Every year, severe weather highlights how susceptible people and their homes are to the wrath of Mother Nature. In 2024 alone, there were 18 named storms during hurricane season, 11 of which became hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or greater, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Florida was hit by three different hurricanes in 2024, with Hurricane Helene expanding and destroying whole communities across six states in the Southeastern U.S. and claiming 230 lives. Helene was followed a week later by Hurricane Milton, which caused further destruction in some of the areas that had just been hit by Helene.

It has become evident that not all homes are built to withstand the destructive nature of certain storms, underscoring the importance of modern construction methods to help withstand the forces of nature.

“While we can't stop natural disasters from happening, we can improve our resiliency efforts so communities can better withstand them," says Steve Hylka, senior vice president of property product state management at Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance. “It starts with building and repairing homes to code."

Many states have regulations to help ensure home safety and resilience during and after storms. “In particular, states like Florida have very strong codes with wind mitigation requirements that have proven to reduce damage," Hylka says. “Additionally, many insurance companies offer discounts for wind mitigation features. Similar can be said for fortified homes and hail-resistant roofs in other parts of the country."

Resilience strategies provide long-term savings for homeowners and insurers alike, according to Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), a nonprofit organization. These strategies range from minor home investments like landscaping updates to more complex home upgrades, such as foundation elevation.

However, as resiliency and adaptation increase, coverage gaps can be created. “Coverage gaps occur when a homeowner takes steps to improve the building materials, construction, or resiliency of their home against weather perils, as well as make improvements inside the home," says Casey Kempton, president, property & casualty lines, Nationwide. “In a recent Nationwide survey, 55% of homeowners who completed major renovations in the past two years have not adjusted their insurance policies, leaving themselves at risk of being underinsured."

When this occurs, policyholders are left vulnerable to out-of-pocket expenses when the amount of money available for rebuilding can be considerably less than what is actually needed to repair or rebuild. “It is critical for homeowners to self-report these types of improvements to ensure they remain adequately protected," Kempton explains. “This creates a challenge for our industry because there is not an acute awareness from customers that they should do this."

An agent can play a key role in helping their clients ensure they have the necessary coverage. “It's important that homeowners who are making such improvements talk to their agent about what they're planning to do or what they have done to better understand how that affects their insurance premiums and coverage," Kempton adds.

Olivia Overman is IA content editor.