Hurricane Notice
U.S. Legal Services Operation Status Is Normal
State Executive Orders Issued Regarding Hurricane Helene
Florida: September 30, 2024: EO 400385-24 issued by Office of Insurance Regulation to protect policyholders impacted by Hurricane Helene. The order applies to all insurers in the state and policyholders in Alachua, Charlotte, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Franklin, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla counties. Floridians seeking assistance with insurance related questions should contact the Department of Financial Services Consumer Services either by visiting their website, or by contacting the DFS Consumer Services Assistance Line 1-877-693-5236. The line is open Monday-Friday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM.
UPDATE Georgia: The Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire issued Directive 24-EX-6, effective October 1, 2024, and APCIA is updating and reissuing this bulletin to include information on scope and applicable dates. The Department acknowledged the concern with the scope and the lack of an end date and stated that it expects to revisit the Directive as the State of Emergency is revisited. Governor Kemp’s statewide State of Emergency is currently extended through October 9th. APCIA will be in further contact with the Department on that date.
Georgia: October 1, 2024: The Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire has issued Directive 24-EX-6, which protects policyholders in the following counties affected by Tropical Storm Helene: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Baldwin, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bleckley, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Calhoun, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clay, Clayton, Clinch, Cobb, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, DeKalb, Dodge, Dougherty, Douglas, Early, Echols, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Fayette, Fulton, Glascock, Glynn, Grady, Gwinnett, Hancock, Henry, Irwin, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Lee, Liberty, Long, Lowndes, McDuffie, McIntosh, Miller, Mitchell, Montgomery, Pierce, Pulaski, Putnam, Quitman, Randolph, Richmond, Rockdale, Screven, Seminole, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Telfair, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Turner, Twiggs, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler, Wilcox, Wilkinson, and Worth.
North Carolina: October 1, 2024: “October 1, 2024, the North Carolina Supreme Court approved the North Carolina State Barâs temporary rule amendment allowing lawyers not licensed in North Carolina to immediately begin providing pro bono legal services to indigent victims of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Helene.” Click here to learn more: https://www.ncbar.gov/news-publications/news-notices/2024/10/supreme-court-allowing-non-nc-lawyers-to-provide-pro-bono-legal-services-to-helene-victims/?spredfast-trk-id=sf203135460
North Carolina: September 30, 2024: The North Carolina Department of Insurance is issued Bulletin Number 24-B-13, which announces in response to Tropical Storm Helene the activation of disaster-related automatic stay of proof of loss requirements, and premium and debt deferrals for policyholders residing in: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey counties and to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians of North Carolina.
South Carolina: September 25, 2024: The Governor declared a state of emergency due to Tropical Storm Helene on September 25, 2024. Tropical Storm Helene has caused damage across many counties in South Carolina and substantially impacted some South Carolina insureds. The State of South Carolina is in the process of assisting South Carolinians directly impacted by Tropical Storm Helene with the recovery from this disaster and other emergency conditions.
Tennessee: September 27, 2024: Executive Order No. 105 – An order to provide relief to victims of severe weather and flooding in Tennessee. The order requests that insurance companies make reasonable efforts to assist policyholders who have experienced losses due to the severe weather in Tennessee.