The crop hail industry provided a record-setting $10 billion in coverage as producers purchased more insurance in the wake of increasing input costs, inflation and strong crop prices, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association.

Producers who waited to purchase hail coverage late in 2022 likely had a problem finding it due to the unanticipated 20-percent increase in demand.

“Our member companies worked hard to cover as many producers as possible across the prairie” said Scott McQueen, CCHA president. “We encourage producers to plan for their 2023 insurance needs early and contact a CCHA company soon so we may help with the process.”

Insurance payments to prairie producers will total more than $265 million. Producer premiums totaled more than $375 million for an industry loss ratio of 71 percent.

Alberta was the hardest hit with an industry loss ratio of 98 percent compared to 2021’s 97 percent. Saskatchewan followed with a 68 percent loss ratio, compared to 133 percent in 2021.  Manitoba reported a 43 percent loss ratio compared to 21 percent in 2021.

“We are proud to have helped prairie farmers once again weather the impacts of Mother Nature and have the resources they will need next year to grow the food we rely on,” McQueen said. “We thank our adjusters who responded to unprecedented market demand and worked to ensure farmers received payments quickly after claims.”

CCHA members have completed final hail damage claims.

Insurance adjusters are working seven days a week to stay ahead of harvest in Western Canada as hailstorms become less frequent but still destructive, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association.

The storms occurred Aug. 15-21.

CCHA member companies are investigating more than 1,300 claims of crop damage during the time period.

Companies contributing to this report are Co-operative Hail Insurance Company, Additional Municipal Hail Insurance, Rain and Hail Insurance Service, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, AG Direct Hail Insurance, Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation and Palliser Insurance

CCHA President Scott McQueen, of Palliser Insurance, said crops are ready for harvest or close to being ready, which leaves them susceptible to hail.

“As the season rolls on, producer awards continue to increase in size,” he said.  “Small storms can still produce heavy damage because of the condition of the crop. Producers are in the full swing of harvest and many are working day and night. Fields have been opened up and many are swathed. Adjusters are working seven days a week trying to get to as many clients as possible to avoid leaving samples in the field.”

Tyson Ryhorchuk, of Rain and Hail Insurance Service, said adjusters are working hard to attend to claims as quickly as possible in this extremely busy time of year.

“If farmers have claims and need to harvest damaged fields, we ask that they review the harvest strip instructions and adhere to the check strip requirements for their chosen company,” he said.

Here’s a look at storm damage across the region.

 Alberta

Crops damaged: Barley, canola, corn, faba bean, flax, mustard, oats, peas, potatoes, and wheat

Communities impacted include: Hillard, Wildwood, Nobleford, Coalhurst, Mundare, Monarch, Barons, Vegreville, Claresholm, Spring Creek, Woking, Rivière Qui Barre, Chipman, Hilliard, Warwick, Granum.

Saskatchewan

Crops damaged: Cereals, pulses, oilseeds, wheat, peas, durum, canary, lentils

Communities impacted include: Churchbridge, Fillmore, Francis, Montmartre, Osage, Richardson, Wawota, Biggar, Gladmar, Shellbrook, Craik, Lumsden, Maryfield, Ceylon, Chamberlain, Cudworth, Kendal, Weyburn, Odessa, Lagenburg, Norquay, Francis, Alvena, Canora, Creelman, Choiceland, Smeaton, Stenen, Carnduff.

Manitoba

Crops damaged: Canola, cereals, peas, corn, soybeans, sunflowers, flax

Communities impacted include: Deloraine, Grandview, Bowsman, Swan River, Boissevain, Hamiota, Pierson, Rossburn, Strathclair, Brandon, Crystal City, Swan River, Rathwell.

Insurance companies continue to urge growers to leave adequate samples of damaged crops as they assess hailstorm damage across Western Canada, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association.

The storms occurred July 25-31.

CCHA member companies are investigating more than 1,200 claims of crop damage during the time period.

Companies contributing to this report are Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, Additional Municipal Hail Insurance, Co-operative Hail Insurance Company, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, Palliser Insurance Company.

CCHA President Scott McQueen, of Palliser Insurance, said mid-to-late July brought more intense storms producing heavy damage in Saskatchewan and Alberta. July 31 produced the bulk of the claims for his company with damage raging from light to heavy.

“Companies are still on time when it comes to assessing damage,” he said. “If you are harvesting your crops, please leave adequate samples for your adjuster. If you are not sure what to leave, give your insurance provider a call and they will help you out.”

Darryl Tiefenbach, of Additional Municipal Hail Insurance, also said the west-central border between Saskatchewan and Alberta appears to have been hit the hardest.

