Hurricane Katrina insurance



Insurance for Hurricane Katrina



Hurricane Katrina (a moderate Category One hurricane) formed over the Bahamas on August 23, 2005 and crossed southern Florida. There were lots of deaths as a result of this, before it
strengthened rapidly in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm’s strength was lessened before making its second landfall as a Category 3 storm on Monday, morning August 29 in southeast Louisiana. It caused tremendous devastation that extended across the Gulf coast from central Florida to Texas, mostly because of the violent storm. New Orleans, in the state of Louisiana, suffered the most severe damages and loss of life when the levee system failed horribly, giving information in many cases much after the storm had moved on to land. Soon, most of the city was flooded (estimated at 80%). Apart from the city, the neighboring parishes were also flooded and the floodwaters did not recede for weeks. By August 31, 2005, eighty percent of New Orleans was flooded, with some parts under 15 feet (4.5 m) of water.

After the events surrounding hurricane Katrina in the 2005 hurricane season many people in coastal areas are asking themselves if they need to purchase hurricane insurance. If you are asking yourself this question, you perhaps do. There actually isn't an insurance policy intended to cover hurricane damage. Most homeowners cover by their home insurance policy for wind damage and wind driven rain damage. Majority of the disasters from hurricane Katrina was resulted from the damage caused by flood. Your standard homeowner's insurance strategy will not cover flood damage. Flood insurance has been accessible by the federal government since 1968 through FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). Most insurance companies in coastal areas will package flood insurance with their homeowner's insurance policies.

During hurricane Katrina up to 80% of the coastal cities in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi were flooded. Thousands of homes were destroyed completely. If you live in a coastal area I would recommend looking into flood insurance for your home. The most costly and deadly hurricanes have always been allied with large storm surges. In most areas a call to an insurance company will give you the chance to get informed about the costs associated with flood insurance. The worst case scenario of an out-and-out flood makes it well worth it to become educated about whether or not you are in jeopardy.

Between homeowners insurance and flood insurance the damages to your home caused by a hurricane and the associated storm surge will be covered. The insurance company will access the damage and assign the charges for the damage to your home. It is important to keep your insurance records somewhere safe during a storm and make sure to keep them waterproof. Also make sure to take photographic evidence, as soon as you can of the damage. Your insurance company will need them once you file your claim. The more information you can provide your insurance company the faster your claim can be settled and you can get your life back.

So, please try your utmost to insure your possessions and lead a peaceful, tension-free life.


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