When the next hurricane hits Miami in 3-4 years, is that it? (Largo: car insurance, home)

[tallrick]

The weather patterns point to a major hurricane going through Miami before 2012. With the state of the financial industry and poor insurance underwriting, what do you think will happen when billions of dollars of damage are the result of a big blow? I remember how many people bought up New Orleans property to make a killing after it was rebuilt. However, it was all a bust. Miami is largely a poor city with thousands of very vulnerable properties at sea level. Even if a new high rise does not seem damaged, a storm surge can destroy the utilities and cause mold to grow in the building. Add to that toxic Chinese drywall made from coal ash stewing into sulfuric acid and the mess will be worse than expected. So the overwhelming expense of rebuilding Miami will bankrupt the State insurance fund leaving people to fend for themselves. What will happen next?

a) Foreign investors rush in to their beloved Miami to rebuild it, after all it is the only "paradise" on earth! Chinese and Saudis join Latin Americans to get in on the gold rush.

b) Miami becomes like New Orleans with wealthy areas being rebuilt and the rest of the area sitting destroyed like in hurricane Anrdrew. It takes 3 decades to fully recover like the 1926 great hurricane.

c) South Florida returns to the Everglades.


While c would be the best choice in my opinion I believe that "B" is the most likely outcome. Any feedback or other ideas?

[Marlin331]

You'd better get the hell outta' Key Largo if you are wishing for such a destructive hurricane. Did Andrew not scare you enough?

[tallrick]

Originally Posted by crisp444

You'd better get the hell outta' Key Largo if you are wishing for such a destructive hurricane. Did Andrew not scare you enough?

Andrew did not even come here, unfortunately. It hit the poorest part of Dade county.

[noland123]

Originally Posted by tallrick

Andrew did not even come here, unfortunately. It hit the poorest part of Dade county.

wise up rick ,get out of Key longone before it happens.

[rogerbacon]

'B'. Definately. It will take 10 years just for some people to get their insurance money as companies go bankrupt and the state is forced to pay off claims, thereby driving prices up for everyone.
I was dumb enough to stay after Andrew. If another one hits I'm out of here (if not sooner).

[heydade]

I think this year is the year when we will get another Cat 4-5. I hope not....but the weather has been so screwy that I have this ominous feeling. I hope I just being paranoid and I'm wrong. I hope. ps...oh my..666 views.

[StilltheSame]

i vote for b also. Andrew wasnt too far off B.

[DiamondGirl123]

I vote for c

and there willbe a huge water surge and the waters will have the oil spill

nervous european tourists will smoke more than usual and will throw their still lit cigarrette butts in the ocean Ans streets full of oil spill and the whole south Florida will be on fire. And it will be the end of life as we know it.

[Wild Style]

my vote is with heydade. The weather this year has been bananas. NO I am not hoping for it, but I wont be shocked if it happened. It would definitely be like kicking a man when he is down though. People are already on the brink. This whole "economic recovery" the govt and the news keep talking about surely isn't reaching joe blow on the street, maybe its for the banks *yeah right*. Just the car damage alone would do a lot of people in seeing as how many people are going without car insurance these days. The ramifications for a big storm system hitting are 10 fold.

[Tiger Beer]

Miami & New Orleans just seem so different.

New Orleans is kind of like a city Cleveland, Cincinnati, Buffalo type of city. Meaning, it once was something great and had a lot of meaning to the U.S., but that seems to have been long gone. I mean, even now, I think of jazz and...well, kind of yesteryear heyday type stuff with New Orleans - although I must admit, it is a treasure of a city! I do love the city, but I think its in the rearview mirror of modern America, unfortunately.

Miami, however, is kind of the 80s city, and the 2010 city. It's a destination city whereas N.O. has lost that edge. Miami is something that makes a lot of popular videos and movies for musicians and TV 'people'. Miami has a much more 2010 image. There is also an enormous amount of money there - seems like every celebrity has a second home in the Miami area. I think the response from that element alone would be enormous, let alone the film/movie/tv/music coverage that would swamp it - i.e. bring in enormous donations to re-instate it to its currrent glory.