AAA: 19% More Worried About Hurricane Season

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Daytona Beach, FL - The latest findings from AAA show that Floridians are becoming more worried about Hurricane Season after enduring four major storms in the past three years.

Including one Category 5 storm.

That's according to their latest poll which shows that 92% of Floridians are worried about this year's Hurricane Season, with nearly 19% that are more concerned than last year.

And despite growing concern, nearly a quarter of residents do not make advanced preparations in the event of severe weather or hurricanes, even though hurricanes Florence, Michael, Harvey, Irma and Maria caused more than $200 billion in damage, according to Floodsmart.gov.

“If the last few hurricane seasons have taught us anything it’s the importance of being prepared,” said Peter Corrigan, president of Auto Club Insurance Company of Florida. “Although you can’t control the weather, you can take certain precautions to ensure your family and belongings are protected."

Corrigan also said storm preparations should include having a storm kit, evacuation plan, and proper insurance coverage, which includes flood insurance.

(AAA)

Based on their findings, if a named storm were to cause an evacuation, the majority of Floridians (79%) would heed official warning and leave their homes.

But, out of those who would evacuate, more than half (62%) say they would only leave for a category three hurricane or greater.

And despite flood risk, almost three-quarters of Floridians (73%) do not have flood insurance, which is separate from homeowner's insurance.

“Nearly half of residents in Florida do not realize there is a 30-day waiting period for new flood policies to take effect,” Corrigan said. “So, if you wait until a named storm is moving in your direction, you will be too late."

AAA says that a "preferred risk" flood insurance policy costing less than a dollar a day will cover $100,000 in structural damage and $40,000 for damage to contents inside the home.

The 2019 Hurricane Season officially started on June 1st and will end on November 30th.