Colorado Prepares for Hail, Expects Three to Four Catastrophic Storms

May 30, 2006

Colorado can expect three to four catastrophic hailstorms every year, according to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association. According to the group, the damaging hail season is considered to be from mid-April to mid-August. Colorado’s Front Range is located in the heart of “Hail Alley,” which receives the highest frequency of large hail in North America and most of the world, so residents usually can count on three or four storms that cause at least $25 million in insured damage every year.

In the past 10 years, hailstorms have caused nearly $2 billion in insured damage in Colorado. As a result, up to one-half of homeowners insurance premiums may be going toward hail and wind damage costs. Hail damage is covered by almost all comprehensive auto insurance policies, which RMIIA recommends.

All of Colorado’s seven most costly hailstorms were centered in the Denver-metro area, where the largest concentration of property in the state is located. They were:
1. $625 million in insured damage occurred on July 11, 1990.
2. $276.7 million in insured damage occurred from June 13-14, 1984.
3. $225 million in insured damage occurred on October 1, 1994.
4. $146.5 million in insured damage occurred from June 8-9, 2004.
5. $128 million in insured damage occurred on August 11, 1997.
6. $122 million in insured damage occurred on May 22, 1996.
7. $100 million in insured damage occurred from May 30 – June 2, 1991.
8. $87.8 million in insured damage occurred on October 16, 1998.

RMIIA is recommending consumers don’t got out in hailstorms to protect property and has created a list of things they should do to protect their property, assess damage, file a claim and select a repair company. For more information, visit www.rmiia.org.

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