NY State insurance watchdog says Irene damage is covered
By Karen DeWitt, WXXI Capitol Bureau Chief
Courtesy of the NY State Banking Department
State Insurance superintendent Benjamin Lawsky says is office has had reports that some New Yorkers flooded during Irene are being told by their insurance companies that their flood insurance does not cover damages. He says that is absolutely incorrect.
“If you have flood insurance it applies regardless of the cause of the flooding,” said Lawsky. “This is what insurance is all about. You pay these premiums year in and year out for when a disaster like this happens.”
Lawsky won’t speculate on whether the insurance adjusters are committing fraud or simply misinformed, but he says he intends to use every power of his office to go after companies found to be deliberately misleading policy holders.
The Superintendent says New Yorkers who feel they have been wrongly denied flood insurance payments should call the Insurance Department’s disaster hotline at 1-800-339-1759.
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