Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens amazed by east Albany devastation

Jan. 24--ALBANY -- Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens visited storm-ravaged East Albany and said he had never seen anything like the damage he encountered Tuesday.

"I've been the state insurance commissioner for six years and I've seen storm damage from hurricanes, tropical storms and tornadoes before, but I have never see the utter devastation like I saw in Southwest Georgia today," Hudgens said. It looked like a bomb went off. The funny thing is you would see a house blown apart yet a house 100 yards away may have just lost a few shingles."

Hudgens began his trip in Adel earlier Tuesday and wrapped up his visit in Albany.

"What I have seen in Turner, Cook and Dougherty counties, I estimate the damages will easily surpass $100 million," Hudgens said. "I am devastated by what I saw today."

The commissioner added that figure doesn't include the estimate of $30 million in insured damages from the Jan. 2 storm which blew through the middle of Albany.

Despite the damage, Hudgens said his office had received very few insurance complaints from dissatisfied policy holders.

"If you have an insured home or comprehensive automobile insurance, your carrier will cover the house and car minus the deductible," the commissioner said. If you have a tree fall in your yard and it does hig the house or your car, removal of that tree is on you. I talked to a man today who had nearly 80 mobile homes in a park, now he just that three left. He told me he was not insured because of the cost involved.

"He's had a total loss and it's all out of his own pocket."

Hudgens said that some time next week his office would open a "claims village" in Albany at a site to be determined.

"We are going to bring all the major insurers under one roof to make it easier for policy holders to file claims for their losses.

In the meantime Hudgens reminds Georgians that they can call the Consumer Services Hotline at 404-656-2070 or, outside the Metro area, 1 (800) 656-2298, if they need help filing a claim, or if they are experiencing difficulty reaching their insurance company.

Phone lines are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Property owners with damaged property should take the following steps to begin the claims-filing process:

--Contact your insurance agent immediately if you have had damage to either your house or car; do not delay. Your agent should provide you with claims forms and arrange for an insurance adjuster

to visit your property or look at your automobile.

--Secure your property. For example, if your roof was damaged or blown off, or a tree has punctured the roof, cover the affected area with a tarp or plywood to protect your property from further damage. Keep receipts of materials used for repairs; your insurance company will reimburse you for repair costs.

The Consumer Services Division investigates policyholder complaints and responds to inquiries from the public. Our goal is to answer insurance related questions promptly and to ensure fair and equitable resolution of disputes involving insurance transactions between insurers, agents, and policyholders.

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