Claims Expected to Pile up Like Snowdrifts in Midwest

Tens of thousands of residents of Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri are still without power after ice storms crippled those states last week, and many thousands of residents are expected to begin filing claims for damage to homes and automobiles as a result of the storm according to the Associated Press.

Five days following the storm, more than 1,000 customers in Oklahoma had had no electricity and more than 60,000 customers were without power in both Kansas and Missouri.

The storm was blamed for at least 28 deaths from the southern Plains to New England; one of those deaths occurred in Oklahoma and involved carbon monoxide fumes from gas-powered electric generators.

Early reports from Kansas suggest that the state experienced $17 million in damage in two counties alone. A total of 35 counties are requesting disaster assistance. Missouri, which has asked for disaster declaration for 33 northwestern counties, has estimated clean up costs at more than $22 million.

Between 4,500 and 5,000 State Farm policyholders in both Kansas and Missouri are expected to file storm-related claims. Thousands more claims are likely to be filed with other insurers.

The Kansas City Star reported that insurance-claim adjusters from across the country are gathering in Kansas City to help get people back to normal after the damaging ice storm and to determine what damage is covered under homeowners policies and what is not.

Insurers are telling customers that if storm-related damage to a house has left it unlivable, repairs should be initiated even while waiting for a call back from the insurance company.