Hurricane Francine leaves 400,000 people without power in Louisiana

On September 11, 2024, Hurricane Francine made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane, bringing widespread flooding and power outages for 400,000 homesaccording to data from USA Today. AP News reported up to 10 inches of rain was possible in some areas of Alabama and Florida and up to 6 inches was possible in parts of Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Georgia.

On the morning of September 12, Francine weakened into a tropical depression over south-central Mississippi, and the storm continues to travel inland. In live updates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Tropical Depression Francine will continue to bring heavy rain and the risk of flash, urban and riverine flooding to areas of the Lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley, and Southeast. The risk of flash and urban flooding is possible in parts of Alabama and Florida, which NOAA predicts will carry into Georgia and Tennessee by Friday, September 13.

Travis Hodges, managing director, VIU by HUB, writes to digital insurance, “The significant natural catastrophe losses from Hurricane Francine underscore the severe challenges facing the home insurance industry. Francine, which highlights the scale of these storms and the potential for inland flooding across many states – not just the coast, is a sticking point for homeowners in high-hurricane-risk areas and beyond. We expect insurance premiums to increase to support the financial viability of insurance carriers.”

Hodges added: “As insurers withdraw from climate risk markets or do not renew policies, providing essential coverage is becoming increasingly difficult. Residents now face a difficult choice: bear the financial burden of increased premiums or risk substantial financial loss in the case of Seeking expert guidance is key to helping homeowners navigate this evolving landscape and protecting their financial future. “