NU Online News Service, April 6, 12:03 p.m. EDT

Top Georgia Homeowners' Insurers Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph T. Hudgens says deadly storms that struck the state this week have caused insured losses of about $50 million.

The commissioner toured Jonesboro, Ga., yesterday to inspect damaged areas. The estimate includes damage to vehicles, homes and business, he says.

State Farm spokesman Justin Tomczak says strong straight-line winds and some hail throughout the state have generated more than 1,800 claims.

“There is no one central affected area,” Tomczak says. “The damage is scattered everywhere.”

Claims have also been filed due to fire started by lightning strikes, Tomczak reports.

The National Weather Service (NWS) says the storm system produced strong, gusty winds, heavy rain, pea- to baseball-sized hail and one tornado. Georgia was not the only state affected, as damage reports have come from states throughout the Southeast.

The NWS has confirmed that a tornado carrying winds of 130 mph touched down in Eastman, Ga., killing one.

Downed trees fell on top of houses and vehicles, reports the NWS. Fallen trees reportedly killed six people. Other deaths have been reported in Mississippi and Tennessee.

This was the second line of severe storms in Georgia in just over a week, says Tomczak. State Farm received more than 1,000 hail and wind-related claims from storms during the last weekend in March and sent additional resources, including its Catastrophe Response Vehicle, to the state to help with claims volume.

“State Farm claim representatives are already on the ground throughout the state, inspecting damage, assisting agents and taking care of policyholders,” says Tomczak.

Victims of the storm are encouraged to make temporary repairs to prevent further damage, and to save their receipts, he adds.

According to Highline Data, the top writers of homeowners insurance in 2010 were State Farm (29.7 percent market share), Allstate Insurance (14.7 percent), Travelers (7.7 percent), Georgia Farm Bureau (7.1 percent) and USAA (6.1 percent).

Highline Data is a part of Summit Business Media, which also owns National Underwriter.

Special Reports /

Deadly Southeast Storms Cause $50M Of Insured Loss In Georgia

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