As we know, the frequency and severity of natural disasters is on the rise in Canada, including hailstorms. Due to our unique location, Alberta is bound to see some more superstorms this summer.
This province is home to many amazing things not seen anywhere else in the world, including massive hailstorms. We are home to the infamous Hailstorm Alley, which runs from High River in southern Alberta, north through Calgary, through Red Deer to Lacombe, and then west to Rocky Mountain House. The area sees an average of 40 hailstorms each year, and Calgary is considered the hailstorm capital of Canada. Hailstorms tend to happen most often between May and October, and stones have been measured to hit the ground at 130 kms per hour.
In Canada, annual insured catastrophic losses now surpass $2 billion due to extreme weather events. On Aug. 1, 2022, a severe hailstorm in Central Alberta resulted in $55 million in insured damages. A number of storm cells produced wind gusts at speeds above 100 km/h, and there was also heavy rain and flooding. The storm produced the largest hailstone ever recorded in Canada, measuring over 123 mms in diametre and weighing 292.71 grams. The stone was recovered in Markerville, just 35 kms outside of Red Deer.
That was bad, but those damages were amazingly doubled the following year in Calgary. A hailstorm on July 15, 2023, produced over $110 million in insured damage. The siding and roofs of homes were demolished, hailstones dented vehicles, blew out windshields, and even broke a glass ceiling at the Chinook Mall.
The worst yet and still undefeated for hail damage is the huge Calgary hailstorm of June 13, 2020, which resulted in over $1.3 billion in insured damages. It remains the most costly hail event in Canada’s history. Calgarians may also remember a doozy of a storm in August 2012, which resulted in a whopping $700 million in insured damages, and another ferocious storm the year earlier that resulted in $380 million in insured losses.
For the past 10 years, Alberta has generated an average of 76% of Canada’s hail damage claims, with the last three years reaching 84%.
Hail and your home insurance policy
Consulting with your insurance broker before the onset of hail season is crucial. The knowledgeable brokers at Lane’s can outline the coverage provided by your home insurance policy, including protection against flying debris, falling branches, or rain entering through openings caused by wind or hail.
Remember, if your roof is in poor shape, your insurance company has the right to refuse a claim for hail damage.
If you have made any improvements, such as impact-resistant roofing, be sure to inform your company. You may receive a discount on your coverage.
Hail and your auto insurance policy
Most auto insurance policies will cover for hail damage, but not all. Verify with your insurance broker that you have the proper comprehensive coverage, which safeguards your vehicle against common insurance perils like fire, high winds, and hail.
Research and mitigation efforts underway
Preparation is always key for the minimization of damage and hassle. Learn how to prepare for a hailstorm and the steps to follow after with the City of Calgary’s hail preparedness guide, which provides a number of tips in several different languages.
To scientifically address the destructive potential of hail, initiatives like the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction HailSmart Program emphasize the importance of intervention. Cloud-seeding programs, led by the Alberta Severe Weather Management Society, are working to diminish insured damages in high-risk areas. Cloud-seeding alters cloud properties with substances like silver iodide particles, which reduce the size and severity of hailstones. While its effectiveness varies due to uncontrollable variables, cloud-seeding has been helping to safeguard public infrastructure and personal property.
The Institute also offers a number of additional resources for home and business owners for the protection of their properties.
In addition, Hailstorm Alley is now the focus of a five-year study out of Ontario’s Western University called the Northern Hail Project. There are three years left of research to go, and the results will hopefully help us understand better how hail is formed, why it falls in certain areas, and what can be done about it.
The average Alberta citizen can help contribute to the growing body of knowledge about hail and to the Northern Hail Project after a storm by taking a photo of a hailstone (if it is safe!), preferably with something placed next to it (like a loonie or toonie) for scale. Note the date and location where the stone was found and send your pics in to the Northern Hail Project’s Twitter page or use the hashtag #ABstorm.
Trust Lane’s for all your Alberta insurance needs
In addition to working with Alberta’s most trusted insurance carriers, one of the best things about Lane’s Insurance is its industry-leading claims support. Lane’s offers expert assistance, along with great attention to detail and customer service staff that is invested in resolving your claim quickly.
Learn more about how Lane’s can help you save on your home and auto insurance.
