Spring Storms Cost Ohio, Kansas $364 Million
By Daniel Hays
NU Online News Service, Aug. 26, 10:54 a.m. EDT?Hail, tornado, storm and crop damage caused insured property losses estimated at more than $364 million in Kansas and Ohio during the second quarter, according to regulators and industry sources.
Damage claims in Ohio were helped along by a flurry of marketing efforts by contractors, according to a spokesperson for the Ohio Insurance Institute in Columbus, Ohio.
According to figures released by Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, third-quarter storm and crop damage in that state was $215.5 million, and for July, the estimate is $41 million.
Mr. Praeger announced last week that the storm season had extended well beyond spring and had exceeded the $248 million storm damage reported for all of last year in Kansas.
Mary Bonelli, speaking for the Ohio Insurance Institute, which represents property-casualty insurers in the state, said today that claims from an April 20 hailstorm in Ohio had now reached $149 million.
Ms. Bonelli said that loss figure was nearly triple the $51.7 million that was initially reported in May when 12,500 claims had come in. She said 28,200 claims have now been recorded and they are still coming in.
A factor in the number of claims, she said, was "aggressive marketing by roofers and contractors" some of whom, she said had come in from out of state.
Ms. Bonelli said that Central Ohioans had been the target of marketing that included contractors approaching homeowners to ask if they wanted a free estimate and flyers telling the recipients they "may be eligible for a free roof."
According to the Institute spokesperson, the state typically does not get heavy hailstorms and some residents may be led to believe they have property damage when there is none.
According to Commissioner Praeger, hail on Kansas growing crops during May and June caused $6.65 million in insured damage.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.