Insurance Claims from Hail-Storm Damage Increase 84 Percent

Insurance claims from hail-storm damage increased 84 percent in 2012 from their 2010 level, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reported on Wednesday. The agency warned against fraud related to contract work after storms. There were 861,597 claims in 2012, up from 689,267 in 2011 and 467,602 in 2010. Frank Scafidi, director of public affairs for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which is based in Des Plaines, Ill., said the 84 percent jump in the two-year span was the most startling finding of the analysis. The bureau said the country has experienced severe storms -- strong winds, tornadoes and hail -- that are occurring with more intensity and affecting more areas of the country. It didn’t specify why these storms are occurring but said the effects can be crystal clear: extensive property damage and the loss of life at times. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, hail storms between 2010 through 2012 caused billions of dollars worth of damage across the country. In June 2012, an outbreak of storms in Colorado caused over $1 billion worth of damage.