Busy Hurricane Season Draws to a Close

An above-average hurricane season produced several records and one of the costliest hurricanes on record in 2011.

With two weeks left in hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30^th, there have been 18 named Atlantic storms, tying 1969 as the sixth-busiest Atlantic hurricane season since record keeping began in 1851.

Those storms included six hurricanes, and the first of those, Irene, was only the second hurricane to hit New Jersey in the last 108 years. Hurricane Irene, which caused approximately 40 deaths and $4 billion in damages, combined with Tropical Storm Lee to create one of the worst flood disasters in the northeastern United States.

While the United States avoided a hurricane making landfall at a Category 3 level or higher for the sixth consecutive year, the number of Atlantic storms continues to remain consistently high. In the last 16 years, there have been 12 above-normal hurricane seasons. 

The Property Casualty Insurers Association (PCI), which represents insurance comapnies, is urging residents of coastal areas to use the offseason to prepare for the next hurricane season, which begins June 1, 2012, and also urges public policymakers to take steps encouraging home and business owners to strengthen their properties.

“It is a question of when, not whether, the U.S. Atlantic or Gulf coasts will face a major landfall,” said Christopher Hackett, PCI’s director of personal lines policy. “Coastal residents should use the next few months to prepare for a major hurricane, and there are a number of things they can do to be ready.”

To prevent the loss of life and minimize property damage, it is vital that coastal residents create a family disaster plan, maintain an emergency supply kit and stay informed about approaching storms. Now is the time for coastal residents to review their insurance policies and purchase flood insurance.

Additionally, PCI is calling on elected officials in coastal regions to examine weaknesses in their building codes and address shortcomings in their residual markets with well-reasoned, market-oriented approaches that embrace risk-based pricing and healthy competition.

“Public policymakers can help facilitate stronger homes and businesses, which will help mitigate damages for consumers,” Hackett said. “Government and consumers, working together, can help protect lives and property when a major hurricane strikes our shores again.”