Spring weather can be unpredictable and varies across the country.
So, how can insurance agents help homeowners minimize possible weather-related losses?
Data released by Farmers Insurance shows that homeowners should be prepared for warmer spring temperatures to bring a mix of hazards, including hailstorms, tornadoes and sewer damage.
The Farmers Seasonal Smarts Digest, generated from Farmers homeowners' claims data filed between 2013 and 2016, shows that 39 percent of all claims related to hail occur between March and May. Furthermore, the data shows hail claims are on the rise, with claims increasing on average by 12 percent since 2013.
|5,500 major hail storm in 2015
In fact, there were nearly 5,500 major hail storms in 2015, with April and May alone producing 2,000 storms, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Farmers and the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center also found that, on average, more than 400 tornadoes occurred annually from 2014 to 2016, with May averaging the most, at nearly 250 tornadoes.
Related: 10 extreme weather events of 2016
"March traditionally marks the onset of storm season in many parts of the country and that means everyone needs to be prepared," said Paul Quinn, head of claims customer experience with Farmers Insurance.
|Tips to protect homes from hail & winds
Quinn recommends that homeowners in all parts of the country consider taking a few simple steps to help protect their homes against harsh hail and wind storms including:
- Prepare your home's exterior. Take the time to reinforce roofs before storm season hits. Hurricane straps or clips can be installed to help secure the roof-to-wall connections.
- Secure your windows with storm shutters. Don't have shutters? You can make do with soft protective coverings, like blankets, in your home away from windows. You can also use them to help shield yourself from any flying debris.
- Consider bringing outdoor items inside to protect them. If you can't get them all inside remember to protect glass tables and secure lawn furniture/umbrellas and trash receptacles.
- Stay inside during a hailstorm, if possible. Try to stay away from skylights and doors. Close drapes, blinds or window shades to prevent the wind from blowing shattered window glass inside. Be sure your family is safe and don't forget to bring pets inside, too.
- Keep materials on hand to cover any broken windows or other openings to your home. It's important to keep wind and water out of these areas to prevent further storm damage.
Spring water claims
In addition to hail, nearly 20 percent of claims due to wind or tornado damage occur in spring, as well as 17 percent of all water claims, which includes things like sewer and drain damage, which typically increases due to melting snow coupled with increased rain. Notably, the number of backed up sewers is increasing at a rate of approximately 3 percent annually, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
"Spring weather brings on more than just hail and can vary across the country," explains Quinn. "Homeowners need to be prepared for the unexpected, like the potential for sewer and drain issues or even a late season snow which could lead to an ice dam."
Here are the type of homeowners' insurance claims most likely to occur in each of eight regions of the U.S. each spring:
The remains of a shore front road lay on the beach near homes destroyed by a severe nor'easter that lashed the East Coast, Tuesday, April 17, 2007, in the Ferry Beach section of Saco, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
|New England
(Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island)
Other weather (includes ice dam and weight of ice and snow claims): 32 percent.
Water: 25 percent.
Wind: 14 percent.
Related: 10 windiest large U.S. cities 
Volunteers Mikala Smith, left, and Hussan Abdulmagid remove debris from a home that was destroyed by a storm on Friday, May 23, 2014, in Duanesburg, N.Y. Trees and power lines were knocked down, several homes were damaged and a barn collapsed as strong storms moved through rural Schenectady and Albany counties on Thursday. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
|Mid-Atlantic
(New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia and West Virginia)
Water: 27 percent.
Wind: 17 percent.
Hail: 11 percent.
Homeowner Steve Owens walks to his backyard to check on the flooding of his residence Thursday, May 1, 2014, in Gulf Breeze, Fla. The National Weather Service, estimated 15-20 inches of rain has fallen in the Pensacola area in 2 days. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
|Southeast
(Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North and South Carolina and Tennessee)
Wind: 27 percent.
Hail: 24 percent.
Water: 14 percent.
Terry Dickow helps clean out John Whitaker's home in the Cherry Hill subdivision outside of Flagg Center, Ill., on Friday, April 10, 2015. The National Weather Service says at least two tornadoes churned through six north-central Illinois counties. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
|Greater Great Lakes
(Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin)
Hail: 29 percent.
Water: 20 percent.
Wind: 19 pecent.
A home along E. Pennsylvania Street in Van, Texas, received an X after it had been searched by emergency personnel. The home was damaged after severe weather moved through the area Monday, May 11, 2015. A line of tornadoes battered several small communities in Texas and Arkansas, killing at least five people. (AP Photos/Todd Yates)
|South Central
(Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, New Mexico, Arkansas and Louisiana)
Hail: 60 percent.
Wind: 20 percent.
Water: 8 percent.
Stripped trees and debris line the road in Beaver Crossing, Neb., Monday, May 12, 2014, after a tornado blew through the area. Beaver Crossing was hit hard after several tornadoes moved across Nebraska causing damage to homes and businesses in or near Sutton, Garland, Cordova and Daykin. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
|Midwest
(Colorado, Nebraska, North and South Dakota and Wyoming)
Hail: 51 percent.
Water: 15 percent.
Wind: 13 percent.
Siding on a home on North 20 Road near Worden, Mont., is full of holes Monday, May 14, 2007, after a thunderstorm with high winds damaged buildings, power lines and downed trees. (AP Photo/Billings Gazette, Larry Mayer)
|Pacific Northwest
(Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana)
Hail: 27 percent.
Water: 26 percent.
Theft and vandalism: 16 percent.
Workers survey storm damage at the Pacific Cove Mobile Home Park in Capitola, Calif., Friday, March 25, 2011. A powerful storm swept across California flooding part of Capitola, in Santa Cruz County, and forcing dozens of mobile homes residents to evacuate. The storm soaked hillsides along the coast threatening landslides as the rain continues. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
|Southwest
(California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah)
Water: 41 percent.
Theft and vandalism: 20 percent.
Wind: 16 percent.
Related: 6 ways to tornado-proof your home
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Jayleen R. Heft
Jayleen Heft is the digital content editor for PropertyCasualty360.com. Contact her at [email protected].
