Hurricane Season Could Produce Nine To 15 Storms

NEW YORK, May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hurricane season officially gets underway on June 1, but we have already witnessed rare May tropical storms, including Alberto and Beryl in the Atlantic Ocean and Bud in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast that this year's Atlantic hurricane season could produce nine to 15 tropical storms. As many as four to eight of those storms could strengthen into hurricanes and one to three of those could become major hurricanes with top winds of 111 mph or higher.

Wind damage from both tropical storms and hurricanes is covered under standard homeowners and business insurance policies. Flood damage resulting from storm surge caused by hurricanes, is excluded under standard homeowners and renters insurance policies; however flood coverage is available from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and from a few private insurance companies.

Damage to cars from hurricanes is covered under the optional comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy. This covers wind damage, flooding and even falling objects such as tree limbs. More than 75 percent of all Americans choose to purchase comprehensive auto coverage.

The I.I.I. has a number of experts who can provide information on the economics of insuring a hurricane, as well as provide consumer-related information.

The following hurricane-related online resources are also available to reporters:

RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

• Issues Update: Catastrophes - Insurance Issues
• Issues Update: Hurricane and Windstorm Deductibles
• Issues Update: Flood Insurance
• White Paper: Residual Market Property Plans - From Markets of Last Resort to Markets of First Choice

CONSUMER INFORMATION

• Homeowners and Renters Insurance
• Insuring Your Business: Small Business Owners' Guide to Insurance

FACTS AND STATISTICS

• Hurricanes
• Hurricane Fact Files and Market Share by State
• Flood Insurance

VIDEOS

• Making Your Home More Hurricane-Resistant: Five Steps
• Flood Insurance for Your Home
• Filing a Homeowners Insurance Claim: Six Steps
• Disaster Planning with Pets
• Home Inventory Software

To arrange an interview with the I.I.I., please call the New York City press office at 212-346-5500 and ask for Jeanne Salvatore, Mike Barry or Loretta Worters. For Florida-specific questions, please contact: Lynne McChristian, at 813-480-6446, or via email at [email protected]. Elianne Gonzalez is also available to conduct media interviews in Spanish and can be reached at 954-389-9517 or via email at [email protected].

The I.I.I. also has full library of educational videos on its You Tube Channel.

THE I.I.I. IS A NONPROFIT, COMMUNICATIONS ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED BY THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY.

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SOURCE Insurance Information Institute