Building Codes
States Consider Stronger Building Codes in Hurricane-Prone Areas
Rosalie L. Donlon | Property Casualty360°
November 26, 2014
Future hurricane damage should be less severe thanks to actions by policymakers in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Florida, where stronger new building codes could protect property from excessive damage.
Mississippi. Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, Governor Phil Bryant, the state legislature, and Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) worked with a broad-based coalition to enact the state’s first statewide building code.
“These new standards which become effective November 28, could potentially save lives, reduce damage after a major weather event, and reduce insurance costs,” said PCI’s Director of Personal Lines, Chris Hackett. “The stronger building code will help protect people and their property by ensuring that residential and commercial buildings are now built to withstand greater hurricane force wind and impact from flying debris.”
Alabama. Although a new building code law didn’t pass in Alabama, the legislature considered adopting a bill similar to the one enacted in Mississippi. The bill, introduced late in the regular session, sparked discussions regarding the importance of adopting minimum statewide building code standards. The legislation is likely to be reintroduced in the 2015 session.
Texas. The state House Insurance Committee and the Land and Resource Management Committee held hearings to examine coastal resiliency, hazard mitigation, building codes and the role of insurance in protecting the coast. For greater consumer protection, PCI is urging that the code be made mandatory for the entire Texas Windstorm Insurance Association area and that the statewide building code be updated and enforced uniformly around the state.
Florida. State legislators and stakeholders considered including a section in the homeowners’ claims bill that passed the legislature that would have addressed roofing contractor fraud. The law would help eliminate the fraudulent activity that can occur following any major weather event. It was not included in the 2014 legislation, and may be considered again in 2015.
“As hurricane season draws to an end, we can breathe a sigh of relief that we were able to get through without a major hurricane hitting the U.S., but there’s always next season and the potential for severe weather to pop up quickly, especially in the southeast,” said Hackett. “Insurers use this time to stress the importance of preparing your home now and we were pleased to see policymakers use it to advance discussions regarding stronger building codes.”
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SOURCE: www.propertycasualty360.com