Storm cleanup From the cover
BY DUSTIN BUTLER & CONNOR PITTMAN
Looking ahead
Why it matters
The impact
Debris collection Richardson city staff worked with their debris collection contractor, Crowder Gulf, to prioritize collection from the most affected areas from storms May 28-June 5 first.
Home insurance increase Home insurance rates have increased in Texas for a number of reasons, with the state’s severe weather being one of them.
The May 28 storm’s impact has had a ripple effect, Guitars and Growlers co-owner Amy Baker said. “When you lose that kind of sales for three days, it really does affect your month,” she added. Jeng Chi co-owner Janelle Ting said insurance will cover the damaged equipment, but she doesn’t know if it will cover the lost food items. However, she said she is more concerned about the employ- ees who lost wages because of the storm. “Insurance doesn’t cover [lost wages for employees],” she said. “This situation doesn’t qualify as worker’s comp, and they can’t go and apply for unemployment.” The Texas Workforce Commission does offer disaster unemployment assistance if a worker meets the eligibility requirements, according to the organization’s website. Johnson said inflation and severe weather in Texas have driven increases to insurance rates. “With the increase in population, the massive
City officials are expecting debris collections to last until around early August, at which point regular bulky item and brush collection will resume. To help cover damaged property, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended the deadline to apply for federal assistance to Aug. 15. As for insurance, Johnson said he does not anticipate private insurance companies pulling out of Texas, like they have in California and Florida. Instead, companies will likely continue offering a selection of policies, potentially with higher costs for policyholders. “It’s not like you can’t pin it down and say, ‘This one storm [is] going to make my rates go up,’” Johnson said.
P L A N O P K W Y .
City Manager Don Magner said the damaged area from the 2024 storms is about 10 times larger— and resulted in about 250,000 cubic yards of debris citywide—than impacted parts of the city from a 2019 tornado. Recovery from the storm could cost the city as much as $5.1 million. Several businesses were affected by the storm as well. Guitars and Growlers, located in Campbell Plaza, and Jeng Chi, located in DFW Chinatown, were closed for several days because of power outages across Richardson. Along with lost sales, both restaurants’ owners said they experienced food spoilage and damage to equipment, such as vent hoods, air conditioning units and freezers. Rich Johnson, director of communications for the Insurance Council of Texas, said there will likely be increases to home insurance rates and premiums because of the severe weather, but they will be spread over several years.
PGBT TOLL
R D
R E N N
Statewide average premium rate
Key
LOOKOUT DR.
1st area of collection 2nd area of collection 3rd area of collection 4th area of collection 5th area of collection
75
$2,374
+23.9%
PGBT TOLL
CAMPBELL DR.
$1,916
SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE/COMMUNITY IMPACT 2018 2019 2020 2021
2022
78
SPRING VALLEY RD.
B U C K I N G HA M R D .
635
increase in property values—all of that creates an environment for increased property insurance rates,” Johnson said.
WALNUT ST.
N
DALLAS 9500 North Central Expressway (214) 369-2800 ADDISON 15055 Inwood Road (972) 239-5891
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