Hurricane Dorian

UPDATE -- 16 September 2019

To help you gain a better understanding of conditions on the ground, we've compiled an executive brief with a summary of the current situation, as reported by Crawford adjusters on the ground. You can access the brief here on our website resource page.

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UPDATE — 13 September 2019

Conditions in the Bahamas are treacherous. It is still very much a search and rescue mission, and property damage will take a backseat until residents are safe and accounted for. As of today, search and rescue teams are looking for 2500 missing people, but it’s impossible to get an accurate number amid the chaos. In the hardest-hit areas, Abaco and Grand Bahama, there is no water or power, and people are struggling to survive until help arrives. To further complicate the situation, many residents are likely uninsured and have suffered tremendous loss.

"This has to be the most concentration of damage from a hurricane I have seen in my 45 years as an adjuster."

– Richard Lafayette, SVP, Crawford Global Technical Services

Twenty-one Crawford adjusters are currently surveying the damage on Abaco and Grand Bahama. Because of the uninhabitable conditions, adjusters are flying back and forth from Nassau daily. These adjusters are concentrating on commercial claims, assessing the damage and reporting back to clients. Global Technical Services (GTS) adjusters are also conducting surveys of damage in these areas. Actual recovery efforts will likely not begin for some time. Most clients are seeking to grasp the extent of loss so that they can begin to make decisions about recovery.

“Current conditions are not good, but the community is working together to help those in need and bring some stability back to the Bahamas.”

– Mike Koch, National Property & Catastrophe Manager

For immediate assistance for your policyholders, contact our 24-hour ClaimsAlert call center at 1-877-346-0300, email us at claimsalert@us.crawco.com or submit a claim online. Submit a claim on-the-go with Crawford’s Directory app; plus, track the storm’s location and intensity. You can download the directory from your smartphone app store or Google play.

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UPDATE — 6 September 2019

Hurricane Dorian has made landfall on Cape Hatteras, in the Outer Banks, as a Category 1 storm. Images from these islands depict extensive flooding and damaging wind. Ocracoke and Hatteras are said to be unreachable and first responders will be planning rescues as Dorian moves northeast towards Canada later today.

Catastrophe Services expects to see an increase in calls to our call center as Dorian heads away from the U.S. and policyholders begin to assess damages. We will continue to respond to claims in the Bahamas, the U.S. and in Canada as needed.

For immediate assistance for your policyholders, contact our 24-hour ClaimsAlert call center at 1-877-346-0300, email us at claimsalert@us.crawco.com or submit a claim online. Submit a claim on-the-go with Crawford’s Directory app; plus, track the storm’s location and intensity. You can download the directory from your smartphone app store or Google play.

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UPDATE — 5 September 2019

Dorian is currently battering the coastal Carolinas today as a Category 3 storm. Residents along the coast should expect to see a storm surge of up to eight feet, up to 15 inches of rain and winds in excess of 110 mph. Tornado watches are in effect through this evening for North Carolina. Parts of Virginia and Massachusetts will likely see tropical storm conditions through Friday as Dorian moves back out to sea.

We are closely monitoring Dorian, and team members in North and South Carolina are reporting power outages, downed trees, and flooding. Local offices across the Southeast are collaborating with each other to support the influx of daily claims from clients. Our call center expects calls to increase as Dorian moves offshore and residents and businesses in communities along the coast begin to assess damages. To learn how our on-demand workforce can expedite claims assessment post-storm, click here.

The first wave of Crawford adjusters landed in Nassau yesterday and more are on the way. Our 21 onsite adjusters are navigating the Islands from their base of operations on Nassau, but conditions are dire. Early predictions cite $7 billion in damage in the Bahamas. According to Catastrophe Services President, Griff Rogers,

“With this level of devastation, it will take many months to regain some semblance of normalcy. We will be there to do everything we can to help restore and enhance lives, businesses, and communities for those impacted.”

