Hurricane Michael insured losses top $6.6B as 15% of cases remain open
Claims from the Cat-5 hurricane total 147,325 in Florida alone, with an estimated insured loss cost of $6.6 billion.
Nearly seven months after Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle, updated numbers pin estimated insured losses at $6.6 billion, with 15.7% of cases still open.
The Cat-5 hurricane created severe property damage throughout Northwest Florida and nearly wiped out an entire community when it made landfall in Mexico Beach, Florida, on Oct. 10, 2018. As of May 31, 147,325 claims had been filed and 23,194 claims (15.7%) remained open, according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation’s updated data.
The overwhelming majority of claims — 97,484 — concern damage to residential property. The remaining claims include 11,121 commercial property claims, 861 business interruption claims, 231 private flood claims and 37,628 claims concerning other lines of business.
Claims by county
At 88,431 claims, Bay County has the largest number of insurance claims filed among the affected areas.
Other affected counties with the highest number of claims include and are not limited to:
- Jackson County, with 13,936 claims;
- Leon County, with 10,088 claims;
- Gulf County, with 8,247 claims;
- Gadsden County, with 6,188 claims;
- Calhoun County, with 4,066 claims;
- Washington County, with 3,515 claims;
- Franklin County, with 2,322 claims;
- Wakulla County, with 1,403 claims;
- Liberty County, with 1,172 claims; and
- Holmes County, with 1,017 claims.
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