Although damage from August's Hurricane Charley was still being assessed when this issue of Claims went to press, preliminary estimates of insured losses were just over $7 billion, making it the second most expensive hurricane in United States history, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Despite the losses suffered by thousands of Floridians, the insurance industry and local government agencies were well prepared to deal with the aftermath of the Category 4 hurricane's 145 mph winds. The state of Florida's Department of Financial Services immediately deployed its Mobile Response Unit to southwest Florida to assist policyholders in filing insurance claims and resolving insurance problems.
“Volunteers from across the state are helping out with immediate needs,” said Tom Gallagher, the state of Florida's chief financial officer. “Local and national support organizations, including the Red Cross and FEMA, are coming together to ensure that food, water, and shelter are available. It's now our job to make sure that insurance claims are paid quickly and that no one takes advantage of storm victims.”
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