Hurricane Irma aftermath on Big Pine Key, FL, September 2017. Courtesy FEMA/J.T. Blatty
This past Thursday was the third anniversary of Hurricane Irma’s landfall in Florida. The Cat 4 storm marked the return of major hurricanes to Florida after more than a decade of quiet. We received this email from our tireless Insurance Consumer Advocate and her message bears repeating: “I implore you to learn from the preparedness lessons Hurricane Irma taught us three years ago. Plan Prepare Protect, Florida!”
I spent time with Tasha Carter at the insurance villages in South Florida in Irma’s aftermath and among the challenges I remember was the loss of power. Nearly three-quarters of residents were without electricity for almost a week. Our recent light brush with Hurricane Isaias and missing Hurricane Laura and now Hurricane Sally altogether should serve as a reminder that the next big storm may be just days away. And we know that other calamities (beside the coronavirus) are always in the wings as well, whether it be flooding, wildfires, or even an earthquake. In fact, we just had another “rare” earthquake (3.8 magnitude) earlier this month in Santa Rosa County, near the Alabama border. So be prepared, indeed!
Up next, literal trials and tribulations, a lesson on Florida’s changing insurance marketplace, constitutional issues on the November ballot, and lots more!
LMA Newsletter of 9-14-20
