New survey says 1 in 4 Floridians ignore hurricane evacuation warnings
MIAMI — A new survey suggests a significant number of Floridians do not prep for hurricanes and choose to ignore hurricane evacuation warnings.
Ahead of the 2023 hurricane season, insurance company AAA released new findings from The Auto Club Group's annual hurricane season survey, finding that nearly 20% of Florida residents do not make make advanced preparations for the hurricane season or severe weather; and, nearly a quarter of Floridians surveyed said they would ignore warnings to evacuate.
What's even more concerning is that more than half of Florida residents said they would not leave their homes unless the approaching hurricane was at least a category 3 storm.
The survey also broke down the reasonings for why some Floridians choose to ignore evacuation warnings:
- Want to stay in case there's home or property damage that they can fix — 40%.
- Can't bring their pets or don't have a safe option for them — 30%.
- Believe the storm will turn away from their direction — 22%.
- Don't know where to go — 18%.
- Fear of looting after the storm — 17%.
- Financial reasons — 15%.
"Staying in the path of a potentially deadly storm is just not worth the risk," said Mark Jenkins, Public Relations Manager for AAA — The Auto Club Group.
"Take steps now to develop an evacuation plan for your family and pets. If you're worried about property damage, contact your insurance advisor. Having adequate coverage will give you the peace-of-mind in knowing that anything damaged while you're gone can be repaired or replaced."
Hurricanes and severe weather can severely damage everything from your home to your travel plans. Fortunately, AAA provided coverage tips and steps homeowners should take ahead of the first storm.
Top Insurance Policies for Hurricane Season:
- Homeowner's insurance covers your property from wind damage but it does not cover flood damage created by rising waters entering your home. Flood insurance is a separate, annual policy that has a 30-day waiting period on new activations.
- Comprehensive auto coverage helps if a tree falls on your vehicle or is damaged by flooding or hail. Vehicle coverage is not automatically covered under your homeowner's policy.
- Travel insurance is important for anyone planning a summer or fall vacation. If severe weather interferes with your travel plans, there are policies that reimburse you for covered losses associated with flight delays and cancellations, which can also provide partial or full reimbursement of non-refundable deposits on hotels, cruises and excursions.
Steps Homeowners Should Take Right Now:
- Review your insurance coverage: Reviewing your homeowner's insurance with your licensed agent will help you determine if you have the right protection. You should discuss your deductibles and ensure any recent home upgrades like pools, screen enclosures and fences are covered.
- Store your insurance and flood policy numbers on your phone: Document your provider's phone number for filing a claim.
- Understand the various methods for filing a claim: Find out how your provider allows to you to file a claim on a website or mobile app. Doing so can speed up the filing process as high demands can result in longer wait times.
- Take inventory: Document your belongings by walking through your home with a video camera or smart phone, and keep a record of large purchases, including receipts, item costs, purchase dates, and model and serial numbers.
- Store important documents in portable waterproof containers: Documents could include birth certificates, social security cards, insurance policy information and more.
Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States. The historic flooding earlier this year in South Florida is a reminder that it doesn't take a hurricane to cause catastrophic flood damage, AAA said, and it's also proof that you don't need to live a high-risk flood zone to experience it.
"Even if your property is not considered 'high risk', remember that flooding can happen anywhere in Florida. All it takes is the right amount of rainfall to put your property in peril," said Jennifer Pintacuda, President of AAA's Florida-based insurance companies.
"During the past year, Floridians who were living far away from the coast experienced severe flooding. Storms can be unpredictable. Hurricanes can stall overhead. That's why we encourage all Floridians to consider a flood insurance policy. But act now. If you wait until a storm forms, it could be too late."
There is a 30-day waiting period for all new flood insurance policies issued through FEMA; however, more than half of survey respondents (52%) were not aware of that.
Additionally, 67% of Floridians surveyed do not have flood insurance. The reasons cited were:
- Not living in a flood zone — 57%.
- Not experiencing flooding problems before — 34%.
- Too expensive — 24%.
- Homeowner's insurance should be enough — 9%.
AAA also shared some other flood insurance facts:
- On average, flooding causes more than $5 billion in damage nationwide each year.
- In 2022, the National Flood Insurance Program validated more than 54,000 claims, providing more than $1.6 billion in policy coverage.
- Hurricane Ian resulted in more than 46,000 claims and $1.5 billion in policy coverage.
- Nearly 40% of all flood insurance claims come from homes which are not considered high-risk flood zones.
- Flood losses are costly. One inch of water in your home can cost $25,000 or more to repair.
- From 2016-2021, flood insurance policyholders received an average claim payment of $68,000, which never has to be repaid.
- Without flood insurance, homeowners could apply for federal disaster assistance via a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Unlike claims payments for flood insurance SBA loans must be repaid.
- Flood insurance rates are based on each individual property's characteristics, including the flood frequency, elevation, distance from a water source and cost to rebuild.