It’s hard to talk about anything else right now…

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It would be easy to focus on some travel industry news right now when Florida and other states in the southern part of the US are in the news, but my mind is elsewhere. The loss of life is horrific, with total losses not known as yet. Not only are thousands, if not millions, suffering the consequences of Hurricane Helene but now, they are bombarded with the reality of Hurricane Milton making landfall tomorrow.

We have many friends and some family members who have evacuated. Still, others have decided to stay behind after taking many precautions to protect their homes and safety. But, based on current reports, they may still be in danger with the predicted high winds and water surges.

We are in frequent communication with those friends, hoping and praying to hear in days to come that they are safe. On the other hand, their properties may have sustained severe damage, often not covered by insurance. Those inland and some near the sea may not have purchased flood/hurricane insurance.

We are so sorry to hear you might be facing such a situation. Losing a home to a hurricane is a devastating experience, both emotionally and financially. In terms of your mortgage, here’s what typically happens when a natural disaster destroys a home:

1. Mortgage Responsibility

Even if your home is destroyed, your mortgage doesn’t automatically disappear. You’re still responsible for paying it, as the loan is tied to the debt, not the physical structure. The land remains an asset, and the lender has a claim until the loan is fully repaid.

2. Homeowners Insurance

If you have homeowners insurance, this can be a huge relief. Most policies include coverage for natural disasters like hurricanes, though it’s essential to confirm if hurricane-related damage is covered (wind vs. flood damage may be treated differently). The insurance payout would typically help with either:

  • Repair or rebuild the home: Depending on the extent of the destruction, the funds will go toward rebuilding your house or repairing the damage.
  • Pay off the mortgage: If rebuilding isn’t feasible, you may use the insurance money to pay off the remaining mortgage balance. However, you would need to cover any shortfall between what insurance covers and the outstanding balance.

3. Flood Insurance

If the damage was caused by flooding (as opposed to wind or rain), and you don’t have flood insurance, it could get complicated. Many standard homeowners insurance policies exclude flood damage, so you might be on the hook for the repairs. This could also affect your ability to pay off the mortgage, as insurance may not fully cover the destruction.

4. Mortgage Forbearance or Relief

In disaster scenarios, many mortgage lenders offer temporary forbearance, allowing you to pause or reduce mortgage payments for a limited period. This gives you time to assess the situation, work with insurance companies, and rebuild. It’s important to note that forbearance doesn’t erase the debt; you’ll still need to catch up on missed payments later.

5. Rebuilding or Selling

You may decide to rebuild, and your insurance payout can be used. Alternatively, if the property is beyond repair and the insurance doesn’t fully cover the mortgage, you could sell the land to help pay off the remaining balance.

6. Government Assistance

FEMA and other disaster-relief programs can provide some financial help, though this is typically limited and not designed to replace complete losses. Any federal assistance you receive is usually aimed at immediate needs, not necessarily long-term mortgage relief.

Emotional Impact: Losing a home comes with a deep sense of loss and instability, and dealing with the financial aftermath can add to the emotional weight. There’s often a strong psychological attachment to a home—it’s more than just walls and a roof. Rebuilding, emotionally and financially, takes time and patience, and it’s essential to seek support from family, friends, or professional counselors to navigate the stress of the situation.

Have you had a chance to check your insurance policy or contact your mortgage lender yet?

When hurricanes land, they may drop their category classification, from a five to a four or less. Let’s hope and pray that will be the case when Milton hits in the next 24 hours.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 9, 2014:

Tom, standing by only a portion of the branches that grow downward from the Banyan Tree in Oahu, Hawaii. For more photos, please click here.

Impacted travel after horrific Hurricane Helene ravages Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee….

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Men inspect the damage from flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 28, 2024 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Men inspect the damage from flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 28, 2024, in Asheville, North Carolina. Sean Rayford | Getty Images News | Getty Images
We apologize for failing to discuss the horrific loss of life and property resulting from Hurricane Helene, making landfall in Florida on September 26 and continuing on a path of destruction through several other states, killing almost 300 people (and countless more yet to be found) destroying billions of dollars of property. The total loss of life is yet to be determined as rescuers, family members, neighbors, and friends rifle through the rubble looking for survivors and victims.

It’s been on our minds each day, and we decided to wait to write about it as we’ve learned more and more. No doubt, like you, the daily news updates are disheartening and devastating, knowing how many are continuing to suffer from a lack of resources to help survivors make their way through this life-changing event.

