The insurance industry faces significant challenges in covering catastrophic risks, especially as climate change drives more extreme weather events. With soaring premiums and increasing exclusions, the need for an accurate assessment of these risks is more important than ever. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale has long been a staple for evaluating hurricanes, but in today’s world, its focus on wind alone is proving dangerously incomplete. The real killer, as we’ve seen time and again, is water—through both storm surge and flooding. It’s time to rethink the system, and that starts with refining the way we categorize hurricanes, not just by wind, but by the water-driven threats that cause the most destruction.