White House approves disaster declaration for northwest Florida following Hurricane Isaias as insured losses reach $652 million

Panhandle communities gain eligibility for federal recovery resources while residents manage over $652 million in potential insured losses and tens of thousands of property and auto claims.

• •The White House approved a disaster declaration designating all Panhandle counties south and west of Leon County as eligible for federal assistance following Hurricane Isaias.
• •Potential insured losses in Florida from Hurricane Isaias have reached $652 million.
• •More than 62,000 insurance claims have been reported across the state by the Office of Insurance Regulation.
• •Gov. Ron DeSantis requested federal funding on Oct. 18, nine days after Isaias struck the region as a Category 2 storm.
• •Federal money for hazard mitigation efforts and individual assistance remain under review.
• •Out of more than 52,000 residential, auto, and commercial property claims, nearly 43% of residential property claims and 30% of private auto claims have been closed.
• •Santa Rosa County recorded nearly 29,500 claims, Escambia County over 19,000, Okaloosa County nearly 6,000, Walton County 2,300, and Bay County 2,200.
• •Nearly 9,300 claims have been closed with a payment to the applicant, while just over 15,000 have been closed without payment.
• •Hurricane Michael losses in October 2024 totaled $5.6 billion with 385,146 claims filed for comparison.