For immediate assistance for your policyholders, contact our 24-hour ClaimsAlert call center at 1-877-346-0300, email us at claimsalert@us.crawco.com or submit a claim online. Submit a claim on-the-go with Crawford’s Directory app; plus, track the storm’s location and intensity. You can download the directory from your smartphone app store or Google play.
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UPDATE — 4 September 2019

Dorian has reached the East Coast today, accompanied by 105 mph winds, heavy rain (up to 12 inches) and storm surges of five to seven feet. Flash flooding, storm surges, and intense winds are assured for residents on the coastline from Florida to Virginia. Thousands of residents are without power in Brevard County and Indian River County in Florida. Experts predict that Charleston, South Carolina will receive the brunt of the storm, and whether Dorian will make landfall there is still unclear. Dorian is expected to pummel the East Coast through Friday before turning and heading back out to sea.

Catastrophe Services is monitoring the severity of the storm’s impact on the East Coast closely. The Atlanta induction center is still receiving adjusters, and later today, the CAT team will evaluate whether another induction center is needed, North Carolina. The PROACT team convenes each afternoon to discuss the most timely and effective ways to meet client needs. In addition, our managed repair network, Contractor Connection, is reporting that 500 local contractors in the Southeast are on standby to deploy once the storm clears. WeGoLook Lookers also have coverage in these areas and are available to survey damages with drones in difficult to reach areas.

Griff Rogers, president, Catastrophe Services, is balancing the need to monitor the storm’s current path with coordinating a much-needed response in the Bahamas. He recently had this to share in an interview.

“While we’re very concerned about the Southeastern U.S., the needs in the Bahamas are mission critical right now,” Rogers said. “With our adjusters now in Nassau, we are strategizing deployment around the difficult and dangerous conditions there.”

Our Global Technical Services team is in contact with hospitality clients in the Bahamas to lend their expertise. Their work with hotels, resorts, and casinos during Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria exposed them to unique challenges, and they developed equally unique solutions to overcome those challenges. Read the special report here.

For immediate assistance for your policyholders, contact our 24-hour ClaimsAlert call center at 1-877-346-0300, email us at claimsalert@us.crawco.com or submit a claim online. Submit a claim on-the-go with Crawford’s Directory app; plus, track the storm’s location and intensity. You can download the directory from your smartphone app store or Google play.

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UPDATE — 3 September 2019

As Dorian closes in on the U.S., Bahamians are just beginning to grasp the extent of the devastation. Early estimates report 13,000 houses destroyed. Power lines are down and conditions are still considered dangerous. Residents in the area are encouraged to take shelter indoors wherever they can.

As of now, Dorian is still hovering over the northwest Bahamas and is still moving slowly towards the east coast of Florida. Though it was downgraded to a Category 2, it is still formidable with hurricane-force winds extending 175 miles from the storm’s eye. Hurricane warnings have been issued along the coast of Georgia and South Carolina.

Twenty-one adjusters are on their way to Nassau, and at least 20 more are on standby to deploy once needs are fully assessed. Adjusters are continuing to update their statuses and availability in RENOVO, our catastrophe deployment tool. In addition, Crawford’s new state-of-the-art call center is enabling us to handle surges in call volume adeptly.

Ken Tolson, U.S. President, Crawford Claims Solutions had this to share in a recent interview

“The scale of devastation in the Bahamas requires a One Crawford response, and our teams, from Crawford Catastrophe Services to Crawford Forensic Accounting and Global Technical Services (GTS), will work together to ensure a rapid, tailored response to our client needs.”

Terry Hunt, U.S. President, Global Technical Services expressed concern for the tourism in the Bahamas

“A number of large resorts in the islands will endure significant business interruption, as tourism accounts for 60% of their economy” he said. “Our GTS adjusters will work with stakeholders across an organization to minimize business interruption. We are equipped to handle a wide range of losses in a number of industries. During Hurricane Maria in 2017, our adjusters helped expedite the recovery of prestigious resorts in Puerto Rico.”

