Hail insurance companies continue to process large claim numbers following a variety of storms earlier this month across the Prairies.
CEO of Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance Rodney Schoettler states so far, about 2,800 quarters of farmland were hit from a storm on July 5 and about 1,300 quarters were impacted from a July 3 storm.
He added claims continue to be submitted from storms on July 10 and 11 with just over 1,700 claims to this point.
The claims cover areas from all over Saskatchewan, Schoettler says, including Nipawin, Melfort, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Humboldt, Cudworth, Lloydminster, Spiritwood, Meadow Lake, Kindersley, Rosetown, Cutknife, Saskatoon, Davidson, Wadena, Gravelbourg, Burstall, Shaunavon, Assiniboia, and Radville.
Schoettler says it has been busy at Municipal Hail, but they're still okay. He reminds farmers to be patient as they work through the claims.
"Our target is to be in most areas 14 days after the storm and it looks like we're going to meet that target. And then we try to make sure our claims are all adjusted within 30 days of receipt of the claim." Schoettler said.
Ag Direct Hail Insurance is another company sifting through hundreds of claims.
Executive Vice President Bruce Lowe says 387 claims have been submitted to them so far between Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba this year, compared to 209 claims at the same time last year.
"So we're talking about an 85% increase year over year in the number of claims." Lowe said, noting Alberta occupies the largest share of claims this year at roughly 45 per cent, Saskatchewan around 42 per cent, and Manitoba with the remaining balance of 13 per cent.
Similar to Municipal Hail Insurance, Lowe said while there are more claims, his team is on top of it.
Lowe also said producers still have a few days to submit a claim as they're accepting more until this Friday.
The Canadian Crop Hail Association (CCHA) is also preaching patience "as loss adjusters work through claims as quickly and efficiently as possible."
“Our adjusting team is working seven days a week to stay on top of the volume of claims and provide service as quickly as possible,” said Scott McQueen of Palliser Insurance Company Ltd. “In some areas, extremely wet field conditions continue to create challenges and may result in slight delays in completing inspections and finalizing claims.”
CCHA notes in a news release "member companies are investigating more than 1,650 claims of crop damage from storms that occurred July 6-19."
Below are the following crops damaged by hail and communities affected in each province, provided by CCHA:
ALBERTA
Crops damaged: Alfalfa, Barley, Beans, Canola, Corn, Faba Beans, Flax, Lentils, Oats, Peas, Potatoes, Rye, Soybeans, Sugar Beets, Triticale, Wheat
Communities impacted include: Abee, Alsike, Andrew, Ardenode, Athabasca, Atmore, Bassano, Bear Canyon, Beaumont, Beiseker, Bentley, Big Coulee, Bluffton, Bon Accord, Botha, Bowden, Brant, Busby, Carbon, Champion, Clandonald, Colinton, Deburne, Del Bonita, Delburne, Delia, Dewberry, Didsbury, Edberg, Edgerton, Egremont, Elk Point, Falun, Ferintosh, Fleet, Gleichen, Goodridge, Grande Prairie, Grassy Lake, Gwynne, Hackett, Hairy Hill, Hill Spring, Hilliard, Hoadley, Irricana, Kavanagh, La Crete, Leduc, Leedale, Lethbridge, Linden, Lloydminster, Mallaig, Maskwacis, Menaik, Milo, Morinville, Mossleigh, Mundare, Nacmine, Nightingale, Paradise Valley, Peers, Peoria, Pine Lake, Plamondon, Radway, Red Deer, Rimbey, Rocky Mountain House, Rockyford, Rowley, Ryley, Sabine, Schuler, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Sunnyslope, Swallwell, Taber, Talbot, Tangent, Thorhild, Tofield, Tomahawk, Turin, Usona, Vauxhall, Vermilion, Warner, Waskatenau, Whitecourt, Wildwood, Wimborne, Woking
MANITOBA
Crops damaged: Barley, Canola, Corn, Edible Beans, Fababeans, Field Peas, Flax, Grain Corn, Lentils, Oats, Peas, Potatoes, Silage Corn, Soybeans, Sunflowers, Wheat
Communities impacted include: Baldur, Boissevain, Carroll, Cromer, Deloraine, Killarney, Kola, Minto, Nesbitt, Oak Lake, Reston, Sinclair, Souris, Virden, Wawanesa
SASKATCHEWAN
Crops damaged: Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Barley, Corn, Peas, Lentils, Flax
Communities impacted include: Arran, Carrot River, Codette, Cudworth, Cupar, Eston, Ituna, Leross, Liebenthal, Nipawin, Rabbit Lake, Rosetown, Southey, Springside, Waldheim
