  Installing a new shingled roof can result in 13%-16% savings.   He noted that decking would have to be re-nailed, which is another 13%-15% savings.  The wind portion of a premium can be 70%-80% of a homeowner’s insurance costs annually.

So what do you think?  Does Florida need even tougher building codes?  And what lessons should we take away from Hurricane Michael when we rebuild what was damaged and destroyed?  Drop me a line with your thoughts at [email protected]

SHARE THIS

Tags: Barrett Harding Insurance, Catalyst Insurance Management, Catastrophe claims adjusting, FAIR, FEMA, Florida Association for Insurance Reform, Florida Building code, hurricane mitigation, Jason Brugh, Jay Neal, Jeromy Harding, Wind Mitigation Credit

“Lisa Miller is a true champion for the insurance industry, with her regular updates! We appreciate all you do and keeping us up to date on priority issues!”

Gillian Lloyd, Account Executive
Zywave
Milwaukee, WI

“I have followed your weekly newsletter and podcasts and now have a full appreciation for what you bring to this industry.  You are an inspiring force, plain and simple.  I wanted you to know that you make a difference.  Thank you for all you do!”

Jeffrey Karam, CPCU
Bradenton, FL

“Your newsletter is fabulous!  I greatly appreciate the topics you expose, so that insurance professionals like myself can keep up with the latest events that affect the public we serve and ourselves.”

Cynthia Hoehn, Independent Property & Casualty Personal Lines insurance agent
Clermont, FL

“Another great Newsletter on Florida industry this week.  Your service and advocacy in Florida is very important to keeping me updated and apprised of the Florida insurance laws, trends and overall environment.  Something similar is very much needed in Louisiana, too.”

Jennifer Tedesco, Esq., Claims Director
Pharos Claims Services
Orlando, FL

“Thank you Lisa for staying on top of, as well as advocating, for Florida residents and legislative reform. Your newsletters are very informative and enjoy reading the points of view.”  

Shawna Miller, Sr. Claims Quality Assurance & Compliance Manager
Florida Peninsula Insurance Company
Jacksonville, FL

“Great article on Risk Rating 2.0!”

Austin Perez, Senior Policy Representative for Federal Housing, Valuation, Insurance and Commercial Issues
National Association of Realtors
Washington, D.C.

“Just wanted to say that I thoroughly love your newsletter. It’s is always informative and insightful to the ins and outs of our industry.  You are an inspiration and an important asset in the insurance world.  Keep up the great work!” 

Cynthia Scott, President
University Insurance Group
Davie, FL

“Lisa this is another great newsletter, and we appreciate the time and energy you put into these informative updates – you are on top of these topics!”

Mike Graham, CEO
Smart Vent Products, Floodproofing.com, & Risk Reduction Plus
Juno Beach, FL

“Just a quick note to let you know how much I have appreciated your newsletter over the years and the assistance they offer for those in the field of claims. We depend on the information more than you will ever know!”

Laurie Rasberry, Chief Claims Officer
Acorn Claims
Prosper, Texas

GET THE LATEST UPDATES IN YOUR INBOX FOR FREE!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

READ THE LATEST LMA NEWSLETTER ONLINE NOW

READ NOW

331 N. Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 222-1041
[email protected]

*DBE certified through affiliate Lisa Miller Consultants

© Copyright 2008 - 2023
Lisa Miller Associates
All Rights Reserved
Managed by SiteBolts