One can’t even imagine losing loved ones from the devastation, let alone their homes and all of their possessions. Many have lost their jobs, businesses, and livelihoods.

Of course, there are innumerable politically motivated perceptions and opinions regarding recovery. We won’t share any of that here. At this point, all we know from various media sources is that many people aren’t being helped, and FEMA funds and resources aren’t coming in quickly enough to aid recovery.

We commend all the selfless military, emergency services personnel, and citizens worldwide who have traveled to the areas to assist.

We’ll now share what we read about flights impacted by the hurricane from this news resource.

“With Hurricane Helene disrupting travel, here’s what fliers need to know*

Greg Iacurci@GregIacurci

As the Southeast U.S. recovers from Hurricane Helene’s destruction, experts say consumers looking to change their air travel plans to or from affected areas without taking a financial hit may be out of luck.

“The big-picture issue that happens in U.S. air travel: When there is a significant disruption, air passengers have very, very limited rights” regarding compensation, said Eric Napoli, chief legal officer at AirHelp, an online service that assists airline passengers.

Catastrophic damage

Hurricane Helene made landfall Thursday in Florida as a Category 4 storm, leaving a swath of wind- and flood-related damage across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee.

The storm killed more than 120 people, knocked out power for millions of people, and left many stranded without necessities like running water.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation urged people to avoid unnecessary travel in the western part of the state due to hundreds of road closures caused by downed trees, landslides, and “catastrophic damage.”

What airlines owe passengers

Amid that destruction, travelers hoping to change flights for free or cancel their plans for a refund may find airlines unwilling to grant that financial flexibility.

Airlines generally owe “prompt” refunds to passengers if they cancel or make a “significant change” to a flight, regardless of the reason, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That’s true even for consumers with non-refundable tickets.

However, experts said weather-related events like Hurricane Helene are generally considered to be outside an airline’s control, meaning passengers have relatively few rights to compensation.

Napoli said the airline’s duty in such cases generally depends on a passenger’s specific fare, such as economy or business class.

He said, “There’s nothing [airlines] will do for you” if your conference was canceled and you didn’t have a ticket granting free cancellation or without fees for changes.

Airlines make concessions in some cases

Some airlines are making concessions tied to Hurricane Helene, though they vary by carrier and geography.

“All the rules are different,” said Sally French, a travel expert at NerdWallet.

She said that many major U.S. carriers have dedicated web pages for travel alerts that outline their policies regarding specific events.

For example, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines have alerts about flooding in the Southeast. Many focus on areas around Asheville, North Carolina, and some parts of Georgia, like Valdosta.

United is waiving change fees and fare differences for passengers whose flights were affected by flooding and who choose to reschedule their flights, for example.

United’s policy has parameters: Passengers must have purchased their ticket before Sept. 26 for travel between Sept. 30 and Oct. 31, 2024; the new flight must be a United flight leaving by the end of 2024 and between the same cities as originally booked. Those who cancel can get a full refund.

American Airlines is also giving leeway to passengers scheduled to travel through Augusta, Georgia, between Sept. 29 and Oct. 4. They must book changes by Oct. 4.

Delta passengers scheduled to fly through Asheville or Valdosta must travel on rebooked flights by Oct. 18 to avoid paying a fare difference. Change fees would still be waived past that date, however.

Read the specifics of insurance policies.

Experts say travel insurance isn’t always a fail-safe in the event consumers can’t get reimbursed from the travel provider for a flight, hotel, or other travel expenses.

If you didn’t purchase a cancel-for-any-reason policy, your trip problems typically have to fall under specific, covered reasons. Plus, policies bought after Helene became a named storm generally won’t cover claims related to it.

“Make sure you read the fine print and what the insurance covers,” Napoli said.

French said that consumers who purchased their trip with a credit card may get certain travel reimbursement benefits from their card issuer, sometimes even in the case of severe weather. Credit card companies generally require a “quick turnaround” on a claim, often within 21 days.”

Photo from ten years ago today, October 6, 2014:

We made a mistake booking this suite for 11 nights in Oahu. With outrageous prices on vacation homes, we chose this small unit but immediately regretted it due to the lack of amenities, size, and condition. Tom was munching on peanuts while watching the Vikings game on his laptop. Notice the piles of clothes on top of the counters and the makeshift closet behind Tom when there were no drawers or closets. For more, please click here.