Alabama tornadoes: Storm damage insurance claims could reach ...

This panorama photo by Birmingham News photographer Joe Songer shows damage in the Center Point area at 23rd Terrace NW.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Insured homes and businesses in Alabama suffered $15 million to $30 million worth of damage from the high winds and tornadoes that swept across the state early Monday, according to estimates developed by the catastrophe risk modeling firm EQECAT.

HOW TO REACH MAJOR INSURERS
Alfa
Mobile Response Unit: Chalkville Service Center, 2430 Old Springville Road
Also: 800-964-2532 or www.alfainsurance.com
Allstate
Mobile Response Units:
? 5150 Old Springville Road (Publix parking lot)
? 6730 Deerfoot Parkway, Clay, AL 35126 (Piggly Wiggly parking lot)
Also: 800-54-STORM or www.allstate.com
State Farm

Mobile Response Units:
? 1945 Center Point Parkway, Center Point 35215 (First Baptist Church of Center Point)
? 1885 Edwards Lake Road, Birmingham 35235 (Lowe's parking lot)
Also: 800-SF-CLAIM (800-732-5246) or www.statefarm.com
Cotton States
24/7 Claims Hotline: 866-714-6902
Online Claims Filing: www.cottonstates.com
Travelers
Mobile Response Units:
? 2100 Center Point Parkway, Center Point
? 1885 Edwards Lake Road, Birmingham (Lowe's parking lot)
Phone: 800-252-4633 (for individuals), 800-238-6225 for business or www.mytravelers.com

According to Jose Miranda, director of client advocacy at EQECAT, the firm predicts that the bulk of those losses were in north and northeastern Birmingham suburbs.

Ten tornadoes touched down in Alabama in the early morning hours Monday, with two striking Jefferson County -- one in Oak Grove in western Jefferson County and one in Center Point and Clay in northeast Jefferson County. The Jefferson County tornadoes killed two people: Christina Nicole Heichelbech, 16, of Clay and Bobby Frank Sims, 81, of Oak Grove.

On Wednesday, storm survivors continued gathering their belongings and securing storm-damaged homes before the predicted arrival of rain today. Along with utility crews and volunteers, insurance agents and adjusters were out in force.

Renee Carter, state director for the Alabama Insurance Information Service, urged everyone who suffered damage in the storms to contact their insurers as soon as possible. Several of Alabama's largest insurers have brought in extra personnel and have deployed mobile units to storm-damaged areas.

Carter said policyholders waiting for an agent should go ahead and make temporary repairs as needed to prevent further damage. Expenses for the materials to make repairs, like tarps and plywood, can be reimbursed under most policies, Carter said. So keep receipts, she advised. Carter said it helps to photograph or video contents of the home before removing items, to document damage.

If you can contact your insurance agent, and he or she is familiar with the property damaged, do that. But you also can call, visit a mobile response unit or file a claim on line.

While spring tends to be the most active time for tornadoes, January twisters are not unusual.

According to EQECAT, 2012 tornado activity is higher than the 50th percentile but far below the historic maximum for this date.

According to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center, 2011 had the second-largest number of tornadoes on record, at 1,700. The most was 1,817 in 2004.

According to insurer Swiss Re, insured losses nationally for tornado and hail damage in 2011 were $14 billion.

Insured losses in Alabama alone during the April 27, 2011, outbreak were more than $2.2 billion.

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Source: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/01/alabama_tornadoes_storm_damage.html

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