Destroyed communities are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017. (Photo: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A year after Hurricane Maria tore through the U.S. territory, Puerto Rico's Insurance Commissioner's Office and Consumer Affairs Department have filed two lawsuits against insurance companies on the island. Government officials argue insurers have not responded quickly enough to claims filed nearly a year ago.
Governor Ricardo Rosselló says the purpose of these lawsuits is to prevent insurance companies from dropping claims that insurers believe have expired, unless policyholders sue within a year.
Assessing the claims
As of July 31, policyholders had filed roughly 276,000 Hurricane Maria-related insurance claims. Of these, some 83,000 were closed with no claim payment issued. About 16,000 unresolved claims remain.
Together with the Department of Justice, Insurance Commissioner Javier Rivera Ríos's office has issued 53 orders against the insurers, with fines amounting to about $5.9 million, to address 19,607 insured claims. The office has received 1,658 complaints, of which 999 are still pending.
Additionally, the lawsuit seeks $2.6 billion in damages on behalf of consumers who have not yet been compensated.
Governor Ricardo Rosselló argues that these delays in response and payment are delaying Puerto Rico's recovery process, and says this legal action is necessary to help policyholders to prevent migration and loss of jobs on the island.
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