Tuesday, October 16, 2018

North Carolina Invokes Its Disaster Mediation Program

The North Carolina Insurance Commissioner has activated the North Carolina Department of Insurance’s Disaster Mediation Program for first party claims in the wake of Hurricane Florence. The Program only becomes available if 1) a state of disaster has been proclaimed (by the Governor or the President) for all or part of North Carolina, within 60 days following the event, and 2) the Commissioner of Insurance subsequently orders Program activation. On September 14, 2018, the President of the United States issued a declaration of disaster for twenty-eight counties in North Carolina. The counties include: Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Greene, Harnett, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Moore, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Pitt, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Wayne and Wilson counties. On September 27, 2018, the Commissioner of Insurance issued an order activating the Program. North Carolina has contracted with the American Arbitration Association to act as the Program Administrator.