In the days just after the first pictures of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina showed the overwhelming damage along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico–and especially in New Orleans–I asked a distinguished member of the House Insurance Committee what were the lessons Floridians should derive from the unimaginable extent of the destruction. After pausing to reflect on the question, he finally said that Florida residents needed to understand that there are limits to what the government can do.

It is a lesson that all too often comes too late. Hurricanes bring with them their own cycle of personal responses. At first people are just thankful to survive, then they point their finger at the government for not doing enough to help, and finally they aim their frustration at homeowners' insurers for not moving fast enough to settle claims. The one thing you never hear on television, or quoted in newspapers, is someone looking at their damaged house and saying, “Why didn't I do more to make my home safer and prevent so much damage?”

Changing that attitude and ushering in a new era of personal responsibility is perhaps the biggest challenge facing lawmakers, the industry, and those dedicated to educating homeowners on how they can reduce the damage to their homes. Unfortunately, however, with the Financial Services Commission and the legislature so focused on lowering rates, attacking insurers' profits, and trying to abolish so-call “pup” companies, little attention is paid to mitigation. Let me rephrase that: there is plenty said about mitigation, which has become the homeowners' insurance equivalent of mom, pop, and apple pie. But when it comes time to fund those mitigation programs and convince homeowners to take advantage of them, that is another story.