Flood insurance claims in R.I. hit $31 million from Sandy

Nearly all of the property damage claims from superstorm Sandy submitted by Rhode Islanders to the National Flood Insurance Program have been processed, resulting in payments totaling $31.1 million.

That was the tally in mid-May when the federal program conducted its final monthly survey on the status of Sandy claims, according to state coordinator Michelle Burnett.

Six months after Sandy lashed the coast on its way to New Jersey, 1,009 claims submitted by owners of commercial and residential properties had been fully processed. Only 43 cases remained open.

Of the processed claims, 801 resulted in payments, Burnett said. Another 208 claims were rejected. The average Sandy payment was $35,603.