Colorado hailstorms cause insurance costs to spike

Colorado homeowners may be concerned about their insurance premiums, especially as hailstorms are causing even more damage throughout the state. In 2018, Colorado suffered the greatest hail losses across the country.

This devastation exceeded Texas, which is the state with the second-largest amount of hail damage according to a report from the State Farm insurance company. The Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association said that insurance companies in the state paid out a substantial amount in damages due to hail.

The ongoing hailstorms followed a 2017 Denver storm, which caused $2.3 billion in damage to homes, businesses and public properties. While that single storm was the most expensive in the state’s history, smaller hailstorms have continued to produce expensive damages. Some worry that the hailstorms themselves have become more severe, but others say that population growth is the cause of the escalating costs.

More people are moving into areas that were previously sparsely populated and suffering serious damage when hailstorms hit. As the costs of these storms have risen, people are also paying heftier premiums for homeowners’ insurance. Some homeowners have even found their policy applications denied due to the risk of a hailstorm.
Some insurance companies have imposed extra deductibles and exclusions applied solely to hail damage. As a result, homeowners may find themselves paying more for less coverage. In some cases, rather than a flat rate, the deductible represents a percentage of total costs. This amount could rise to thousands of dollars if people suffer serious damage to their property, leading to delayed repairs.

Other people may find themselves battling with an insurance company that has delayed paying out a hail damage claim. An insurance law attorney may work with affected homeowners to help them get the compensation they deserve for storm, hail, wind or rain damage.