Tropical Storm Irma caused $336M in insured losses across Georgia

ATLANTA — State leader say Tropical Storm Irma caused at least $336 million in damage across Georgia.

So far, 56,000 insurance claims have already been filed.

One state leader told Channel 2 investigative reporter Aaron Diamant that both those numbers will almost certainly go up as more damage claims here in DeKalb’s Echo Lake neighborhood and around the state keep coming in.

“We expect insurance companies to invest the resources that they need to in paying claims,” Deputy Insurance Director Jay Florence said. “It’s very important that they send the right number of adjusters and staff to help address the problems of folks here in Georgia.”

Kitchens was laying on a bed with her two granddaughters. She was looking up and saw the ceiling begin to crack and knew she immediately had to do something.

Thursday, the state reported an initial estimate of more than $336 million in insurable losses from Irma.

“We expect this to be as significant as Hurricane Matthew by the time the dust settles,” Florence told Diamant.

Last year, Matthew cost insurance companies in Georgia more than a half-billion dollars.

With this year’s active hurricane season across the southeast and the widespread damage done, Diamant asked State Farm’s Justin Tomczak about the potential impact on insurance rates.

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