Hail damage losses have increased since 2008

Adjusted for inflation, losses caused by hail damage totaled $19 billion in 2008. In a typical year previously, losses caused by hail damage would have been $8 billion to $12 billion. The trend of increased damage continued for the next decade, but no one is sure what is to blame. However, one possible explanation is that people are moving farther from cities, which means that hail damage can occur in a larger area.

Cities are also growing, which means that there is a greater chance of a storm hitting a populated area. Climate change is another possible explanation for the increase in damage. As the weather gets warmer, it may result in a greater number of storms and a greater number of storms that produce hail. One final possibility is that people are getting better at reporting hail as it occurs.

Generally speaking, it is only possible to know if hail fell and caused damage if someone says that it did. Furthermore, only those who actually saw the hail or saw footage of it coming down can say how large it is, and individuals could be getting better at estimating how large a given stone is. One scientist said that the increase in damages could be nothing more than chance as opposed to a new normal.

If a property is damaged in a hailstorm, an insurance company may be responsible for paying for some or all of the necessary repairs. The amount that a property owner could receive depends on the terms of the policy that he or she purchased. In the event that a claim is denied, Smith Jadin Johnson, PLLC, may help review the policy to determine if the denial was valid. If not, it may be possible to take action to get it reversed.