[srmanuel]

In many respects that’s already happening, if you look at where I live in Jacksonville, go out the beaches area, much of that area is where the truly wealthy live especially in South Duval and Northern St. Johns County.

There has to be a new approach to our thinking about Insurance in Florida, so many people have moved here and more of them are living close to the ocean, any decent hurricane tears up the houses of primarily newer homes.

The other solution or perhaps part of a new hybrid insurance system is establishing building codes that require homes to be built to withstand at least a Cat 3 hurricane, in low lying areas, they must be built on stilts high enough to handle a storm surge to a certain level.

You could do that to any new construction and require it on any homes built to replace homes destroyed in a hurricane. It would take time, but homes not built up to hurricane standards would eventually get replaced.

[abigkahuna]

A hardened structure. Makes sense. Here in California, while building codes do not yet factor in wildfires, they do factor earthquakes—such as no more brick buildings, etc.

[woodbutcher1963]

After Super Storm Sandy hit CT they raised the height of the front two rows of beach houses to 13’ above the normal high tide mark.

I am surprised that Florida has not made this a requirement ever since Andrew. I know they changed that ALL 2x4 studs in Florida had to be a #2 grade stamp. They changed that all roofs needed hurricane straps.

[NelsTandberg]

Pulled my permit 2005. Retired biophysicist and biomed engineer, Built for the environment. Taught the county building and zoning everything from insulation types to make-up air for wood stoves.. Neither need nor do I want their 'help'. Inspectors love me!

Lived on a 60' Norwegian SAR vessel for years. You learn limitations in the Arctic and N. Atlantic.

My house the morning after Michael. Garage slab at +7MSL. Habitable area floors at +15. Designed structurally for Cat 4 sustained, but fenestratiions only Cat 3+. Designed & built it myself. Photos taken after walking 530 ft up from my dock footer to make certain the boat was still on her mooring. Self-insured so far. When I get my CO, will negotiate with USAA. Neighbors in 3/4 mi radius come to visit for two nights while the eyes pass over.