Last year’s light hurricane season may be contributing to a dangerous sense of complacency among people living in hurricane-prone areas, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).
A survey conducted for the I.I.I. reported that 48 percent of people in the South think homes in their state are likely to be damaged by a hurricane, down seven points from 2006, when 55 percent thought hurricane damage was likely in their state. A similar decline was found in the Northeast, where 25 percent thought homes in their state are likely to sustain hurricane damage, down five points from last year.
“With hurricane season now beginning to enter its busiest period, many people may have been lulled into a sense of complacency by last year’s mild season and may not have taken measures to better prepare themselves,” said Jeanne Salvatore, I.I.I. senior vice president and consumer spokesperson.
The I.I.I. survey also found that:
- Almost two-thirds of the public (64 percent) believe there will be more severe natural disasters in the future.
- Only 14 percent of Americans have a flood insurance policy.
- Only one out of five people has taken steps to protect their home from a natural disaster.
- Almost one-half (46 percent) of respondents said that they would pay more for a home built to withstand a natural disaster.
- One-half of the public said they have an inventory of their possessions to document losses in case of a disaster.
This analysis is based on a national consumer public opinion survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation during the period of May 17-20, 2007.
Tips on how to prepare for a hurricane and other disasters are available at the I.I.I.’s Web site, disasterinformation.org.
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The I.I.I. is a nonprofit communications organization supported by the insurance industry.
