Indiana Tornado Causes Widespread Damage, No Lives Lost

September 23, 2002

A series of powerful tornadoes ripped through central Indiana on Friday afternoon causing widespread damage, but miraculously no lives were lost and no serious injuries were reported.

The storms, which are unusual at this time of year, damaged roofs, uprooted trees, downed power lines, and overturned cars. Reports indicated that several thousand homes had been hit, but that most of the damage was reparable.

The Indiana Star characterized the tornadoes as “one of the worst storms to roar through Indiana in years,” and counseled residents to make immediate repairs to avoid further damage. The article noted that, while most homeowners’ policies cover damage from tornadoes, they also require residents to take remedial action to prevent further loss.

Nationwide Insurance issued a bulletin offering residents some suggestions on how to cope with the damages. The company warned that there could be some difficulty in contacting agents due to downed phone lines and power outages, but indicated that “The claims hotline is staffed around-the-clock, seven days a week and can be dialed from anywhere in the United States.” It added that “Policyholders need only to report their claims once. A Company representative will contact policyholders as quickly as possible.”

The company also listed a number of measures policyholders should take “to protect from further damage and to speed the claims processing.” Making emergency repairs to prevent further damage, thefts and vandalism topped the list, followed by instructions to keep all receipts connected with the emergency, prepare an inventory of lost and damaged property and take photographs to help establish claims.

The Star indicated that in most cases it probably was not worthwhile to file claims for losses below $1000. It noted that policy cancellations and premium increases are occurring with increasing frequency, and urged victims of the storms to consult with their insurance company before filing a claim.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Indiana

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