Tropical Storm Arlene sailed through the Gulf of Mexico, missing Texas and Louisiana, and causing minimal damage when it came ashore on June 12 in Gulf Shores, Ala. It dropped more than 5 inches of rain and had weakened to a tropical depression by the next day, moving across Alabama with top sustained winds of 25 mph.
So it wasn’t much but it was something-it was a tropical storm. And it ushered in a hurricane season that forecasters believe will be, like last year, an active one. Insurance organizations and local government officials in states all across the Gulf and along the southeast Atlantic coast have been warning consumers and citizens since well before the hurricane season started on June 1 to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
As the Atlantic storm season began, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley reminded Louisianians that their state “was pretty lucky last year, but we have no guarantee that our good fortune will hold this time around.”
Wooley said the “first line of defense on the insurance front is to check on all our property insurance coverage right away.” He reminded citizens of his state that in the event of flooding, “the chances are very good that much of your damage will not be covered under your homeowners or other property insurance policy,” and urged them to contact their local insurance producer or other insurance representative for information on obtaining a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
The Insurance Council of Texas drove home a similar message in statement issued just days before Arlene entered the Gulf of Mexico. ICT said a new flood insurance policy takes 30 days to go into effect and that once a hurricane enters the Gulf it’s too late purchase windstorm coverage from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). TWIA coverage is the last resort for coastal businesses and residents whose homeowners policies often exclude wind and hail damage. ICT said more than 100,000 TWIA policies have been issued in coastal areas.
Arlene entered the Gulf on nearly the same date as Tropical Storm Allison came ashore in Southeast Texas four years ago. That storm, which had been expected to move through the area and result in minimal damage, surprised everyone by stalling over Houston for several days beginning June 8, 2001, causing massive flooding and generating some $2.5 billion in insured losses.
It would be fantastic if Arlene was it for the season, but that’s doubtful. If business owners and homeowners heed the warnings, they will hope for the best and make sure they have the proper insurance in place-in case the worst happens.
Until next time, happy reading!
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