Tennesseans File More Than $1B In Tornado Claims

Thousands of Tennesseans impacted by devastating March and April tornadoes have turned to insurance companies for relief. And, after the novel coronavirus pandemic shuttered businesses across the state, business owners are doing the same.

The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance is working to help Tennesseans find the best way to file insurance claims in an unparalleled time of struggle.

The department asked insurance companies in March to provide "grace periods" for employers and individuals who need to delay premium payments during the crises in an effort to prevent loss of insurance coverage. "This will be very helpful for that small business ... who needs to allocate that money toward something else: to pay for salaries, to pay to reopen," Department of Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Hodgen Mainda said.

Mainda said Thursday that while many areas of Middle Tennessee are still in the throes of recovery, the state is "close to the tail end of claims being filed."

As of April 17, Tennesseans impacted by the March 3 tornadoes had filed more than 15,000 claims, totaling just over $1.1 billion, Mainda said.