Superstorm Sandy has been called a “one in 700 year” storm by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. However, NASA officials say that doesn’t mean it will be another 699 years before a storm of this magnitude hits the east coast again.
A Rarity: In Theory
The way that Superstorm Sandy hit the eastern seaboard, most notably the New York and New Jersey coastal areas, was somewhat unusual. According to the Huffington Post, the storm’s track took a left turn in the Atlantic before slamming into the East Coast. Researchers at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies say that, while Hurricane Sandy was a one in 700 year storm, that doesn’t mean that it has an average probability of happening only once every 700 years.
Hurricane Sandy, which caused 150 deaths, billions of dollars’ worth of flooding damage, wind damage, roof damage and left many homeowners and small businesses to battle it out with their insurance companies, was a bit of an anomaly. According to Timothy Hall, a senior scientist at NASA, the fact that the storm was so severe was because of the storm’s:
- large size while out at sea
- particular shape and trajectory
- near-perpendicular strike on the coast, which was a major factor in the severe flooding
- interaction with a mid-level, low-pressure system in the atmosphere, which helped push the storm along its unusual track
- occurrence during a full moon, which made tides 20% higher than normal
Hall said that these factors, as well as climate change, make it difficult to predict when another Hurricane Sandy-like storm could hit the eastern seaboard.
Making Sure You’re Protected
Most homeowners and businesses are covered by insurance to protect them against risks. That’s what having insurance is all about – protecting you against unknown risks. However, when those risks turn into realities and cause damage, your insurance company is obligated to compensate you for them. That’s the deal. You pay premiums, they insure you against risks.
Unfortunately, many insurance companies simply don’t pay out on claims because they want to keep your premiums. If your insurance carrier has failed to adequately compensate you for your losses by denying your claim, delaying your settlement, offering you an unfair or lowball settlement or treated you in bad faith, contact Belluck & Fox. Our New York bad faith insurance lawyers know how insurance companies can operate. We can help to make sure you’re protected against bad faith insurance practices and help you get everything you deserve.