Insured Losses From Mississippi Tornado Expected To Exceed $100M

The Mississippi state insurance department has reported that insurance losses from the March tornado that swept through parts of Mississippi have reached nearly $100 million, with uninsured losses expected to surpass this figure.

The hardest hit area was the Mississippi Delta, which is one of the poorest regions in the US. The tornado, which struck on March 24th, left a trail of destruction and caused the deaths of 13 people.

In Rolling Fork, around 300 homes and businesses were destroyed. The town of Amory in north Mississippi was also badly affected.

The tornado compounded the longstanding economic struggles in the Mississippi Delta region.

The local economy is heavily reliant on agriculture, with many families owning ancestral farmhouses and other properties. The issue of heirs’ property, where land is passed down without a will and shared among numerous individuals, has made it difficult to access relief funds and insurance benefits, as legal titles or deeds may be unclear or unavailable after the storm.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) accepts alternative proof of property ownership, such as motor vehicle registrations, court documents, and letters from local organizations.

In the aftermath of the tornado, President Joe Biden visited Rolling Fork and declared a disaster, unlocking federal funds to support temporary housing, home repairs, and loans to offset uninsured property losses.