National Insurance Awareness Day — Why resilience is Florida’s best insurance policy

Every year on June 28, National Insurance Awareness Day reminds us to review our policies, update our home inventories and prepare for the unexpected.

After spending 12 years in the insurance industry responding to catastrophes, followed by 28 years advancing disaster resilience, I approach this day a little differently. I see it as an opportunity to talk not only about insurance but also about one of its most important components: resilience.

Insurance helps us recover after disasters. Resilience helps us withstand them in the first place. Together, they form the foundation of strong communities that can endure disasters and recover more quickly afterward.

Few places understand this better than Florida.

We are fortunate to live in one of America’s most beautiful states. Our coastlines, climate and communities make Florida a destination for millions. Yet the same qualities that make Florida attractive also make it vulnerable. Hurricanes, severe storms, flooding, wildfires and other hazards are facts of life here.

As a former catastrophe claims manager, I witnessed firsthand the devastation these events can bring to families and communities. I have seen the heartbreak of loss, but I have also seen something equally powerful: people’s ability to recover, rebuild and emerge stronger.

That is why we cannot separate conversations about insurance from conversations about resilience. I am encouraged to see individual insurance companies, along with organizations such as the Florida Surplus Lines Association, increasingly highlighting the value of resilience.

Insurance is a financial product that reflects risk. As risks increase, insurance becomes more expensive and more difficult to provide. When we reduce risk, insurance becomes more available and more affordable. Families benefit from stronger protection, enabling faster and less costly disaster recovery.

Florida has faced significant insurance challenges on and off for decades. Frequent hurricanes, inflation, litigation costs and continued population growth in vulnerable areas have all contributed to market pressures. These challenges are real, and there are no simple solutions.

At the same time, Florida has become a national leader in resilience.

Following Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Florida committed to strengthening its building codes. Today, Florida’s high-wind standards are among the strongest in the nation. We also recognized the need to retrofit older homes by creating My Safe Florida Home, the nation’s first wind-mitigation grant program. With more than $500 million invested, the program has helped thousands of homeowners strengthen their properties.

Public education has also played an important role. One example is the award-winning StormStruck: A Tale of Two Homes experience at EPCOT, where nearly 5.8 million Disney guests learned about resilient home construction between 2008 and 2016. StormStruck demonstrated that homeowners can influence — and change — storm outcomes. A Carnegie Mellon University study validated the program’s effectiveness.

Most importantly, homeowners themselves have embraced resilience. Across Florida, families are investing in stronger roofs with sealed roof decks, wind-resistant garage doors, hurricane shutters, defensible space and improved drainage to reduce flood risk. Researchers at Florida International University and the University of Florida, working alongside insurance industry engineers, continue developing innovations that protect lives and property while supporting a healthier insurance marketplace.

Early on, some underestimated the power of mitigation. Experience has repeatedly demonstrated that it works. Homes built or upgraded to modern standards perform better during disasters. Communities that prioritize preparedness recover faster. More homeowners are benefiting from greater peace of mind, increased safety and insurance discounts that reward investments in resilience.

The relationship is straightforward. Stronger homes sustain less damage. Less damage produces fewer claims and lower losses. Lower losses create opportunities for greater market stability and improved insurability over time.

National Insurance Awareness Day reminds us that insurance is essential, but the best insurance policy also includes proactive risk reduction. Throughout my career after storms, I met countless homeowners who wished they had done more before disaster struck. The good news is that today we understand how to prevent much of that damage, and tools such as StrongHomesScale.org help homeowners understand the steps they can take.

As Florida enters another hurricane season, our state’s leadership in resilience gives me confidence about the future. By continuing to strengthen homes, invest in mitigation, support sound public policy and encourage personal preparedness, we can build a safer, stronger and more insurable Florida.

___

Leslie Chapman-Henderson serves as president and CEO of the nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH). She previously served as Chair of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Advisory Committee, Vice Chair of the Florida Task Force for Long-Term Insurance Solutions and in numerous leadership roles advancing strong building codes, disaster safety, public policy and resilience initiatives.