Hurricane Zeta made landfall in Louisiana on October 28 as a Category 2 storm that proved especially destructive. Wind gusts measured at up to 110 miles per hour battered homes and other properties as the storm landed in Terrebonne Parish and moved up through New Orleans and beyond before finally weakening. The hurricane’s storm surge and high winds devastated many areas.
Costly repairs coming
Initial estimates place the damages that Louisiana residents and business owners suffered between $1.7 billion and $2.8 billion. Those numbers are based on expected hurricane claims for commercial and residential losses. They do not include estimates for claims that will be filed through the National Flood Insurance Program, which is the only source of flood insurance for many area homeowners.
Utility damages leave many areas powerless
Louisiana electrical utility Entergy said more than 480,000 customers suffered power outages due to storm damages. The number is about a third better than during a recent and comparatively destructive storm. Entergy says it suffered about $1.7 billion in damages to its infrastructure during the recent Hurricane Laura, which left more than 616,000 customers with no electricity for some time.
Trio of hurricanes wreaked havoc
A total of three hurricanes made landfall in Louisiana and caused a cumulative total of damages that only storms like Hurricane Katrina can top in their destructive impact. Repeated landfalls fully illustrate the ongoing threats to local homes and other properties and the massive rebuilding that must occur to recover. Some insurers may not approve all claims while others may take longer than allowed to settle claims and help residents and business owners to rebuild and resume their lives.
Damages for hurricane claims often involve several insurers and potential claims areas. The National Flood Insurance Program, private home insurers and commercial insurers are just three of the many types of insurance underwriters that are involved in a massive rebuilding effort after an especially damaging tropical storm. That means many potential conflicts over claim denials and the extent of the damages that apply. An experienced attorney in the greater Lake Charles area can help someone obtain fair compensation from insurers.