Miss. Legislative Sessions Begin, PCI Pushes for Stronger Building Codes

Enacting and enforcing a strong statewide building code could save billions of dollars in damages from hurricanes and should be among the top priorities of Mississippi lawmakers meeting in Jackson during the 2006 legislative session, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.

“To ensure that Mississippi and other Gulf Coast states are better prepared for next year’s hurricane season, we are urging legislatures in the region to enact and enforce strong statewide building codes,” William Stander, PCI assistant vice president and regional manager said. “Without a strong building code, many of the homes being rebuilt following Katrina’s devastation will once again be vulnerable to hurricane and flood damage.

“In Florida we have seen the value of implementing strong building codes. Homes built to comply with Florida’s current building code suffer significantly less damage than older homes that were constructed with less stringent requirements,” Stander explained. “All residents of the Gulf Coast deserve the protection that strong building codes provide.”

The 2005 hurricane season resulted in insured losses of nearly $10 billion across Mississippi. While the bulk of the damage occurred during Hurricane Katrina, the state was significantly impacted by Tropical Storm Cindy and hurricanes Dennis and Rita.

“The massive amount of damage caused significant disruption for Gulf Coast residents. However, we are confident that a strong building code will save lives, mitigate damage and speed recovery efforts in the future,” Stander said.

During the Mississippi legislative session, which began Jan. 3, PCI will also seek to have the state’s uninsured motorist stacking provisions revised. Stacking allows motorists who insure more than one vehicle to combine the limits of their uninsured motorist coverage.

“The ability to purchase non-stacked coverage will result in lower premiums for consumers,” Stander said. “This is about giving consumers more choices and more control regarding the level of coverage they purchase and the amount they pay.”

Topics Catastrophe Hurricane Mississippi