A hailstorm the size of golf balls in Lumsden on Thursday brought massive damage to residents and businesses.
Morrow’s Marine & More, a local boat dealer, estimates they lost roughly $80,000 from the storm.
“For the most part, most of it will probably be out-of-pocket expenses we’ll have to pay for,” said Brandon Syrota, Morrow’s Marine & More sales and finance worker.
Syrota said the company had products outside when the hailstorm hit Thursday afternoon at around 4:30 p.m.
The business later said they looked into insurance coverage, but this option would have cost more than paying the damages directly.
The biggest setback for their boat dealer will be slower sales, as units will need to be fixed before they’re delivered to customers.
Along with the business, 10 employees had their vehicles damaged, including Syorta.
“[The damages included] the hood, the whole roof, the back panelling, and the tunnel cover on my truck. The side door panels also got some hail on them,” he said
Syrota also said one employee had their sunroof dented, while another one had their entire windshield damaged.
With hard economic times, Syrota can only feel for other friends in the community and local members who will have to bear the costs of the storm.
On a positive note, Syrota sees this as a short-term issue for vehicle/property owners with SGI coverage.
“I think our insurance policies in Saskatchewan are pretty good for these situations.”
SGI told SaskToday in a statement that over 140 auto claims and 26 property claims have been made in relation to the hailstorm in Lumsden as of 12 p.m. on Friday.
“This is a preliminary number, and we expect it will grow once people have had a chance to assess the damage and file a claim,“ said SGI.
Syrota himself said he would wait to file a claim because of how busy the insurance company is.
SGI said customers have two years from the date of loss to finalize repairs or settle the total loss after filing their claim.
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