Derecho-Related Claims Pouring In; 22,000 Claims in Maryland So Far

As the mid-Atlantic states continue to recover from last week’s destructive “derecho” storm system, insurance claims have been pouring in by tens of thousands.

In Maryland, approximately 22,000 derecho-related claims have been filed by Maryland policyholders as of July 5, according to some early and preliminary estimates from property/casualty insurers. And that number is likely to climb higher, according to the state’s insurance regulators.

“We expect that number to rise in the days, weeks and months ahead,” Maryland Insurance Administration spokesperson Vivian Laxton told Insurance Journal. “It is too early to provide a breakdown of residential versus commercial claims or of types of damage being reported.”

State Farm, the largest U.S. home and auto insurance company, reports that as of July 5, it received some 4,530 derecho-related property claims and 1,200 auto claims in Maryland alone, and more claims are coming in.

The company’s spokesperson Amy Preddy also told Insurance Journal that in Virginia, more than 4,410 derecho-related property claims and approximately 1,480 auto claims have been filed as of this Thursday.

“State Farm has been helping our customers recover since the storms came through, and we have been working around the clock,” spokesperson Preddy said.

“The derecho was largely a wind event, therefore, we have many reports of downed trees on vehicles and structures. We know many customers continue to struggle without power.”

State Farm said that so far, it has received some 27,100 derecho-related property claims and 9,710 auto claims from the following 10 states: Indiana, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, South Carolina, Kentucky, New Jersey, and North Carolina.

Topics Claims Virginia Maryland