One was built of straw. One of sticks. Another of brick. Then the wind blew in. Unlike the big, bad wolf, Mother Nature has plenty of other destructive calamities up her sleeves: hurricanes, tornadoes, windstorms, fires, earthquakes, hailstorms and winter storms. And just like those three little pigs, how we build will dictate how our story ends.

The property-casualty insurance industry's biggest loss last year resulted solely from tumultuous weather. The industry paid $1.6 billion in March 2013 because of thunderstorms, tornadoes and hail; $1.2 billion in April for tornadoes, heavy storms, ice and a winter storm; and $3.2 billion in May because of thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes. Fortunately for everyone concerned, there were no hurricanes.

Study after study has shown that strong building codes produce economic benefits for states and the country as a whole. The Louisiana State University Hurricane Center conducted a comparative analysis of the economic loss in Mississippi because of Hurricane Katrina. The center projected a savings of $3.1 billion if tougher building codes had been in place. In addition to saving lives and reducing property loss, building codes based on nationally recognized standards contribute to the durability of structures, and, in some locations, favorably affect the affordability and availability of insurance.