Sandy Insurance Claims Lag

Up and down the Atlantic coast, people are telling horror stories about how long it has taken to get an insurance check for flood damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

Nearly 40 percent are still waiting for a final settlement.

The delays have prompted criticism from officials including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has blamed "excessive paperwork" in the National Flood Insurance Program.

But federal data suggest that the speediness, or sluggishness, of the process may be linked to which insurer is handling the claim.

Three and a half months after the storm, some companies servicing flood insurance policies have paid out on nearly all of their claims, while others have yet to hit the halfway mark.

Officials at some of the struggling insurers blame a shortage of adjusters.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)