FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 26, 2021

Commissioner Donelon Reports 2020 Hurricane Data, Including Zeta

Insurers have paid or reserved $7.7 billion on claims of all types in Louisiana through the end of 2020 from hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta, Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon announced today. This data represents the first measure of damage from all three hurricanes that struck the state in the record 2020 storm season.

Policyholders filed 290,847 claims of all types from the three storms as of December 31. Of those, 161,704 claims, or 56%, were closed with payment as of December 31, garnering $5 billion in payments for damage caused by the three hurricane events.  

“After a record storm season that tested the state multiple times, paid claims represent a way forward for those most affected by these hurricanes,” said Commissioner Donelon.  “This is $7.7 billion owed to Louisiana policyholders to rebuild their lives, homes and businesses. Furthermore, it’s billions of dollars that didn’t come from taxpayers in a time when municipal budgets are reeling from the events of the last year.”

The information was generated from a data call to all authorized property and casualty insurers, including surplus lines insurers, to submit their claims data on hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta. The figures include claims from personal and commercial insurance. They do not include claims or payments from the National Flood Insurance Program, which is not regulated by the Louisiana Department of Insurance.

The data call figures released today represent the most comprehensive look to date of insured losses in Louisiana from the record 2020 hurricane season.

Policyholders have filed 169,891 claims from Hurricane Laura, which struck Southwest Louisiana on August 27 as a Category 4 storm. Calcasieu, Rapides, Beauregard, Ouachita and Vernon parishes had the most claims from the storm. 

As of Dec. 31, 2020, insurers had closed 77% of the claims from Hurricane Laura, 59% of which were closed with payment. Total paid losses plus reserves on reported claims from all surveyed lines of insurance for Hurricane Laura at the end of 2020 were $6.6 billion, accounting for the vast majority of damage from the record 2020 hurricane season in Louisiana.

Policyholders have filed 71,945 claims from Hurricane Delta, which made landfall in Southwest Louisiana on October 9 as a Category 2 storm. Calcasieu, Lafayette, Acadia, East Baton Rouge and St. Landry parishes filed the most claims from the storm.

At the end of 2020, insurers had closed 82% of all Delta claims, and 53% of those claims were closed with payment. Insurers have paid or reserved $556 million to cover losses from reported claims from all surveyed lines of insurance for Hurricane Delta at the end of 2020.

The data call results also included the first claim figures from Hurricane Zeta, which made landfall in Terrebonne Parish on October 28 as a Category 2 storm. Policyholders have filed 49,011 claims through the end of the year. Most of the claims came from Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, St. Tammany and Lafourche parishes.

Insurers closed 79% of reported Zeta claims, and 46% of those claims were closed with payment. Total paid losses plus reserves on reported claims from all surveyed lines of insurance were $499 million for Hurricane Zeta at the end of 2020.

Data for the 2020 hurricanes through Dec. 31 can be found at www.ldi.la.gov/datacallresults.

The LDI will continue to collect data from property and casualty insurers to monitor the claims process. The final deadline for data is Oct. 8, 2021.

 About the Louisiana Department of Insurance: The Louisiana Department of Insurance works to improve competition in the state’s insurance market while assisting individuals and businesses with the information and resources they need to be informed consumers of insurance. As a regulator, the LDI enforces the laws that provide a fair and stable marketplace and makes certain that insurers comply with the laws in place to protect policyholders. You can contact the LDI by calling 1-800-259-5300 or visiting www.ldi.la.gov.