Wet Fields Continue to Slow Hail Damage Investigations Across Western Canada

Heavy rain and wet fields continue to slow crop damage investigations as farmers report a new round of hailstorms across western Canada, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association.

The storms occurred Sept. 17-30.

CCHA member companies are investigating about 640 claims of crop damage in Saskatchewan and Manitoba during the time period.

Tyson Ryhorchuk of Rain and Hail Insurance Service said a Sept. 24 storm in Manitoba resulted claims of damage to canola, soybeans, wheat and oats. Damage ranged from light to medium. Rainfall is a factor as adjusters investigate.

“We ask that all producers remain patient as the ground saturation from recent heavy rainfall has greatly delayed the speed in which our adjusters can investigate claims,” he said.

Murray Bantle of Cooperative Hail Insurance Company also said rain is a factor in investigating a series of storms in Manitoba on Sept. 20, 21 and 24 that damaged cereals, oilseeds, pulses, corn and other specialty crops.

“These storms were extremely wet with lots of rain recently,” he said. “Producers should be patient and ensure adequate samples are left.”

An appropriate check strip for crop damage is at least 20 by 30 feet in the four corners and in the middle of the field.

August storm claims filed with Cooperative Hail are complete, Bantle said. The number of claims is within the 5-year average. The average payable claim was slight below the 5-year average in August, he said.

September claims are 62 percent complete. Damage from the September storms is above the 5-year average so far, he said. Storms Sept. 17-20 were costly due to the amount of unharvested ripe crop still in the fields and severity of the storms, Bantle said.

#####

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.