Stormy Skies and Crystal Clear Data

With all of the killer tornadoes, damaging hail storms, crippling blizzards, and record heat waves that we have experienced so far in 2011, the number of claims citing weather-related damages has skyrocketed. As insurance adjusters, CAT teams, engineers, and others scramble to investigate these claims and determine whether a payout is due, it is a good time to think about the role that forensic meteorologists can play in cases where weather could be a major factor. Because these weather events directly affect the insurance industry by increasing the number of P&C claims and policy payouts, forensic meteorologists can be of tremendous value in mitigating unnecessary losses or substantiating payouts.

Using a variety of official weather records, forensic meteorologists can verify the climate conditions surrounding a loss by using tools to pinpoint exactly what had been going on at a specified time and location. Forensic meteorology has been around for more than a decade, but many attorneys, insurance professionals, and engineers may be unaware of the services that these experts can provide.

Whether it is for a slip and fall on snow and ice, a hail claim, or a lightning strike, having accurate weather information from the incident location is often crucial in deciding whether to pay out a claim.