“We will expect to see some very severe hailstorm damage to all crop types,” he said. “This storm travelled in a northwest to southeast path with the core of the storm through Kindersley, Eston and Glidden.”

Here’s a look at storm damage across the region.

 Alberta

Crops damaged: Barley, canola, corn, faba beans, lentils, oats, onions, peas, potatoes, rutabaga, rye, triticale, wheat.

 Communities impacted include: Cremona, Munson, Sundre, Condor, Leslieville, Blackfalds, Wetaskiwin, Millet, Riley, Holden, Daysland, Rosalind, Heisler, Forestburg, Alliance, Castor, Coronation, Veteran, Brownfield, Hughenden, Edgerton, Chauvin, McLaughlin, Paradise Valley, Fort Saskatchewan, Worsley, Hines Creek, Fairview, Bluesky, Eaglesham, Girouxville, Guy, Grande Prairie

Saskatchewan

Crops damaged: Cereals, oilseeds and pulses

Communities impacted include: White Fox, Luseland, Viceroy, Bengough, Canora, Kamsack, Senlac, Macklin, Marengo, Eatonia, Kindersley, Glidden, Eston, Milden, Beechy, Rush Lake, Hodgeville, Mortlach, Chaplin, Goodeve, Lampman, Swift Current, Eston, Herbert, Kindersley, Kyle, Morse, Rickglen, Rosetown, Tramping Lake, Waldeck

Manitoba

Crops damaged: All types.

Communities impacted include: Manitou, Darlingford, Broad Valley, Roblin.

Storms continue to result in light-to-medium damage in most areas but maturing crops mean significant losses in some cases, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association.

The storms occurred July 11-17.

CCHA member companies are investigating more than 2,100 claims of crop damage during the time period.

Companies contributing to this report are Co-operative Hail Insurance Company, Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, Ag Direct Hail Insurance, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, Additional Municipal Hail, Palliser Insurance Company, Rain and Hail Insurance Service

CCHA President Scott McQueen of Palliser Insurance said adjusters are seeing heavier damage to all types of crops.

“As crops mature, they become more susceptible to hail and therefore payments start to increase leading up to harvest,” he said. “We are also seeing complete crop devastation in isolated areas with golf ball size hail. Light to medium hail is still the trend right now with odd small areas receiving total destruction. Harvest in some areas is right around the corner so we encourage farmers to leave adequate samples for adjusters. If you are unsure what to leave, please contact your crop hail insurance provider for help.”

Murray Bantle, of Co-operative Hail Insurance, said the most severe storms occurred on July 17.

“Three major cells along, with various pop-up cells, created the largest storms of the week resulting in 60 percent of the claims,” he said. “A storm tracking west from the Alberta border left a 110-kilometer line of damage from Kerrobert east to Biggar. Early reports indicate this area has some severe crop damage. A second storm line caused sporadic damage over a 400-kilometer line from Elbow tracking southeast to Redvers continuing on to Manitoba. The third cell, 100 kilometers long, stretched from Ogema to Oungre on an east-southeast path.”

Here’s a look at storm damage across the region.

 Alberta

Crops damaged: cereals, Oilseeds, pulses, legumes barley, canola, corn, faba bean, flax, forages, lentils, oats, peas, potatoes, rye, triticale, wheat, oats and silage crops.

 Communities impacted include: Carstairs, Didsbury, Linden, Sundre, Eagle Hill, Olds, Torrington, Three Hills, Stauffer, Penhold, Red Deer, Delburne, Rocky Mountain House, Condor, Eckville, Sylvan Lake, Bentley, Lacome, Alix, Leahurst, Alliance, Bluffton, Crestomere, Ponoka, Bashaw, Maskwacis, Coronation, Veteran, Consort, Monitor, Hanna, Sedelia, New Brigden, Trochu, Galahad, Ponoka, Stettler, Provost.

Saskatchewan

Crops damaged: cereals, oilseeds, pulses, lentils, pea, wheat, durum, canola, oats, barley

Communities impacted include: Southey, Craik, Holdfast, Avonhurst, Duvall, Earl Grey, Edenwold, Esterhazy, Imperial, Odessa, Southey, Strasbourg, Vibank, Warman, Bulyea, Markinch, Redvers, Whitewood, Biggar, Brownlee, Central Butte, Ceylon, Chamberlain, Handel, Kerrobert, Landis, Loreburn, Luseland, Manor, Montmartre, Moose Jaw, Odessa, Oungre, Radville, Tribune, Tugaske, Wawota, Weyburn, Allan, Kenaston, Govan, Stalwart, Pilot Butte, Balgonie, Wolsley, Francis, Cupar, Qu’Appelle, Grenfell, Moosomin, Kerrobert, Kelfield, Loreburn, Bethune, Marquis, Pangman, Ceylon, Duval, Regina, Pense, Kerrobert, Macklin, Weyburn, Kenaston, Davidson, Major, Viscount.

