The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 200 Bahamians are expected to file claims worth a total of over $3 million with just one firm as a result of the flooding that affected much of the country, according to its claims manager.

Patrice Moxey, general claims manager at Bahamas First, said yesterday she has already received 173 claims for flood damaged homes, businesses, and cars, and is expecting that number to rise.

She said: “I’m not surprised at the amount. I suspect at the end of this we will have over 200 because there are still some that are trickling in.

“In Pinewood and some other areas, Nassau Village, Seabreeze, there are a lot of homes out there with particularly high-value, so no, it’s not surprising. Right now, we’re over $3 million in claims.”

Ms Moxey said as soon as she heard about the rainfall, Bahamas First began preparations for receiving claims.

“When I heard it raining I was like, ‘okay, we’re in business contingency mode.’ Right away I knew we’d have claims and we need to be prepared for the reporting,” she said.

Of the 173 claims Bahamas First has received so far, around 35 of them are vehicle claims, and five are for businesses.

“The businesses that are in those areas are minimal,” she said - except in one instance. “We have had a business that had considerable flooding to stock,” she added.

“We’ve already started making interim payments because some people cannot occupy their homes so we are making those payments so they can look for alternative accommodations where necessary,” she said.

Ms Moxey said persons should not forget to update the value of their property.

“I think persons can do a little bit more in making sure their values are adequate - that is getting updated appraisals, because they may have insured something ten years ago and they’ve added on - they’ve changed design, added that patio, that covered porch, that garage, and the sum insured is still the same,” she said.

“I think they can review their policies, probably every five years... They may have a home that has about $100,000 or $50,000 worth of contents - they’ve collected things over the years, but they’re still holding (an older appraisal of) $20,000 or $10,000.”

Ms Moxey said of the drainage system in areas like Pinewood: “More can be done to put drains and to have those cleaned on a consistent basis to actually help the residents... I think that will help them considerably.”