North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey pressed for further support and aid for victims of Hurricane Helene during a visit to Washington, D.C., this week.
At the roundtable discussion on hurricane response hosted by the U.S. Department of Treasury on Wednesday, Commissioner Causey told fellow panelists of the need for strong and consistent communication with the citizens of western North Carolina regarding federal and state resources available to them as they look to rebuild their communities.
“I applaud the efforts of the North Carolina General Assembly, but there will be an ongoing need for sustained support in the short and long-term future if the mountains are to recover fully,” Commissioner Causey said. “Many folks are unsure of what will be provided by federal resources, such as what personal and business low-interest rate loans may be available.”
Joining Commissioner Causey at the roundtable were insurance commissioners from Florida and South Carolina representing the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), officials from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, representatives from the banking industry, insurance companies, the State Employees Credit Union and officials from consumer advocacy and community housing groups.
Commissioner Causey will continue to push for future federal incentives to encourage higher building standards that could mitigate damage from future storms, and state programs which include resiliency and the fortified roof program. He is also in favor of pursuing state and federal incentives to encourage more individuals to maintain flood insurance coverage.
“Our citizens in western North Carolina continue to face overwhelming obstacles with the loss of their homes and businesses or extreme damage to their properties,” Commissioner Causey said. “We are dealing with devastation on an unprecedented scale, and we must continue to seek aid from many different sources that are available. But what is encouraging is the outpouring of volunteers, first responders and DOI employees that are continuing to work tirelessly on a level that I have never seen before.”
Since the storm hit western North Carolina on Sept. 27, Commissioner Causey has directed the Department of Insurance to host victim assistance centers and insurance camps with the insurance industry, FEMA and other federal, state and local agencies, to help those affected get direct access to resources regarding their claims and damage assessment.
“We thank FEMA for extending public assistance request period until Jan. 7, 2025,” Commissioner said.
NCDOI has announced victim assistance centers scheduled in Ashe, McDowell, Caldwell and Jackson counties in the coming days.
For more information on these events and other resources, visit www.ncdoi.gov/helene or contact the NCDOI Consumer Services Division at 1-855-408-1212.