(Editor's Note: This story has been contributed by Howard Altschule, a forensic meteorologist who has appeared on The Today Show and Court TV, as well as The Weather Channel and The New York Times.)
According to NBC News, Gov. Andrew Cuomo stated that New York homeowners will not have to pay "hurricane deductibles" on insurance claims stemming from Hurricane Sandy. Superintendent of Financial Services Benjamin Lawsky said the state told the insurance industry that deductibles weren't triggered because Sandy did not sustain hurricane-force winds when it hit New York. As a veteran forensic meteorologist, I have worked on numerous hurricane-related lawsuits and insurance claims of this sort, whether the weather system was a "named storm" or not. 
In the past, terms like "hurricane-force," "tropical storm," and even "remnants of Hurricane X" have often been significant issues and arguable topics when it comes to litigations or determining insurance coverage from claims that arise. In the case of "Sandy," it appears that this could be the case as well.
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