As severe weather events become more frequent and destructive, the challenge of protecting our communities has never been greater.

From devastating hurricanes to unprecedented wildfires, the stakes are higher than ever. With over 30 years in the insurance industry, I’ve witnessed the profound impact these disasters have on our neighborhoods and the immense struggle of rebuilding in their wake.

Extreme weather events like heat waves, large storms, landslides and more are becoming more frequent and intense: The U.S. has already experienced at least 24 confirmed weather disaster events through October with losses exceeding $1 billion each.

Over the last five years the U.S. has averaged 20.4 billion-dollar disasters per year; a significant jump considering the combined average of 15.7 billion-dollar disasters per year from the 1980s to 2000s.

The recent blockbuster film Twisters highlights the devastating impact of tornadoes. In the film, a storm chaser remarks that their tornado-mapping technology can 'change the world.'

That’s not Hollywood magic. In many ways it is quickly becoming reality. This type of sophisticated technology to better predict storms is well in development.

Researchers from Google and Nvidia have also developed weather prediction models that combine AI and machine learning with conventional techniques, potentially helping scientists take global weather projections and more accurately apply them at local scales.

These developments could usher in a new era of exact weather forecasting that could save thousands of lives and millions of dollars.

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Strengthening building codes for a safer future

While the tremendous strides in the development of weather-prediction technology are inspiring, we won’t realize its full life and property saving potential if we haven’t also taken steps to improve the resiliency of our building infrastructure.

As it stands now, building codes are largely outdated with each state creating its own set of standards and guidelines. There are no national building codes. This fragmentation leads to significant variation across states, with some maintaining outdated codes while others adopt modern standards.

On one end, states like Virginia and Florida have made significant strides in adopting modern building codes. Virginia recently topped a ranking for building code adoption, while Florida has consistently enforced strong codes due to its vulnerability to hurricanes.

On the other end, states like Delaware have remained at the bottom of those same rankings for four years and lacks a statewide building code, leaving communities vulnerable to disasters.

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A critical moment for building resiliency

As the nation approaches a new electoral cycle, the decisions made by federal, state and local leadership in the coming years will significantly influence our ability to withstand the increasing threat of natural disasters.

The incoming federal administration, alongside newly elected officials across various levels of government, will have a pivotal role in shaping our country’s infrastructure and disaster resilience strategies.

This is a unique opportunity for our leaders to prioritize modernizing building codes, which can enhance the safety and durability of our communities. By tying federal funding for disaster recovery and infrastructure improvements to the adoption of updated building codes, the government can encourage states to adopt more stringent standards.

Such an approach would not only help mitigate the devastating impacts of severe weather but also ensure that our nation is better prepared for the challenges ahead.

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Proven solutions: Lessons from the IBHS

One organization already paving the way toward this safer future is the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). The techniques that strengthen homes and businesses against storms aren’t just silver screen tropes as seen in Twisters—they’re being developed and used by IBHS today.

The life-saving research that the Institute’s CEO Roy Wright and his team are doing is changing the world and I’m grateful for their efforts. The reality is the severity of damage from Mother Nature is rising and we know how to do better.

IBHS is an independent, nonprofit scientific research and communications organization with research that has led to real-world solutions for home and business owners, helping to create more resilient communities.

Earlier this year, I spent a day at IBHS’s Research Center in South Carolina and got a firsthand look at the work the team is doing to research the damage that weather events like wildfire, hail, tornadoes, hurricanes, and rain can have on a structure.

IBHS has used these findings to develop the FORTIFIED construction standards, a beyond-code construction and re-roofing method to strengthen properties against severe weather, which I feel must be adopted in every community across the country to combat the ever-increasing severe weather events Americans are facing every day.

Building and retrofitting techniques that were developed at IBHS also include Wildfire Prepared Home, the first-ever wildfire mitigation designation program, which helps protect against embers, the leading cause of ignition during a wildfire.

Here are a few take aways during my trip to IBHS and thoughts on how to build more resilient communities:

• Prevention is cost-effective. Updating homes to IBHS’s FORTIFIED standard is relatively affordable, and the savings in potential disaster recovery are immense.
  
• Consumer education is key. Many are unaware that the U.S. lacks universal building codes, with local codes setting minimal standards.
  
• Advocacy matters. Stronger building codes save lives and property, as seen in Florida, where modern codes significantly reduced damage from Hurricane Ian.

The message is clear: To protect our homes, businesses and communities from the increasing threat of natural disasters, we must act now. Updating our building codes to align with proven frameworks like IBHS’s FORTIFIED standards is not just an option — it’s a necessity. The time for action is now, and the cost of inaction is far too high.

Mark Berven is president and chief operating officer of Nationwide Property & Casualty, which includes agency-based and direct-to-consumer distribution, excess & surplus/specialty insurance, agribusiness insurance, claims, strategic partnerships, member solutions, and the commercial and personal lines organizations.

See also:

• Third-quarter global insured catastrophe losses exceed $100 billion
• 30% of Americans lack sufficient home, contents coverage
• Large hurricane losses should help stabilize reinsurance pricing