Hurricane Irma Likely to Make Landfall in Florida or the Southeast U.S.; Devastating Winds and Storm Surge Expected
September 6, 2017
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Top 10 Costliest Hurricanes In The United States (1)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE I.I.I. New York Press Office: 212-346-5500; [email protected] CSU Press Office: 970-491-7099; [email protected]
NEW YORK, September 6, 2017 — Hurricane Irma made landfall on several of the northern Leeward Islands over the past 24 hours and is now tracking northwestward towards Puerto Rico. It also is looking more likely to make landfall along the Florida coast or the Southeast U.S. as a major hurricane—the second major storm to hit the United States in about two weeks. Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) subject matter experts are available to assist reporters with questions on insurance coverage, the insurance industry’s disaster response and how this storm differs from Harvey.
“Irma is currently one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. The only hurricane in the Atlantic that has been stronger than Irma was Hurricane Allen in 1980,” said Dr. Philip J. Klotzbach, meteorologist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University (CSU) and a nonresident scholar with the I.I.I. “Low vertical wind shear (the change in wind direction with the height of the atmosphere) and warmer than normal sea surface temperatures were the perfect recipe for this extraordinarily strong storm,” he noted.
“It is likely this storm will be more of a wind event than a flood event,” said I.I.I. CEO Sean Kevelighan. “We urge anyone in the path of the storm to listen to local authorities, while also doing what is needed to prepare, such as reinforcing windows with shutters and taking a home inventory, if time permits. If you have to evacuate, bring your financial documents, including your insurance policy, so you can start the claims process once the storm has passed,” said Kevelighan. “Keep in mind, the more prepared you are, the greater the potential to be more resilient and withstand damage.”
Top 10 Costliest Hurricanes In The United States (1)
($ millions)
Estimated insured loss Rank Year Hurricane Dollars when occurred In 2020 dollars (2)
1 2005 Hurricane Katrina $65,000 $86,570 2 2012 Hurricane Sandy 30,000 33,930 3 2017 Hurricane Harvey 30,000 31,960 4 2017 Hurricane Irma 29,900 31,850 5 2017 Hurricane Maria 29,670 31,270 6 19 92 Hurricane Andrew Estima1t6e,d0 0in0sured loss 29,700 7Rank 2Y0e0a8r HurHricuarnreic Iaknee Dollars when occ1u8r,2re0d0 In 2020 dolla2r1s, 7(620) 8 2005 Hurricane Wilma 10,670 14,010 9 2018 Hurricane Michael 13,250 13,710 10 2004 Hurricane Ivan 8,720 12,060
(1) Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and losses sustained by private insurers and government- sponsored programs such as the National Flood Insurance Program. Includes hurricanes that occurred through 2020. Subject to change as loss estimates are further developed. As of February, 2021. Ranked on insured losses in 2020 dollars. (2) Adjusted for inflation by Aon using the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
Source: Aon.
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Wind damage from tropical storms and hurricanes is covered under standard homeowners, renters and business insurance policies. Flood damage is excluded under standard home and business policies. Separate flood coverage can be purchased from FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and some private insurers.
Damage to cars from tropical storms and hurricanes is covered under the optional comprehensive coverage available with a standard auto insurance policy. Nearly four out of five drivers choose to purchase comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive coverage for automobiles includes wind damage, flooding and damage from falling objects, such as tree limbs.
As Hurricane Irma prepares to make landfall, the number one priority is public safety. Mandatory evacuations are already in place in parts of Florida. Heeding evacuation orders is imperative. The I.I.I. recommends that Floridians recall the lessons from Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and Wilma in 2005. Not only can high winds be deadly; storm surge is also a serious threat to human life. Residents near coastal areas and inland bodies of water should have a plan for evacuating from flood-prone areas—and be ready to put that plan into action.
For more information, visit the following resources:
Facts and Statistics
Flood Insurance
Hurricanes
Hurricane Fact File: Florida
Consumer and Business Resources
Avoiding Scams After a Disaster
Disaster Planning for Older Adults
Filing an Auto Insurance Claim
How Do I File a Homeowners Insurance Claim?
Preparing an Evacuation Plan
Trees and Insurance
Background Papers
Catastrophes: Insurance Issues
FEMA Report on Impact of Hurricane Ike
Flood Insurance
Residual Market Property Plans
Videos
Disaster Planning with Pets
Filing a Homeowners Claim Learning About Hurricanes with Dr. Phillip Klotzbach
Additional Resources
Colorado State University
FEMA: Coming Home After a Flood; Debris Removal Guidelines; How To File A Flood Insurance Claim
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
The I.I.I. has a full library of educational videos on its YouTube Channel.
THE I.I.I. IS A NONPROFIT, COMMUNICATIONS ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED BY THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
Insurance Information Institute, 110 William Street, New York, NY 10038; (212) 346-5500; www.iii.org
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