Tennessee Insurance Claims from Deadly March Tornadoes Top $1B

More than 15,600 insurance claims seeking more than $1.1 billion have been filed in Tennessee over deadly tornadoes that tore through the state early last month, state officials said Thursday.

Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Hodgen Mainda told reporters Thursday that out of those claims, 7,400 had been paid out more than $370 million as of April 17.

The tornado-producing storms tore through Middle Tennessee, killing 25 people, including 19 in Putnam County and two in Nashville.

Meanwhile, Mainda said the tornado-spurring storm that hit Chattanooga and surrounding areas on Easter, killing four people, has yielded almost 8,300 insurance claims as of April 17.

The state is awaiting action on its request for a federal disaster declaration for eight counties impacted by the Easter storms. The state is seeking assistance for individuals and governments in Hamilton and Bradley counties, and just governments in Campbell, Marion, Monroe, Polk, Scott and Washington counties.