About $20 billion is spent on repairing homes following major disasters and minor storms every year. (Credit: Timothy/Adobe Stock)

Hurricanes, tornadoes, severe storms and wildfires created costly damage for property owners in 2024.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 24 weather events last year had losses exceeding $1 billion each. The events included four tropical cyclones, one wildfire and two winter storms.
Since NOAA started tracking in 1980, there have been 400 billion-dollar disasters in the U.S., with losses exceeding $2.78 trillion.

Those disasters are increasing in frequency. The average number of billion-dollar disasters between 1980 and 2023 was 8.5 events per year. Over the last five years, the annual average was 20.4 events per year.

Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies found about $20 billion is being spent each year on repairing homes following major disasters and minor storms. Americans are spending an average of $1,667 on emergency repair costs per household each year, up $419 from 2019, according to data from Angi.

For homeowners navigating insurance following a disaster, WLOS News 13 offers the following tips:

  • Call your insurance agent or broker, not the insurance company phone number. Your local agent will be better equipped to tell you the exact steps to take next.
  • Claims can usually be filed online as well as over the phone, if the internet is unavailable in the area.
  • Standard home insurance policies usually cover expenses from things like tree and wind damage as well as any alternate living expenses incurred if you can’t live in the home.
  • A regular insurance policy should cover any damage from water intrusion caused by something like a branch breaking a window. However, other types of flooding, like from the storm itself, are usually covered by flood insurance.
  • Watch out for scammers following a disaster. Insurance companies will never go door to door following the event. Do not give power of attorney to any representatives claiming they can help you.
  • If you disagree about coverage for a loss, you can typically file for mediation through your state and/or consult with a local attorney.
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