A quiet hurricane season can still be an expensive one

El Niño years have historically meant fewer Atlantic hurricanes, and insurers long treated that as good news. A Reuters analysis carried by Insurance Journal says the assumption no longer stands on its own. Decades of coastal building and rising property values have put far more value in the path of any storm that does form.

Storm count is not what drives your premium. Damage is. One hurricane that lands on a built-up stretch of the Florida coast can cost more than a busy season of storms that stay offshore, which is why insurers weigh where a storm goes and what it would hit over how many form. That turns into one practical question for you: does your dwelling limit still cover what it would cost to rebuild your home today, at current labor and material prices? A Coverage A figure that was accurate three years ago may be short now, and a shortfall shows up on the one day you cannot fix it.

An independent agent can rerun your replacement-cost estimate, check your hurricane deductible, and re-shop the policy before you auto-renew.