To learn how Crawford prepares for large and complex loss events here.

For immediate assistance for your policyholders, contact our 24-hour ClaimsAlert call center at 1-877-346-0300, email us at claimsalert@us.crawco.com or submit a claim online. Submit a claim on-the-go with Crawford’s Directory app; plus, track the storm’s location and intensity. You can download the directory from your smartphone app store.

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UPDATE — 2 September 2019

Hurricane Dorian, a Category 4, is moving slowly over the northern Bahamas, and residents are scrambling to evacuate before the storm makes an impact. Sustained winds of 185 mph and storm surges of up to 20 feet are the greatest threat to their safety. The eastern coast of Florida will begin to feel the winds associated with the storm’s outer bands as it creeps towards the U.S. tonight. If, when, where and how strong it will be when it makes landfall in the U.S. is still uncertain. However, two Florida counties have issued mandatory evacuations, and states of emergency have been declared in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.

Crawford Catastrophe Services has been prepping adjusters for deployment in its induction centers in Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Sunrise, FL since Saturday. The Jacksonville induction center will be consolidated with the Atlanta induction center beginning tomorrow. In addition, we are increasing capacity in our call centers to handle the call volume. President, Griff Rogers, and his team are already working with clients to provide support following the storm. “We already have a number of client engagements, and we anticipate more as the storm progresses towards the East Coast,” he said. Crawford is leveraging the full extent of our resources in anticipation of significant business interruptions, from our WeGoLook on-demand workforce and TruLook claim triage solution to forensic accounting and managed the repair. Find out more about Crawford’s Catastrophe Services here.

For immediate assistance for your policyholders, contact our 24-hour ClaimsAlert call center at 1-877-346-0300 or email us at claimsalert@us.crawco.com.

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UPDATE — 1 September 2019

Dorian is now officially a Category 5 storm as it makes landfall in the Bahamas. Storms surges of 20 feet, heavy rain, and winds of 175 mph will bear down on the islands. The eye of the storm is now approximately 35 miles east of the islands, and the storm is moving between five and 10 mph, giving it ample time to cause catastrophic damage. Meteorologists are still watching the storm closely in an effort to predict what it does next. Current tracks still anticipate a turn as it approaches the coast of Florida and then traveling up the East Coast, but how close it tracks to land is uncertain. However, residents up and down the East Coast are to prepare for hurricane-force winds and storm surges throughout this week.

Crawford Catastrophe Services, U.S. President, Griff Rogers, and his team continue to focus on preparing adjusting resources for a response once conditions permit. “We are watching Dorian’s path through the Bahamas with heavy hearts. We are praying that everyone in the area is safe,” he commented, adding, “Crawford’s mission to restore and enhance lives, businesses and communities mean that we are here for policyholders as they begin the road to recovery.” Crawford encounters policyholders on their worst days, which is why we treat them like family.

For immediate assistance for your policyholders, contact our 24-hour ClaimsAlert call center at 1-877-346-0300 or email us at claimsalert@us.crawco.com. Click on the image below to find out how CAT adjusters derive meaning and purpose from their work.

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UPDATE — 31 August 2019

Dorian will hit the Bahamas today as a Category 4 and hover over the islands through Monday, dumping as much as 25 inches of rain in some areas. Though the path of Dorian is still highly uncertain, experts anticipate that Dorian will turn before it reaches Florida and travel north along the East Coast, making landfall in the Carolinas. Residents should follow the storm closely, as predictions about the path and intensity of the storm could change. However, storm surges, winds in excess of 100 mph, and flooding are highly likely in areas in Dorian’s path.

The Crawford Catastrophe Services team opened induction centers today in Atlanta, Jacksonville and Sunrise, FL and is preparing adjusters for deployment in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. We are also working closely with clients to anticipate their needs before, during and after the storm. Crawford has engaged teams across the organization in anticipation of significant business interruptions as a result of this storm. From WeGoLook Lookers for damage assessments to Crawford Forensic Accounting Services for business interruption claims, Crawford can handle claims of any type or scale.

