July hail storm in Colorado Springs sixth-most damaging in state history

The July 28 hailstorm that smashed Colorado Springs was the sixth-most damaging event in Colorado history, triggering $352.8 million in claims for damage to homes and vehicles, an insurance industry trade group said Monday.

Described as an "absolute hail bomb" by Brian Bledsoe, chief meteorologist with Gazette news partner KKTV, the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association said the storm featuring up to tennis ball-sized hail resulted in 84,500 auto and homeowner insurance claims filed so far. That includes 51,300 auto insurance claims adding up to more than $164.6 million and 33,200 property insurance claims at more than $188.2 million.

"The difference between this storm and many of the other large storms that have hit Colorado is you typically see one storm travel across the state or along the Front Range causing damage over a wide area," said Carole Walker, the association's executive director. "This storm was concentrated in the Colorado Springs area and the size of the hail resulted in a very high percentage of claims that were total losses."

Renee Larson, a semi-retired homeowner near the Colorado Springs Airport, said the storm did about $60,000 damage to her family's three vehicles as well as the roof, six windows, skylights, chimney, siding, fence and shed on or near their home. The vehicles were total losses and she hopes repairs to her home will soon be approved by her mortgage company.

Read more: http://gazette.com/july-hail-storm-in-colorado-springs-sixth-most-damaging-in-state-history/article/1583416