Zephyr Insurance, the number one Hurricane Insurance provider in Hawaii, has announced that they will no longer insure single wall construction homes on island. They also indicated that they would not insure any home constructed prior to 1981 that has not been retrofitted with hurricane clips that meet 1993 or 1994 standards. While Maui has not been hit by a hurricane since the 1860s, the violent Atlantic hurricane season has sent shock waves through the insurance industry. Coastal properties throughout the country have seen an increase in insurance rates. However, this is one of the more drastic measures taken to date.

What does this mean for home owners? For those that have existing Zephyr policies, there is no reason for immediate concern as Zephyr will continue to provide coverage. For those that are purchasing a home, there are still companies that will provide insurance. For example, State Farm was quick to note that they would still provide hurricane insurance to Maui Home owners. Contact the Jalbert brothers for additional information on Hawaii Insurance providers. For more information on the change in Zephyr’s insurance coverage ,check out this link to a PDF file from the Maui Board of Realtors.

Pete Jalbert