Hail Events Caused the Highest Percentage of Storm Losses In 2023
Of all the perils contributing to the more than $50 billion in severe convective storm (SCS) insured losses in the U.S. in 2023, “historic” hail activity caused the greatest percentage of loss, according to a new study from CoreLogic.
Last year included 141 days with hail of two inches or larger—the highest since 2003. Hail is uniquely damaging because, unlike tornadoes and other winds, hailstorms are “frequent, highly damaging to property and affect large portions of the U.S. during a single storm.”
“The degree to which 2023 was an outlier compared to history is seen in the number of single- and multi-family residential properties affected by hail,” said CoreLogic in its report. “Hail of at least one inch fell on over 10 million single- and multi-family homes in the contiguous U.S. from mid-March through November 2023.”
That’s not even accounting for homes affected in multiple events, CoreLogic noted.
Over 50% of those homes were located in Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Missouri. For example, between June 11-16, 2023, large hailstones and strong winds affected the Dallas-Fort Worth area every day with an estimated insured loss total of just over $6 billion.
While some of the higher losses of 2023 can be attributed to climate change, that doesn’t tell the full story, according to the report. More homes in harm’s way and population growth in some highly hail-exposed states play a major role.
“The active 2023 hail season was certainly responsible for the high loss year, but changes in exposure in the U.S. have and continue to exacerbate losses,” said CoreLogic. “Residential and commercial-residential (multi-unit apartments and condominiums) construction increased across the country since the last census in 2010. The number of housing units across the contiguous U.S. grew by 7% over the last decade to over 140 million.”
Jumps in reconstruction costs have accompanied the housing and population shifts, especially considering hail’s impact on roofs, siding and windows. Complete replacement is often required after a loss event if the structural integrity or watertightness of the home is at risk.
“Asphalt shingles, one of the most common roof-type materials used throughout the U.S., experienced a 40% increase in cost over the past five years,” said CoreLogic. “The cost of ceramic tiles, which are also commonly used for roofing material, has increased by 26% since 2018. Disregarding the increased cost of labor, this change in material costs alone has made roof repair much more expensive in 2023.”
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