Insurers are withdrawing from the Long Island homeowners’ market following Superstorm Sandy, despite many properties avoiding damage, US senator Charles Schumer claims.

Coverage in that part of New York State was already limited, with Allstate, State Farm and Liberty Mutual issuing most policies.

All three are now pulling back, forcing residents to buy policies from the more expensive, less favourable excess lines market, Senator Schumer says.

He says he has received dozens of complaints from constituents and has written to the Federal Emergency Management Agency asking it to penalise the companies by limiting their access to the National Flood Insurance Program.

“It’s bad enough that homeowner insurance policies are limited on Long Island, but now – with precious little justification – policies are being dropped left and right, even for those who paid all their bills on time and had little or no storm damage,” Senator Schumer said.

“These insurance companies should not leave Long Island families and the Federal Government holding the bag.”