Stormy Weather 2011 - Special Report

Plenty of companies are trying to cash in on these disaster dollars, and while it never hurts to be prepared, say experts, an ounce of prevention is not worth a pound, err, dollar.

Companies like ServiceMaster,  ServPro, Disaster Kleenup International and the Signature Group are ready to mobilize workers by the hundreds to respond to catastrophe for days and weeks on end.

The weather's been weird and wicked in recent years, so climate change can't be ruled out. Then again, how do you factor it in?

New pipelines and high storage levels will combine to prevent a repeat of 2005 when hurricanes Katrina and Rita interrupted supply and prices spiked.

All storms are not created equal, and with costs and coverage varying widely from state to state, consumers may have to navigate unchartered waters.

Forget hosing down your roof. Businesses are designing special products to help homeowners cope with wildfires. And in some areas, you might need them more than a landscaper.

Wildfires that were considered large and rare three decades ago are now commonplace and that's a problem with the increasing residential sprawl into wilderness areas.