Farmers Urged to Leave Samples of Hail Damage as Harvest Begins

Farmers are urged to leave adequate samples of damaged crops as harvest begins across western Canada so insurance adjusters can accurately process claims, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association.

Harvest is beginning after a hail storm season that, so far, is tracking close to last year. Farmers have made about 10,000 claims. The hail season ends in October.

A representative sample size of damaged crops is critical to assessing a claim. Insurance adjusters are available to answer any questions farmers may have about how much of a damaged crop is required for a good sample.

“Adjusters need good samples so they can properly determine losses,” said Scott McQueen of Palliser Insurance Company. “Please get in touch with your Canadian Crop Hail Association member company if you are unsure what to leave for a sample.”

Farmers across all three western provinces reported hail damage between Aug. 2-14.

CCHA member companies are investigating about 200 claims made during the time period.

Farmers in the Alberta communities of Iron Springs, Taber, Foremost and Lethbridge reported heavy damage from pea to golf ball-sized hail, according to Tyson Ryhorchuk of Rain and Hail Insurance Service.

Areas from Athabasca to Plamondo, Drayton Valley, Thorsby to Tofield, Morinville and Woodland County also saw damage, according to Jackie Sanden of Agriculture Financial Services Corporation. The Vergeville area reported damage as did the area between Cochrane and Onefour, she said. Several storm cells hit Claresholm, Taber and a large area north of Medicine Hat.

Murray Bantle, of Co-operative Hail Insurance Company, said farmers reported damage to cereal, pulse and oilseed. Storms hit the Saskatchewan communities of Carrot River, Watrous, Frobisher, Moosomin, Redvers, Yorkton, Chamberlain, Craven, Pense, Estevan and Regina, he said.

The Manitoba communities of Benito, Portage and Hartney also suffered crop damage, he said.

Also in Saskatchewan, farmers in Melville, Willowbunch, Mossbank, Central Butte, Eyebrow, Oungre, Torquay, Pense and Grand Coulee reported hail damage, according to Daryl Tiefenbach of Additional Municipal Hail.

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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), Ag Direct Hail Insurance Ltd, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (Alberta), Canadian Hail Agencies Inc., Co-operative Hail Insurance Company, Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, Palliser Insurance Company Ltd. and Rain and Hail Insurance Service Ltd.