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Flood insurance in hurricane-prone Crystal River, Florida, would have cost Gene Tener $12,000 a year. But the retired engineer has taken matters into his own hands. In the five years since he moved into his prefabricated home on stilts anchored deep into the bedrock, it has survived a succession of major storms, including Idalia, Debby and Helene.
An increasing number of homeowners like Tener appear to be — whether by choice or not — finding alternatives to flood insurance. Deltec says sales are growing, and while Linton believes people buy its homes for a variety reasons, not just storm protection, he estimates that around half of the company's business comes from hurricane-prone areas, with southeastern states proving to be its biggest market.
The climate crisis may be accelerating the trend. Experts say human-caused global warming is increasing the likelihood of more intense storms. Not only are they generating more rainfall and flattening the coasts with higher storm surges, they have stronger winds and are intensifying faster.
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📸: Jeff Hall
