When disasters shut down businesses, they slow down revenues. Even in the worst, federally declared events, states must still provide a 25 percent match for federal funds. The toll can be measured in dollars. And the cost is rising with an increase in the number and severity of weather events, and more people at risk. But that is not the total cost.
Entire communities suffer.
Employees lose their jobs, their homes and personal possessions, some of which can never be recovered. We see time and time again flood victims whose lives were devastated because they did not have flood insurance. The sad fact is that they didn't know they were at risk. They thought the dikes and levees would prevent damage. Or they saw maps in newspapers depicting hazard areas and concluded they didn't need coverage.