Insurance Claims Statistics & Trends
Insurance claims provide valuable insight into the real risks that Long Island residents, businesses, drivers, and homeowners face. From car accidents to hurricane damage, claims data reveals not only how often losses occur, but also how much is paid out and which events are most likely to lead to insurance filings. While claim records are largely private, significant government and industry data exists at the state, regional, and county level – enough to establish meaningful trends and risk patterns.
This report compiles available public data on auto, flood, storm, property, workers’ compensation, and insurance fraud activity affecting Nassau and Suffolk Counties, based on federal datasets, New York State regulatory filings, and industry summaries.
Long Island Claims Snapshot (Latest Available Public Data)
| Claim Type | Nassau County | Suffolk County | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFIP Flood Claims (cumulative since 1978) | ~27,900 | ~20,200 | FEMA NFIP |
| Total NFIP Payouts to Date | ~$2.8B+ | ~$1.6B+ | FEMA |
| Average Flood Claim Payout | ~$57,000 | ~$51,000 | FEMA |
| Auto / No-Fault Claims Share (statewide) | 9–12% | ~8–10% | DFS / DMV |
| Investigated Fraud Cases (annual range) | Among highest in NY | High | DFS / NICB |
| Workers’ Compensation Claims (regional) | ~46,000+ | similar to Nassau | NY WCB |
| Hurricane Sandy Claims (2012) | Included in majority of downstate claims | Included | DFS / FEMA |
Note: Some data is cumulative or based on rolling multi-year totals due to limitations in public reporting.
Major Insurance Trends Affecting Long Island
1. Flood & Coastal Storm Claims
- Long Island represents the highest flood insurance claim region in New York State
- Most claims result from hurricanes, nor’easters, tidal flooding, and storm surge
- Repetitive loss communities include:
- Even moderate storms can result in 5-figure property claims due to proximity to water
2. Auto & No-Fault (PIP) Claims
- New York’s no-fault system leads to high volume of medical and injury claims after accidents
- Nassau and Suffolk together account for roughly 1 in 5 no-fault claims statewide
- Common causes include:
- Congestion-related collisions
- Rear-end accidents
- Intersection crashes
- Weather-related incidents
- Fraudulent medical billing and staged collisions are actively monitored by regulators
3. Property & Homeowners Claims
- Common claims include storm damage, windborne debris, roof losses, downed trees, frozen pipes, ice damming, and fire
- Claims increase significantly after major weather events (e.g., Sandy in 2012, Isaias in 2020, Ida in 2021)
- Coastal ZIP codes file claims more frequently than inland areas
- Costs are rising due to higher rebuilding expenses and inflation-driven labor/materials
4. Workers’ Compensation Claims
- Manufacturing, construction, and health care drive a large share of claims
- Slip-and-falls, overexertion injuries, and motor vehicle accidents are the most common
- Long Island averages tens of thousands of workers’ comp filings annually
5. Insurance Fraud Activity
- New York State Department of Financial Services reports one of the highest insurance fraud case volumes in the state occurs on Long Island
- Most cases involve:
- No-fault auto claims
- Inflated medical bills
- Contractor fraud after storms
- False property loss reports
- NICB and DFS run joint task forces to investigate staged crashes and organized fraud rings
Why Some Data Is Limited
Insurance companies do not publicly release claim counts, loss ratios, or payout totals by ZIP code or carrier, except in aggregated regulatory reports. For this reason, certain claim types such as homeowners and business liability claims can only be reported using high-level statewide summaries or FEMA/DFS datasets.
Where exact numbers are not available, this page reflects the most accurate, publicly verifiable, county-level information.
What This Means for Long Island Residents & Property Owners
- Coastal and low-lying areas see significantly higher long-term insurance payouts
- Auto insurance costs are affected by both accident frequency and regional fraud patterns
- Policyholders in Nassau and Suffolk often face higher premiums due to claim history, location, and rebuilding costs
- Flood insurance is essential for many homeowners even if not required by lenders
- Understanding regional claim trends helps consumers better evaluate coverage and risk
Key Facts & Details: Insurance Claims on Long Island
| Metric | Nassau County | Suffolk County | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFIP flood claims (cumulative since 1978) | ~27,900 claims | ~20,200 claims | Long Island is the highest flood-claim region in New York State. |
| Total NFIP flood payouts | ≈ $2.8 billion | ≈ $1.6 billion | Reflects decades of flood and storm-related damage. |
| Average NFIP payout per claim | ≈ $57,000 | ≈ $51,000 | Typical payout for covered flood losses. |
| Share of NYS auto / no-fault claims | ~9–12% of statewide total | ~8–10% of statewide total | Dense traffic and no-fault rules drive high claim volume. |
| Workers’ compensation claims (regional) | – | – | Tens of thousands of claims filed annually across the Long Island region. |
| Fraud investigations | Among highest in New York | High activity | DFS and NICB regularly investigate staged crashes and inflated claims. |
| Major catastrophe benchmark | – | – | Hurricane Sandy (2012) generated tens of thousands of property and flood claims across both counties. |
Summary
Although detailed insurance claim data is not fully public, federal and state sources clearly show that Long Island is one of the most claims-intensive insurance regions in New York. From flood damage to auto injuries, the combination of coastal exposure, population density, and traffic leads to higher-than-average claim activity across multiple categories. For homeowners, drivers, and businesses, maintaining proper insurance coverage, especially flood and disaster protection, remains crucial.
For Additional Resources
For consumer insurance guidance, complaint statistics, and regulatory reports, visit:
New York State Department of Financial Services — https://www.dfs.ny.gov
FEMA NFIP Flood Insurance Data — https://www.fema.gov
Insurance Information Institute — https://www.iii.org
