Aon report credits Florida building code against Hurricane Ian damage

20 February 2023

Aon says Florida’s enhanced building code successfully contributed to protecting homes against Hurricane Ian and suggests similar measures could be established across other regions.

The findings come from a newly released report from the firm, titled Hurricane Ian: Rebuilding for Resilience, with contributions from a team of engineers, meteorologists and hydrologists sent by Aon to evaluate the storm’s impact.

Aon acknowledges that outdated construction models often led to more catastrophic outcomes for homeowners but says the state’s building code helped some properties withstand damage. Florida first established the code in 2002 and has continuously enhanced it in response to frequent hurricane events in the region.

“Our teams gained first-hand experience of the devastation caused by this historic hurricane, which allowed us to conduct thorough analyses and identify practical steps to improve structural integrity and rebuilding for resilience,” Aon’s Reinsurance Solutions Global Head of Property Analytics Dan Dick said.

“As climate change creates uncertainty around future weather patterns, it is important for us to consider how we might build future resilience through such learnings.”

Hurricane Ian, which hit the US in late September last year, was the second-costliest natural disaster on record from an insurance perspective. Aon says insurance losses relating to the event are in the region of $US50 billion ($72.78 billion) – $US55 billion ($80.06 billion).

The firm says the report will help improve homeowners and other affected parties’ understanding of property risks and consider areas to improve mitigation. As part of the findings, it included a summary analysis for homeowners to help protect their properties.