Every summer, Florida braces for storm season.

For owners and operators of large industrial and commercial real estate, that doesn’t just mean boarding up windows or securing loose items. It means preparing for the complex, costly aftermath of wind, water, and structural damage and, critically, the insurance claims that follow.

Last year alone, natural catastrophes drove nearly $100 billion in insured losses in the United States, according to Swiss Re, with Hurricanes Helene and Milton accounting for the most. When a single storm event can erase years of NOI, coverage is non-negotiable, and so is the proof that turns a policy into a payout.

But here’s the thing: proving storm damage is rarely straightforward.

Insurers always ask the same questions: What damages were pre-existing? What was wear and tear? What was caused by the storm? If the owner’s answers to these queries rely on walk-through photos and gut feel, they can enter litigation as a structural disadvantage.

Austin Rabine for the Mann Publication September Issue, page 74.

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