[nonstopdev]

This is not right.

Most damage is from flooding due to storm surge which exists on coastlines. Wind and power outages happen and can take down trees just like elsewhere in the world but the massive destruction is caused by the force and amount of water on the coasts.

Building codes exist on probability of what can happen. When buildings were built, they had codes to follow based on the current time. When they are destroyed, they are rebuilt with new codes such as on stilts, better windows, different materials, etc. It isn’t like we just keep building the same building and expect things to change.

If you do live on the coast anywhere in the US, it should be a general assumption that at some point, that water is gonna be in your house or that your house is gonna be taken out by the water over its existence.

[I_Am_Nous]

Most of the state lives in coastal counties, which are the highest risk areas as you mentioned. There isn't much "low risk" real estate to help pay for the high risk areas. Flooding in an already humid environment usually means mold in the house so I can't imagine there are many places that aren't at least somewhat flooded by a statewide hurricane.

[nonstopdev]

What is "low risk"?

Just because a hurricane hits Miami doesn't mean the entire state feels it. It rains, streets may get backed up with water around the sewer just like there was a thaw of snow in northern states. You would be surprised how much of a city on the water is not in a flood zone.

You want to live on the water, you are mandatory to pay the fees to maintain insurance if you have a loan or if you own, you can roll the dice and not. Each storm causes areas that may have not been hit in decades to have higher premiums and areas that have never felt a storm in decades that are older builds get knocked down and rebuilt with new code and higher up to prevent another wipe out.

[I_Am_Nous]

For the purpose of insurance, a 1% annual risk of flood is categorized as high risk. It calculates out to a 26% risk of being flooded at least once in a 30 year mortgage. "Moderate risk" is considered flooding between every 100-500 years.