TORNADO CLAIMS are expensive. Just a reminder that MASSACHUSETTS is not immune.
Insurance claims for tornadoes hit $140m
Victims have come forward with 8,200 claims, Joseph Murphy, commissioner of the Division of Insurance, said Thursday. The damage estimates are expected to swell as nine Federal Emergency Management Agency-operated recovery centers open in the next few days to help residents apply for federal aid.
Initial reports from June 7, more than a week after tornadoes ravaged 19 communities and left three people dead, estimated claims at $90 million just for destruction to homes. Thursday’s figure includes $5 million in commercial property claims and $15 million in auto insurance filings on top of an additional $30 million for residential damage.
Despite the new figures, officials say the extent of the disaster is proving hard to measure. When inspectors first fanned out across the tornado-stricken area, they picked through some 1,400 substantially damaged homes and estimated damage at about $25 million, enough to qualify for federal relief.
“But we know there’s much more than that,’’ said Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency spokesman Peter Judge.
Authorities may never be able to tally the exact total because some residents may not ask for FEMA funds, relying on insurance claims, he added.
“People ask me, ‘How big is the disaster?’ ’’ Judge said. “I’ll tell you when everybody stops registering.’’
Starting today, officials expect hundreds of tornado victims in Springfield and West Springfield, two of the hardest-hit communities, to flood two federal disaster recovery centers in search of assistance from FEMA and Small Business Administration representatives. Seven more centers are slated to open over the next few days in Westfield, Agawam, Wilbraham, Brimfield, Southbridge, Monson, and Sturbridge.
Local residents can also go to the centers for help from various state agencies, including the Department of Transitional Assistance and the Division of Unemployment, Judge said.
A trip to the centers is not necessary to receive aid, which can take several forms, including funding for temporary housing or repairs, cash for emergency clothing and food, or loans for rebuilding homes. Claimants can register for relief online at www.disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362.
There is no cap on the number of communities, businesses, or individuals that can collect federal relief, Judge said. But there are restrictions: For example, people will only receive enough to pay for what their insurance does not cover.
Most people who file claims should be able to schedule appointments to have their property inspected for damage within days, Judge said, though he cautioned that FEMA inspectors may be scarce due to the disasters in other parts of the country. After inspections, people can generally expect to receive aid within days, he said.
Businesses and residents in tornado-devastated areas became eligible for federal assistance after President Obama declared Wednesday that the storms were a major federal disaster. Federal aid will also cover at least 75 percent of local authorities’ cleanup costs, including overtime pay for policemen and firefighters, repairing bridges and roads, and clearing debris.
Clearing debris is now the main concern for Monson recovery workers, and officials expect it will take several weeks to remove fallen trees and other vegetation, said Gretchen Neggers, town administrator. But roads are open, and utilities have been restored. All residents who lost their homes have left the local shelter to stay with family and friends, on campgrounds, or in other temporary housing.
The shelter has emptied in Brimfield, said Carol DelNegro, assistant to Brimfield’s board of selectmen. Though roadside cleanup is ongoing, the roads are passable. Schools reopened Monday.
Recovery efforts are proceeding more slowly in Springfield, where 228 people were still sheltering in the MassMutual Center by yesterday morning, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said. Firefighters are still going door to door to distribute information, tarps, and water. Still, most roads are open, and some business owners and homeowners have begun to rebuild, Sarno said.
“We’re moving out of stabilization and into the rebuilding phase,’’ he said.
Even if authorities eventually quantify the total cost of the tornado damage, Judge said, that may not be the point.
“If your house got destroyed, that’s a big disaster,’’ he said.
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