It Figures

$7.7 Billion

Texas experienced $7.7 billion in insured losses during first three quarters of 2008, the Insurance Council of Texas reports. The figure is expected to top $10 billion by the end of the year. Texas leads all other states in insured losses by a wide margin as claims from hurricanes continue to pour in. The Insurance Services Office reports that the U.S. had 35 catastrophes during the first three quarters of the year resulting in 3.5 million claims. The costliest damages occurred from Hurricanes Ike, Dolly and Gustav. The insured losses from Ike, which struck Texas on Sept. 13, could exceed $10 billion. The storm caused $1.2 billion in insured losses in Ohio. At the end of the third quarter 2008, Texas had $7.75 billion in insured losses; Louisiana, $1.96 billion; Minnesota, $1.58 billion; Ohio, $1.3 billion; and Georgia, $1.04 billion.

9.9%

Farmers Insurance plans to increase by an average of 9.9 percent homeowners insurance premiums in Texas, effective February 2009. The Associated Press reported that the company says the increase is intended to cover the increased costs of labor and materials and has been under consideration for several months. Claims from Hurricanes Ike and Dolly are not a factor, according to the company. The Texas Department of Insurance is reviewing the rate increase, expected to take effect Feb. 16.

227

Texas led the nation in the number of deaths in animal-vehicle collisions from 1993-2007, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute, an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Texas had 227 deaths during that time; Wisconsin and Pennsylvania followed with 123 and 112, respectively. November is the peak month for vehicle-deer collisions; studies show that insurance claims for animal collisions are nearly three times higher during November. Insurance claims usually don’t specify the animal involved, but other data show that deer are the predominant ones. Most vehicle-animal collisions aren’t severe enough to injure people, but data from the federal government show that crash deaths are increasing. In 1993, 101 people died in crashes involving animals. By 2000, the number was 150, and in 2007 it was 223.

Topics Texas