Americans’ perception is that the severity and frequency of weather events have increased over the past five years – and nearly two-thirds blame climate change.
Tornadoes and Climate Change: Unraveling the Complex Connection
Explore how climate change might be influencing tornado patterns and their frequency. As scientists explore the intricate relationship between global warming and extreme weather, new patterns in tornado occurrences emerge.
Read the full article on National Geographic to understand more about this evolving challenge.
Tornadoes and Insurance: Are You Prepared?
Each year, around 1,200 tornadoes with winds up to 300 mph hit the United States, causing extensive damage. Learn how standard insurance policies can protect your home, business, and vehicles from these frequent yet destructive natural disasters. Don’t wait until it’s too late—understand your coverage now.
Read the full article on the Insurance Information Institute’s website.
Florida’s Perfect Storm— Extreme Weather and Insurance
Experts agree in virtual town hall: Link exists between extreme weather and rising costs of homeowner insurance in Florida
Ft. Lauderdale, FL. — Nationally renowned weather, insurance, and emergency management experts met as a panel on February 24 to address the relationship between extreme weather and the rising cost of homeowner insurance.
In this forum, panelists with national and international expertise in weather, disasters, and insurance spoke their minds and provided unique perspectives regarding the correlation between the rise in extreme weather events, climate change, and the rise in homeowner insurance. They also took questions from attendees. All of the panelists are available now for questions and interviews regarding these topics and recent developments in the Florida Legislature on the issues of climate change, disaster, insurance, and resiliency.
The event was hosted by the FAIR Foundation, a nonprofit organization conceived to create safer, stronger, more resilient communities by educating consumers on the risks of water, wind, and other natural disasters, promoting wind and flood mitigation, and reducing uninsured risk.
Watch the virtual Town Hall
Read the full transcript of the Town Hall
WHO:
Jay Neal, Esq. President and CEO, FAIR Foundation, Executive Chairman, Federal Association for Insurance Reform
Craig Fugate, Chief Emergency Management Officer, One Concern, and Former FEMA Administrator
Fred O. Karlinsky, Esq., Greenberg Traurig, Co-Chair of Insurance Practice Group
John Morales, Chief Meteorologist, WTVJ NBC-6, Miami, FL
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ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
Jay Neal, President and CEO, FAIR Foundation
Jay Neal is the President and CEO of the FAIR Foundation and Executive Chairman of the Board for the Federal Association for Insurance Reform. He has over 30 years of experience in insurance and finance as a consultant at the CEO and agency principal level. Jay’s career experience includes commercial real estate lending, real estate capital markets, reinsurance, and development of retail insurance products. He focuses on national strategic partnerships, development, and enhancing and strengthening corporate governance.
Craig Fugate, Emergency Manager
Craig Fugate served as FEMA Administrator from May 2009 to January 2017. Previously, he served as Florida Emergency Management Director from 2001- 2009. Fugate led FEMA through multiple record-breaking disaster years and oversaw the Federal Government’s response to major events such as the Joplin and Moore Tornadoes, Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Matthew, and the 2016 Louisiana flooding. Fugate set a clear and compelling vision, mission, and priorities for FEMA and relentlessly drove the Agency to achieve better outcomes for survivors. FEMA’s effectiveness in dealing with more than 500 Presidentially-declared major disasters and emergencies under Fugate’s leadership restored the faith of the American people in the Federal Government’s ability to respond to disasters. Prior to his tenure at FEMA, Fugate was widely praised for his management, under Governor Jeb Bush, of the devastating effects of the 2004 and 2005 Florida hurricane seasons (Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Dennis, Katrina, and Wilma). Craig currently provides senior level advice and consultation is the area of disaster management and resiliency policy through Craig Fugate Consulting LLC..
Fred E. Karlinsky, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig
Fred E. Karlinsky is Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Insurance Regulatory and Transactions Practice Group. Fred has nearly 30 years of experience representing the interests of insurers, reinsurers and a wide variety of other insurance-related entities on their regulatory, transactional, corporate and governmental affairs matters. Fred is a recognized authority on national insurance regulatory and compliance issues and has taken a leadership position in many insurance trade organizations, has led many industry-driven legislative and regulatory initiatives, and is a sought after thought leader who has spoken and presented to insurance executives and governmental officials, both nationally and internationally. In addition to his role with Greenberg Traurig, Fred has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at Florida State University College of Law since 2008, where he teaches a course on Insurance Law and Risk Management. Fred is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator.
John Morales, Chief Meteorologist, WTVJ NBC-6
John Morales is the longest tenured broadcast meteorologist in South Florida, serving as a reassuring television presence for nearly three decades. His tropical weather acumen and steadfast character guided South Florida viewers through hurricanes Andrew, Irene, Katrina, Wilma, and most recently Hurricane Irma. For his life-saving work during the 2017 season, Mr. Morales was recognized with the John Coleman Broadcast Award at the National Tropical Weather Conference. He has twice been appointed to National Academies of Sciences (NAS) committees, co-authoring studies in 2012 and 2017 pertinent to America’s Weather Enterprise. He also wrote Huracanes, a Spanish-language reference book on hurricanes in 2000.
ABOUT THE FAIR FOUNDATION:
The FAIR Foundation educates and empowers consumers, promotes wind and flood mitigation, and reduces uninsured risk. We enable and promote practical solutions and protections by bringing consumers together with the best and brightest in the industry. For more information, visit the FAIR FOUNDATION
Why you might need supplemental coverage
You’ve most likely heard of supplemental health insurance. It covers certain treatment and care that a traditional policy doesn’t. Think AFLAC. A similar problem exists when it comes to insuring your home; a typical homeowners policy doesn’t cover everything. In fact, it may not cover some critical expenses that arise immediately after a hurricane.
After an uncommonly active 2017 season, it’s tremendously important to know how much you’re covered, as each day that passes since the last hurricane brings us is one day closer to the next. StormPeace is supplemental coverage that offers peace of mind to Florida homeowners and renters – they can know they’re covered for evacuation expenses, tree and debris removal, and replacing spoiled food. They can also use StormPeace to pay their deductible.
We all take a risk living in the Sunshine State, where our entire population is vulnerable to hurricanes. We choose to live here for the beautiful beaches, breathtaking sunsets, and pleasant weather that comforts the soul. When specifically tailored for homes likely to be affected by hurricanes, this kind of coverage can help take much of the worry out of our risky living situations. While Mother Nature can’t be controlled, the pointless spending of unnecessary out-of-pocket insurance expenses certainly can be.