After a 12-day journey from the Caribbean to the East Coast ofthe United States, Hurricane Matthew left a trail of destructionfrom Haiti to Virginia, and many places in between.

What may add to the disaster is that fact that in the largestcities in the Southeast, homeowners are less insured than they wereeight years ago, according to an analysis of government databy Trulia, an online real estate site.

Researchers used 2006 through 2014 data from the U.S.Census American Community Survey to calculate the share ofhomeowners who are currently paying homeowners' insurance.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported in 2014, that inthe Southeast region’s biggest cities, the number of insuredhouseholds dropped between 7 and 12 percentage points.

For example, the percentage of Miami householdsreporting that they had homeowners' property insurance fell to 78percent in 2014 from 90 percent in 2006. The Tampa-St.Petersburg, Florida, area saw the steepest drop, to 79 percent from92 percent, Trulia found.

Premiums climbed 28.2% nationally

Homeowners may drop insurance for many reasons, but Mark Uh, adata scientist at Trulia, argues there are two main factors thatmay contributed to the decline:

• Homeowners' insurance has become more expensive during the pasteight years in most areas, with premiums climbing 28.2 percentnationally. And 10 of the 25 most expensive markets for homeowners'insurance are in the Southeast.
• Some homeowners who pay off their mortgages decide to forgoinsurance because of the cost.

Ultimately, short-term savings from canceling homeowners'insurance can have long-term financialconsequences.

Related: Deadly Hurricane Matthew inpictures

Here's a look at the change in households paying propertyinsurance in six Florida metro areas that could have been affectedby Matthew:

Storm damage from Hurricane Mathew is shown in this aerialphoto from Oct. 8 in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo: Chris O'Meara/APPhoto)

Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida

83 percent of homeowners with propertyinsurance, 2014.

93 oercebt of homeowners had property insurance, 2006.

$947: Median annual property insurance cost, 2006.

$1,200: Median annual property insurance cost, 2014.

-5.51: Percent-point change in homeownersthat had property insurance, 2006-2014.

Danielle Henry clears debris from outside her condo atJacksonville Beach, Fla., on Oct. 8 after Hurricane Matthew passedthrough Friday. (Photo: Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)

Jacksonville, Florida

86 percent of homeowners had property insurance in2014.

95 percent of homeowners had property insurance in 2006.

$851: Median annual property insurance cost in 2006.

$1,200: Median annual property insurance cost in 2014.

-8.72: Percent-point change in homeownersthat had property insurance from 2006 to 2014.

In this aerial photo, workers inspect a roof that waspartially torn off after Hurricane Matthew brushed Florida's eastcoast early Friday. (Photo: Chris O'Meara/AP Photo)

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida

87 percent of homeowners had propertyinsurance in 2014.

95 percent of homeowners had property insurance in 2006.

$958: Median annual property insurance cost in 2006.

$1,200: Median annual property insurance cost in 2014.

-8.14: Percent-point change in homeownersthat had property insurance from 2006 to 2014.

Rob Jakoby and his son Jake sweep debris off the eroded deckat his damaged beach home at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., on Oct. 8after Hurricane Matthew passed through. (Photo: Charlie Riedel/APPhoto)

Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Florida

78 percent of homeowners with propertyinsurance in 2014.

90 percent of homeowners had property insurance in 2006.

$2,128: Median annual property insurance cost in 2006.

$2,000: Median annual property insurance cost in 2014.

-11.92: Percent-point change in homeowners thathad property insurance from 2006 to 2014.

A man looks at his neighbor's battered beach at Ponte VedraBeach, Fla., on Oct. 8 after Hurricane Matthew passed through.(PhotoL Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)

West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach, Florida

82 percent of homeowners with propertyinsurance in 2014.

91 percent of homeowners had property insurance in 2006.

$1,916: Median annual property insurance cost in 2006.

$1,800: Median annual property insurance cost in 2014.

-9.70: Percent-point change in homeownersthat had property insurance from 2006 to 2014.

A dock on a water-front home is shown on Oct. 8 after beingdamaged by Hurricane Matthew in St. Augustine, Fla. (Photo: JohnBazemore/AP Photo)

Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Florida

80 percent of homeowners with propertyinsurance in 2014.

91 percent of homeowners had property insurance in 2006.

$1,809: Median annual property insurance cost in 2006.

$1,600: Median annual property insurance cost in 2014.

-10.95: Percentage-point change inhomeowners that had property insurance from 2006 to 2014.

Related: How the insurance industry prepares forhurricanes

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