Insurance Claims Pile Up After Damaging Hail Storms
DENVER (CBS4)- Insurance claims reached more than 1,300 for homeowners on Wednesday and 6,000 for cars across Colorado after two days of hailstorms, according to State Farm.
"Mine was the worst of all of them," said Rachel Milhoan, she parked her car outside on Tuesday. "Mine got the front windshield as well and the back taillight."
With severe weather season in Colorado, there often comes damage and insurance claims. This week, storms caused damage to cars and homes, breaking out windows and leaving dents.
"We just grabbed everything we could find and threw it on our cars, still lost our windshield," said Steve Shaddock, who lives in Louisville. "It came in real quickly and some were as big as tennis balls."
State Farm told CBS4 it had employees out on calls beginning Tuesday right after the storm finished. They have remained busy on Wednesday processing claims. Louisville, Boulder, Brighton, and other parts of Northern Colorado were the hardest hit, according to the insurance company.
"They have broken skylights, shattered solar panels, broken windows, those are the initial things that people see," said Bob Blume, a claims team manager with the insurance company.
Blume says in some cases customers will have immediate repairs they need to take care of on their own, saving the receipt for a claim after the work is completed. They are most concerned about scams that customers may fall for when someone comes door to door, they recommend reaching out to homeowners associations or other industry councils for recommended contractors.
"A lot of times with a storm like this, there may be damage on a house that the customer isn't even aware of," he added.
Auto shops told CBS4 they were also busy with repairs because of the storms. But drivers are glad that they managed to get by without any serious issues.
No one was hurt, it can be replaced, we are okay," said Milhoan. "So, I'm sure it could've been worse.
Additional Information from State Farm:
Hiring a Reputable Contractor:
- Contact your local home builders association or remodelers council for a directory of reputable contractors.
- Make sure the contractors are currently licensed, registered and insured.
- Get at least three different estimates.
- Insist on a written contract that includes: contractor's contact information, project timeline, payment schedule and permit requirements.
Things to watch out for:
- Pushy door-to-door sales tactics or unsolicited calls are common after a disaster.
- Promising discounts for using leftover materials or for referring other customers.
- Insisting on a large deposit or cash payments in full.
- Asking you to secure building permits.
- Unwillingness to provide local contact information
Shawn Chitnis reports weeknights for CBS4 News at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Email him story ideas at smchitnis@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter or Facebook.