CCHA Website Documents Western Canada’s Storms
The Canadian Crop Hail Association is launching a new website that will serve as a clearinghouse for details about storms across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
The site, cropinsuranceincanada.com, is part of CCHA’s increased outreach aimed at providing prairie farmers, the public, and journalists in Western Canada more information about how hail insurance works to protect crops that are critical to the region’s economy.
“We are excited to launch this new site,” said Rick Omelchenko, president of the Canadian Crop Hail Association. “Part of mission at CCHA is educate farmers and the public on why hail insurance is so critical to the prairie region. This site will help us increase outreach and document the damaging storms that impact our farmers every year.”
Canadian Crop Hail Association member companies covered more than $6.3 billion in crops in Western Canada in 2018. Companies paid $161 million on 11,200 claims.
Association members will provide data about storms in their area that will be used to compile storm reports offered on the site. The data comes from adjusters who are working in the fields with farmers.
Storm reports will include the path of storms, the size of the hail stones, the crops that were damaged, the extent of the damage and other factors that impact insurance adjustments such as wind and flooding.
“Agriculture is the lifeblood of our communities in Western Canada,” Omelchenko said. “When hail storms happen, as they always do on the prairie, we know or friends, neighbors and customers want the information we are gathering from farm fields. We are excited to be able to provide it in one place with this site.”
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The Canadian Crop Hail Association (CCHA) has been serving the crop insurance industry since 1915. It is a member-driven organization that represents the interests of the Canadian Crop Hail managing general agencies and insurance companies. Our companies service agriculture producers in the western prairies. These private and government organizations together provide a risk management tool to the Western Canadian prairie farmer.
Members are Additional Municipal Hail Ltd. (Saskatchewan), Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (Alberta), Co-operative Hail Insurance Company, Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation Rain and Hail Insurance Service Ltd., Palliser Insurance Company Ltd., Canadian Hail Agencies Inc. and Ag Direct Hail Insurance Ltd.