Hurricane Irma’s insured damage reaches $5.7 million in Dougherty, Lee, Worth

ALBANY — Statewide insured losses from Hurricane Irma last month have risen to more than $550 million, with claims in Dougherty, Lee and Worth counties coming in just under $5.7 million, according to numbers from the Georgia insurance commissioner’s office.

The office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens released the updated numbers Friday on the Sept. 11 tropical storm.

“As part of our disaster recovery plan, my staff and I will continue to have conversations with claims managers of various insurance carriers to ensure a smooth claims process for the consumers of Georgia,” Hudgens said.

In Georgia, 103,163 claims had been filed with insurers, his office said.

In Dougherty, Lee and Worth, a combined 943 claims had been filed by Friday totalling $5,671,986, according to data provided by Hudgens’ office.

Most of the claims, broken down by ZIP Code, were in Dougherty County, where there were 529 claims totaling $3,385,297. The area with the most claims was in eastern Albany/Dougherty County, which has 210 filings in the 31705 ZIP Code. The highest cost of damage, however, was in western Albany/Dougherty, where 162 filers in the 31721 ZIP Code made $2,057,631 in claims.

Claims by Zip Code and totals (rounded off to dollars) in Dougherty County as of last week were:

— 30701, 33 claims, $167,261 in damages;

— 31702, three, $15,007;

— 31703, one, $2,936;

— 31705, 210, $691,857;

— 31706, seven, $64,500;

— 31707, 111, $373,514;

— 31708, two, $12,591;

— 31721, 162, $2,057,631.

Lee County, meanwhile, had 279 claims filed in its 31763 ZIP Code totaling $1,283,386.

Worth County had less than half that many claims but more damage per claim. There were 135 claims filed in the 31791 ZIP Code totaling $1,003,303.

Hudgens’ office said the estimate Friday was based on claims data reported to the state insurance department by property and casualty insurance companies because of damage to insured homes, vehicles and businesses.

Hudgens noted that flood damage to vehicles are included in the reporting, but damage to businesses and private dwellings from flooding are not. The majority of flood insurance is offered through a federal program, not through insurance companies.