Tropical Storm Idalia

[3Nails4Given]

TROPICAL STORM IDALIA

We’re in the crosshairs again, so tired of this.

 

[3Nails4Given]

250,000 without power

Over 240,000 without power in Florida, Georgia

Live updates on Idalia, which made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in Florida on Wednesday morning.

abcnews.go.com

 

[3Nails4Given]

Big Bend Area

Satellite images show extent of flooding in Florida’s Big Bend

Satellite images are showing the devastating impact Hurricane Idalia had on Florida’s Big Bend area. Idalia made landfall just before 8 a.m. Wednesday in Florida’s Big Bend region as a …

thehill.com

 

[Zephyr]

My goodness! Here it was California everyone was worried about, but it was Florida that got hit!

 

[3Nails4Given]

Florida Homeowners Insurance at risk

Growing concerns over Florida’s insurance rates after Hurricane Idalia

Concerns are growing over Florida’s insurance rates and whether Hurricane Idalia could lead to even higher costs. NBC News’ Gabe Gutierrez is in Cedar Key with the latest on the threat of rising insurance premiums.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Tall Timbers]

Florida Homeowners Insurance at risk

There's a point somewhere where premiums would have to be at a level that the average homeowner simply couldn't afford to insure, which means they can't afford to carry a loan on the property either since insurance is required with the loan.

The only solution I can think of is to build things so they can withstand hurricanes. A 2nd set of porous walls break the wind and roofs can be anchored down. It would add to the development costs but would probably make living in a hurricane prone area affordable. In low lying areas you'd also have to build with flooding in mind.

If I was an insurance company executive I'd ensure premiums realistically covered the potential for claims in a given area, and the higher the premiums got, the fewer the policies that would be written, driving premiums up even further.

 

[Everlasting Life]

A 2nd set of porous walls break the wind and roofs can be anchored down.

That's a good idea....

 

[3Nails4Given]

There's a point somewhere where premiums would have to be at a level that the average homeowner simply couldn't afford to insure, which means they can't afford to carry a loan on the property either since insurance is required with the loan.

The only solution I can think of is to build things so they can withstand hurricanes. A 2nd set of porous walls break the wind and roofs can be anchored down. It would add to the development costs but would probably make living in a hurricane prone area affordable. In low lying areas you'd also have to build with flooding in mind.

If I was an insurance company executive I'd ensure premiums realistically covered the potential for claims in a given area, and the higher the premiums got, the fewer the policies that would be written, driving premiums up even further.

But that would make sense, and most times government gets involved and sense goes out the window. My dad lives about six miles from the beach out of the storm surge and flood zone, but within the wind zone. His homeowners went up $1,300 last year after hurricane Ian.

This year his insurance told him, he would get a $3,000 discount on the price of a new roof. He had a new roof put on. They gave him a $1,200 discount. His homeowners is over $3,300 a year.

They used to have numerous choices of insurers, now they are down to two carriers. Since he is considered close to the beach.

 

[Tall Timbers]

But that would make sense, and most times government gets involved and sense goes out the window. My dad lives about six miles from the beach out of the storm surge and flood zone, but within the wind zone. His homeowners went up $1,300 last year after hurricane Ian.

This year his insurance told him, he would get a $3,000 discount on the price of a new roof. He had a new roof put on. They gave him a $1,200 discount. His homeowners is over $3,300 a year.

They used to have numerous choices of insurers, now they are down to two carriers. Since he is considered close to the beach.

On the island of Okinawa a lot of buildings had an outer wall made of block that had those blocks with holes in it. The wind could go through but would slow and the building, also made of block or brick would be protected. There was enough space between the walls that you could walk between them. On the Island of Shemya where they get very high winds frequently the roofs are tied down with cable at the points where they'd be most likely to lift up.

 

[3Nails4Given]

On the island of Okinawa a lot of buildings had an outer wall made of block that had those blocks with holes in it. The wind could go through but would slow and the building, also made of block or brick would be protected. There was enough space between the walls that you could walk between them. On the Island of Shemya where they get very high winds frequently the roofs are tied down with cable at the points where they'd be most likely to lift up.

The building codes have greatly increased in Florida as they have learned from past failures. Unfortunately there are hundreds of thousands of homes and mobile homes that were built or placed in Flood and Wind danger zones.

Plus they have allowed people to build on the barrier islands that routinely get hit. I don’t think the residents that live far enough from the danger zones should be penalized to pay for those that do.

Those that live on the beaches should pay higher premiums and they do. But the increased losses to insurers are being passed on to all their customers.

 

[Tall Timbers]

But the increased losses to insurers are being passed on to all their customers.

Yeah, I wouldn't be happy with that but I guess it happens where I live now. While our home insurance is probably less than what folks pay in Florida, the original quote I received on this house was about double the national average. I worked it down to just a little over the national average with a deductible which means that I'll be paying for repairs out of pocket unless the house burns down or something like that. We get strong winds and large hail, both of which can damage property. This house is 10 years old and apparently it's already seen a couple of insurance claims. My insurance agent mentioned that to me. They didn't have data on the first event, but the 2nd event cost about what my deductible is...

 

[3Nails4Given]

We’re 80-90 miles from the Fla. coast and 30 miles from the Ga. coast and our insurance rates have increased significantly. In the last 10 years my dad’s Fla. insurance has tripled.

 

[Everlasting Life]

We get strong winds and large hail, both of which can damage property.

Would a second metal roof, raised slightly above the first possibly be any good protection with hail?

In the last 10 years my dad’s Fla. insurance has tripled.

Wow that's quite a bit!

 

[3Nails4Given]

Would a second metal roof, raised slightly above the first possibly be any good protection with hail?




Wow that's quite a bit!

Several key insurers have left the state entirely. The ones that are left are having to pick up the slack. It’s either that or go uninsured, which many Floridians are doing.

Many of the older retirement communities that get severe damage are being bought out by mega corporations and high rise condominiums are replacing them, especially those close to the beaches.

Old Florida is being replaced by urban sprawl, it’s disgusting what they’ve done. I watched one area below Jacksonville, where there was a cove in the coastline. They literally put a half of a mile of jetty rocks outward and across the cove. Then they backfilled it with sand.

I literately saw them make 30-50 acres of ocean into land and then build homes on pilings, where we used to swim, fish, and surf. Then they wonder why it collapses when a hurricane hits? This was on A1A in between Jacksonville and St. Augustine.

There used to be many public accesses to the beaches in Florida. Now you’re extremely lucky if you can find one. It’s mostly mansions, hotels, and condos.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Would a second metal roof, raised slightly above the first possibly be any good protection with hail?

The roofs in our HOA are asphalt shingle. A roof over a roof would certainly protect the lower roof.

 

[Tall Timbers]

There used to be many public accesses to the beaches in Florida. Now you’re extremely lucky if you can find one. It’s mostly mansions, hotels, and condos.

I grew up in California where there is public access to beaches. Even when homes are built in such a way as to block access to the beach, if people can get to the beach they are free to enjoy it. It's unfortunate that in many places on the east coast, Jersey comes to mind, the beaches are private property and you're charged to set your feet down on the sand.