Manitoba

Crops damaged: cereals, oilseeds, pulses, edible beans, canola, soybeans, potatoes, wheat, hemp, peas, oats.

Communities impacted include: Winkler, Minto, Brandon, Margaret, Nesbitt, Ninette, Boissevain, Wawanesa, Souris.

For more information and past reports: cropinsuranceincanada.org

Growers reported mostly light storm damage to young crops across western Canada with heavy rain in some areas, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association.

The storms occurred June 20-27.

CCHA member companies are investigating more than 1,280 claims of crop damage during the time period.

“We continue to see light damage to young crops in all three provinces,” said CCHA President Scott McQueen of Palliser Insurance. “More advanced crops are showing light to moderate damage with the odd field having severe damage. Heavy rainfall in some areas has slowed our adjuster force down, but there should be no risk of falling behind at this point.”

Yves Dooper, of Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, said storms damaged barley, canary seed, canola, corn, flax, forage, lentil, mustard, oats, peas, fall rye, wheat, faba beans, forage and potatoes in central and west-central Alberta.

The storms hit communities including Carbon, Morrin, Drumheller, Lawsonburg, Sundre, Olds, Trochu, Markerville, Penhold, PineLake, Red Deer, Alix, Ponoka, Meeting Creek, Heisler, north of Killam and Sedgewick, north of Edgerton, and north of Oyen. They also hit northeast Calgary, Airdrie, Irricana, Hanna, west of Acadia Valley, Youngstown, Sedalia, Compeer, Donalda, Halkirk, north of Irma, north of Holden, Clandonald, Marwayne, Barrhead, Westlock, Thorhild, Smoky Lake and St Paul.

“Majority of damage was reported as light to medium, with a few heavy and severe cases reported,” he said.

Darryl Tiefenbach, of Additional Municipal Hail, said storms damaged all types if crops in the Saskatchewan communities of Marsden, Nipawin, Carrot River, Swift Current, Shamrock, Mossbank, Assiniboia and Balgonie.  Storms also hit communities including Burstall, Richmound, Stewart Valley, Craik, Bethune, Silton, Earl Grey, Southey, Semans, Raymore, Lipton, Melville, Yorkton, Stockholm, Churchbridge and Langenburg. St Walburg, Medstead, Glaslyn, St Brieux, Kelvington, Prince Albert, Melfort, Kenaston, Raymore and Langenburg.

He said hail was pea-to-baseball size. The damage was mostly light to possible moderate with heavy rain and wind in some areas also causing crop damage.

“For this week, the biggest storm event was the June 23 storm day,” he said. “This storm stretched from Alberta near Richmound with a path all the way across and through Langenburg and Churchbridge into Manitoba. The other days during this week were mainly isolated pop-up storms that did not travel long distances.”

Murray Bantle, of Co-operative Hail Insurance Company, said storms damaged cereal, oilseed and pulse in south and central Manitoba.

The storms produced hail of a variety of sized. Heavy rain is also a factor.

He said Manitoba is slightly above the 5-year average for claims in June. The average cost per claim is around the 5-year average so far.

In central Saskatchewan, storms damaged cereals, pulses and oilseeds.

Damaged ranged from light to heavy depending on the stage of the crop, he said. Heavy rain in some areas is also a factor in adjusting for crop damage.

He said Saskatchewan is well above the 5-year average for claims in June. With only a few claims completed the average cost per claim so far is above the 5-year average.

McQueen, of Palliser Insurance, said storms damaged wheat, barley, canola, lentils, peas, and soybeans in Alberta. The storms hit communities including Three Hill, Red Deer, Torrington, Drumheller, Beiseker and Barrhead.

Hail ranged from small to medium size with rain also a factor in adjusting for crop damage.

In Saskatchewan, storms damaged wheat, durum, canola, peas, lentils and soybeans, he said. The storms hit communities including Moose Jaw, Gravelbourg, Nipawin, Choiceland, Humboldt Yorkton, Rocanville, Holdfast, Esterhazy and Langenburg.

In Manitoba, storms damaged whea, canola, barley, peas and soybeans, he said. The storms hit communities including Ste. Rose, Killarney, Sandy Lake, Strathclair, Baldur, Binscarth, Neepawa and Morden.