Declarations

Divine Intervention

“It almost feels like a little bit of divine intervention when you look at the devastation.”

—Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon expressed relief and amazement that there were no serious injuries resulting from the EF4 tornado that swept through the St. Louis area on the night of April 22. The twister caused extensive damage at Lambert Airport in St. Louis. An estimated 2,700 buildings were damaged in the path of the storm. Missouri Insurance Director John M. Huff reported that by early the next day, insurers had already begun making claims payments to homeowners. He said one insurer had reported more than 300 claims.

Good for the Middle Class

“Repealing this anti-consumer mandate is good for middle class Wisconsinites and small businesses, and I am proud to sign its repeal and replacement.”

—Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has signed Act 14, which reduces required auto liability insurance amounts. The legislature had hiked the minimum coverages from 2009 levels of $25,000 for causing injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two persons, and $10,000 for property damage to $50,000, $100,000 and $15,000, respectively. The new law takes the minimums back to 2009 levels. The minimum requirement for underinsurance coverage had been $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident. The new minimums are $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.

Be On Guard

“It’s critical to be on guard for con artists moving into the area to take advantage of those affected by the severe weather.”

—After a tornado struck Girard, Ill., and surrounding areas in Macoupin County, and suspected tornados and severe thunderstorms raked much of central and southern Illinois, state Attorney General Lisa Madigan urged residents to protect themselves from home repair con artists eager to exploit natural disasters for personal profit. Her comments echoed those of attorneys general and insurance commissioners across the Midwest, which experienced a higher-than-normal number of tornadoes in April.