Insurance Claims Flooding In From Massachusetts Storms
Insurance specialists say claims are pouring in for homes across the South Shore damaged by toppled trees, extreme flooding and strong winds during last week's nor'easter.
Damage from the storm extends far beyond the coast, Joe Rossi, an insurance specialist and chairman of the Marshfield Citizens Coastal Coalition said.
"It's incredible. I'm seeing more claims from this storm than any other I've worked on," said Rossi, who works for Rogers & Gray Insurance Agency in Norwell.
Extreme cases include homes with walls and windows busted out by pounding waves, and decks that the ocean completely swept away, he said. The debris- filled floodwaters undermined the foundations on some homes, and seeped into the basements and first floors of others.
After speaking to longtime South Shore residents, Rossi said the storm ranks in the top five in terms of damage for the last 50 years, and could come in just after the Blizzard of 1978 and the No-Name Storm of 1991.
"We don't have buildings in the street, but there are sections of buildings missing, and walls missing and windows that are missing," Rossi said. "My best estimate is that almost every other house on the ocean has seen some substantial damage."
Tim Flavin of Flavin & Flavin Realty and Insurance in Quincy said Tuesday that the agency has received "a ton" of claims, which are split between conventional homeowner and flood insurance policies.
"We've had about 40 to 50 claims so far," he said. "This is more than we've had in a long time. We had a bunch for the Jan. 4 storm, but nothing as bad as this. We haven't had this many claims in 10 years."
Flavin said conventional homeowner claims are primarily for damage caused by large fallen trees and flooding. He said every policy treats wind coverage differently, which adds another layer to the claim process.
The Massachusetts Property Insurance Underwriting Association, also known as the FAIR Plan, provides coverage to homeowners who would struggle to get insurance in the open market. Flavin said many coastal property owners rely on the program due to the strict guidelines of private insurance.
FAIR plan policyholders usually pay a deductible that ranges from 1 to 5 percent of the home's coverage amount for any wind-related damage.
The FAIR plan is likely getting the brunt of homeowner claims, with a large number of them tied to strong winds, Flavin said.
With three major storms in a short period of time. Rossi said it's important homeowners know that the National Flood Insurance Programs rolls multiple flooding events within a 10-day period into one claim. Property owners who don't take steps to adequately protect their properties following a loss can also find limitations on coverage.
"The main thing is for homeowners to go out and protect their properties against further damage," he said.
Jessica Trufant may be reached at [email protected].
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