It Figures

January 24, 2010

1,650

The number of policies on North Carolina’s barrier islands that State Farm officials told regulators it will drop as part of its effort to reduce its coastal exposure. Customers can expect to receive a notice that their policy expiring after May 1 will no longer be renewed.

$25 Million

The initial estimate of insured losses in north Georgia from recent ice and snow storms, according to Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine. The estimate includes damage to cars as well as homes and businesses. More than 4,500 claims were reported.

$22 Million

The amount the Florida Department of Financial Services said it helped recover for insurance consumers in 2009. The figure represents an increase from $14 million recovered in 2008.

$23,000

The fine assessed by South Carolina safety officials against a Pennsylvania chemical company responsible for an ammonia leak that killed a passing motorist in July. Southampton, Pa.-based Tanner Industries didn’t have proper safety valves, didn’t have an alarm system and used an improper hose to transfer the liquid ammonia from a truck to a storage tank, according to the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the incident to determine why the hose burst.

63%

The percentage of state fraud bureaus reporting they had to operate with lower budgets for 2009 even while cases increased in all types of fraud schemes, according to a survey by the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud.

93,277

The number of workplace discrimination complaints filed in 2009, the second highest level ever recorded, according the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Monetary relief obtained by the agency for victims topped $376 million.