Hurricane season doesn’t begin until June 1, but the storms that swept through the Rio Grande Valley last weekend show the kind of destruction that can occur at any time. Tropical storms often give us the luxury of advance warning, with many forming hundreds of miles away — sometimes as far away as Africa — and local residents might have plenty of to take precautions as the storms approach.
But as we saw April 23, when wind gusts damaged and even destroyed many buildings across the Valley, heavy weather also can be sudden, and severe. It is imperative, therefore, to take whatever precautions we can to mitigate the damage caused by major storms.
Obviously, that includes keeping our property properly maintained and placing identification, legal documents and other important materials in places that are safe and protected from the elements. It also includes maintaining sufficient property insurance to help residents recover from any storm damage.
High winds aren’t the only — or even the greatest — threat of nature-based damage, as most Valley residents already know. Our location along the Texas Coast places us right at sea level, and even a steady rainstorm can cause massive flooding.
When weather-related disasters do occur, state and federal lawmakers often provide some relief, but tax resources are limited and the allocations are never enough. Moreover, the process of securing government disaster aid can be lengthy and cumbersome; more than a decade after Hurricane Dolly swept through the Valley in 2009, many residents were still waiting for government-funded relief.
Because of the risk, the state of Texas requires residents in coastal counties such as ours to carry storm insurance. Because it is mandated by law, the state created the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association to provide coverage when property owners can’t find it elsewhere. That’s becoming increasingly necessary; the growing frequency of storms and he rising costs of repairing the damage has driven many insurance companies to stop providing coverage in coastal areas.
Republican state Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston has filed Senate Bill 2556, which would shut down the TWIA and force private insurers to provide coverage along the coast. In the state that led the legal challenge to coverage mandates included in the federal Affordable Care Act, however, we shouldn’t expect the bill to pass.
Even though coverage is required, regardless of the provider, many Valley residents don’t have storm coverage or haven’t updated to provide sufficient coverage for property where repair costs likely increase every year.
People should recognize, however, that it costs much less to protect our property than to repair or replace it, and we can’t depend on the government, through taxpayers, to provide adequate relief after a storm-related disaster.
It’s important, therefore, to take our own precautions. It begins with ensuring that our property is properly maintained and can withstand the elements as much as possible. But it also includes investing in proper insurance coverage to help recover from storms faster and help cover the associated costs.
