Carolina Agents, Insureds Stunned by Unprecedented Damage So Far Inland

Insurance agents in the mountain city of Asheville, North Carolina, said they and their policyholders have been stunned by the catastrophic damage brought so far inland by Hurricane Helene, which dumped 14 inches of rain on the picturesque community and flooded hundreds of homes and businesses.

“I didn’t know it was possible for a place like Asheville to get something like this,” said Chad McKinney, co-owner and principal agent at McKinney Insurance Services just south of downtown Asheville. “I was born and raised here and have been here for 42 years. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Several roads around the city were still closed Tuesday, and supplies were being airlifted to the region three days after the storm hit. McKinney said he was forced to evacuate to Charlotte before the worst of the flooding, and has been shuttling food and water to areas around Asheville for the last two days.

He had calls to his office routed to his cell phone, but with cell service out in much of the area, reception has been spotty and few policyholders had gotten through by Monday.

He noted that only a few homeowners and businesses near the swollen French Broad River carried flood insurance. “Most people don’t have it,” McKinney said.

It’s not just flooding that hit the area. At the Juengel Agency, closer to downtown Asheville, producer Brian Spieles said the agency had heard from many insureds who planned to file claims from trees falling on their homes.

“One of the biggest things we’re seeing is the huge trees that are down everywhere. It’s crazy,” Spieles said Tuesday.

He noted that many parts of the city have suffered heavy damage, but most people can’t get in or out while roads and bridges remain washed out. Interstate 40, one of the main arteries, is expected to be closed until some time next year.

Claims adjusters also have reported that they can’t get into the Asheville area to inspect properties for claims already filed with carriers.

“It’s going to be a long road to recovery,” Spieles said.

Government leaders agreed and called for an “unprecedented response” to aid people. Whole communities have been wiped out, officials said.

“There are a lot of people hurting. When you don’t have power, when you don’t have cell phone service, when you don’t have water, this is a catastrophic situation for you,” North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper told MSNBC on Monday night, Reuters news service reported.

At least 35 people in Buncombe County, surrounding Asheville, have died from the storm.

Large commercial, industrial and health care centers in the area also suffered heavy damage from the flooding and may be closed for weeks. Bloomberg news service reported that Baxter International Inc. has closed its biggest manufacturing facility, in Marion, North Carolina, after floodwaters moved in.

The plant is the largest manufacturer of intravenous and peritoneal dialysis solutions in the country.

It’s too early to tell whether the shutdown will affect medical procedures in the U.S., Wells Fargo analysts said in a research note, Bloomberg reported. Other makers of products that compete with Baxter’s, including ICU Medical Inc., Fresenius Kabi AG and B Braun SE, should be able to offset the lost Baxter supply, the note said.

In eastern Tennessee, Unicoi County Hospital, in Erwin, was flooded by the nearby river. Dozens of patients and staff had to be rescued from the roof of the hospital, Becker’s Hospital Review reported. Patients were transferred to Johnson City Medical Center.

Top photo: Asheville residents wait in line for water at Mountain Valley Water in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

Topics Agencies