In the Aftermath of a Seriously Severe Hail Storm in Omaha, NE
When high wind speeds and hail meet during a severe summer storm, the result is millions of dollars in repairs. Omaha auto hail repair shops will be busy for many months and possibly even into next year. Residents are worried that these severe storms could be the new norm.
Kearney County Emergency Management Director Craig Lupkes said, “We’ve been hit pretty hard the last couple of years. We can never just catch rain. All it is is severe weather. When it comes through, it destroys everything.”
Omaha meteorologists and scientists are echoing these concerns.
Scientists say that damaging hailstorms are on the increase in Nebraska and are expected to worsen with climate change. Meteorologists describe these storms as a “ring of fire” because they follow along the periphery of the hot air mass. Climatologists have notated that 2022 has been the second worst June for hail in the last 10 years.
Good news. Hail storm season in the midwest typically only lasts about 3 months of the year. Bad news, the consensus by experts in the scientific community doesn’t see this trend in severe weather getting better.
Nebraska can get hail any month of the year, but most hailstorms occur from May through July, with June the peak month. June 14, 2022, has been the worst.
Omaha insurance groups report a major increase in wind/hail damage claims.
$32 million dollars in 2022 hail damage claims alone.
American Family Insurance, a major insurer in Nebraska, has received 6,200 claims for wind and hail damage this year and over 4,000 more in June.
In an attempt to expedite the Omaha auto hail claims process, some insurance companies have set up drive-through inspection tents in multiple big box store parking lots across multiple counties.
Omaha vehicle owners are expressing major concerns about the likelihood of rate increases as a result of the hail claims.
American Family Insurance spokesman Ken Muth says, “While storm damage does affect insurance rates, no single year does, Instead, the company bases rates on a 20- to 30-year average. The recent sharp increases in insurance rates are due to the rising cost of building materials, car parts, replacement cars, and labor.”
Quotes extracted from the Omaha World Journal.
The Hail Shop – Omaha’s #1 Auto Hail Repair Shop
We can’t stop the influx of severe weather occurrences but there are steps vehicle owners can take to soften the blow. Visit our Auto Hail Repair page to access our collection of articles and blogs to get ahead of the storm.
If your vehicle has hail damage that still needs to be repaired, you can visit our Omaha shop to get scheduled. All of our paintless dent repair technicians specialize in repairing auto hail damage.