For immediate assistance planning for the storm and responding to claims, contact our 24-hour ClaimsAlert call center at 1-877-346-0300 or email us at claimsalert@us.crawco.com

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UPDATE — 30 August 2019

Meteorologists are closely monitoring Hurricane Dorian’s movements in the Atlantic as it builds momentum while moving through the Caribbean islands. They anticipate that it could reach Florida as a Category 4 by Monday. However, high pressure off of the East Coast makes its exact path impossible to predict with any certainty. Regardless of where the storm makes landfall, it brings with it winds in excess of 140 mph, heavy rains (as much as 18 inches) and catastrophic storm surges. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency.

Crawford Catastrophe Services is also closely watching Hurricane Dorian. We are deploying advanced teams into the affected areas via our induction sites in Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Sunrise, FL. Once the storm passes, the team will send additional resources to the areas impacted by the storm to begin the assessment. We are also establishing teams in Atlanta for both call-center support, claim intake functions and training, during and after the storm.

Our scalable, customizable solutions include an on-demand workforce and staff augmentation, assisted self-service and online claim management, quality assurance management, 24/7 omni-channel intake and support, and much more. Visit our services page to learn about the full spectrum of Crawford capabilities. For immediate assistance with claims associated with Hurricane Dorian, contact our 24-hour ClaimsAlert call center at 1-877-346-0300 or email us at claimsalert@us.crawco.com.

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UPDATE — 28 August 2019

Tropical Storm Dorian will make landfall today in Puerto Rico, bringing with it heavy rains, strong winds and intense storm surges in some areas. And some sources are predicting that Dorian will intensify to a Category 3 hurricane as it makes its way towards the Eastern Coast of the United States. According to the latest models, the entire state of Florida is in Dorian’s path, though the impact is uncertain. The Eastern seaboard is bracing itself for impact over the holiday weekend and into early next week.

Crawford Catastrophe Services is actively engaging with adjuster resources in order to update their availability in RENOVO, many of whom are already on standby. In addition, leadership is in contact with clients in these regions to assess their needs and assemble dedicated teams in response to the storm.

Our goal is to provide clients affected by this weather event with rapid, reliable and scalable support. The path to recovery begins and ends with Crawford. Visit our services page for more information about Crawford’s capabilities. For immediate assistance with claims associated with Tropical Storm Dorian, contact our 24-hour ClaimsAlert call center at 1-877-346-0300 or email us at claimsalert@us.crawco.com.

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ORIGINAL POST — 27 August 2019

A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch have been issued for Puerto Rico, and businesses and residents are bracing for impact from the Windward Islands to Florida over the next several days. Experts are predicting damaging winds, flooding, and landslides for areas in Dorian’s path.

Crawford Catastrophe Services has initiated this event in RENOVO, its proprietary workforce management platform, and is mobilizing adjusters to respond to potential impact zones. Communicating through our integrated web and mobile application tools, Crawford’s adjusters will be positioned based on experience and skill to best deliver for customers. In addition, Crawford’s PROACT team has assembled and is determining the best use of Crawford resources based on the needs of our clients. From WeGoLook’s on-demand workforce for pre- and post-storm assessments to Global Technical Services’ team of highly specialized experts covering large and complex loss, Crawford offers rapid, scalable and reliable resources to mitigate all types of claims.

The Catastrophe Services team has over 70 years of extensive experience with wind and flood damage as a result of weather events, such as Maria, Harvey and Florence, just to name a few. To learn more about the full range of catastrophe response capabilities, click here. To find out about the comprehensive suite of claims management services that Crawford offers, visit our services page. For assistance with claims associated with Tropical Storm Dorian, contact our 24-hour ClaimsAlert call center at 1-877-346-0300 or email us at claimsalert@us.crawco.com