The Expert:
Eva Mayberry
Vice President, Catastrophe Operations
Crawford & Company
Q: Forecasts call for another active hurricane season in 2025. How well is the industry positioned to deal with an active season? Would you say the industry is better prepared than it was before the 2024 season?
A: Each year, the insurance industry strengthens its readiness for hurricane season, and 2025 is no exception. The 2024 season introduced new dynamics, including the unanticipated inland flooding from Hurricane Helene. While inland impacts aren’t new, Helene served as a sharp reminder that the geographic footprint of tropical systems continues to evolve in ways that demand broader preparedness.
The industry is increasingly focused on ensuring we can respond quickly and effectively, not just in coastal areas, but also deep into communities that may not see themselves as high-risk. We’re mobilizing differently, with greater geographic foresight and more agile deployment of resources.
One of our greatest responsibilities, particularly after seeing the impact of water in 2024, is public education around flood insurance. Too many policyholders still believe they don’t need this coverage. What we’re really up against is a systemic lack of understanding about risk, and when economic pressures rise, insurance premiums can be one of the first things people try to cut.
Claims professionals who see the devastation firsthand have a critical role to play. We need to tell real stories from 2024, not to instill fear, but to show just how financially devastating it can be to go without flood coverage.
Meanwhile, predictive modeling continues to improve. These tools don’t just anticipate storm paths, they also help identify where damage is likely to occur so we can pre-position teams and reduce response times. The data from recent seasons is feeding smarter, faster response strategies for the year ahead.
Q: AFTER EVERY STORM AND EVERY HURRICANE SEASON, LESSONS ARE LEARNED THAT ARE APPLIED GOING FORWARD. WERE THERE ANY LESSONS FROM THE 2024 SEASON, OR ANY STORM FROM THE SEASON, THAT THE INDUSTRY WILL APPLY IN 2025?
A: One of the most significant lessons from the 2024 hurricane season came from the back-to-back impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The compressed timing and overlapping damage paths of these two storms posed unique challenges that forced the industry to adapt in real time. Because of the condensed timeline between storms, many inspections for Helene were still underway when Milton approached, requiring adjusters and field personnel to evacuate again for safety, essentially hitting pause on a process that had barely begun.
This scenario raised critical questions for insurers: How do you determine which damages were caused by which storm? Should policyholders file two separate claims? Are two deductibles triggered? These are not minor distinctions—they carry significant implications for both carriers and policyholders.
Decisions were made in the moment in 2024, but with the time to reflect on these challenges after the season, insurers have refined their standard operating procedures to better address complex, overlapping weather events. We’re seeing more proactive guidance from carriers to their independent claims managers, offering clear protocols for how to handle these situations—essentially building out “if this, then that” playbooks to guide consistent, efficient decision-making. If back-to-back storms happen again in 2025, we’ll have the playbook to handle them.
Ultimately, these improvements aim to reduce cycle time, minimize confusion, and expedite recovery for those affected. That’s the heart of what we do in claims: help people and businesses get back on their feet—quickly, fairly, and with clarity.