Colorado storm damage estimated at $161m

Jonathan Rest

THE COST of damage from tornadoes and hailstorms that swept across Colorado in the last week has been estimated at around $161m. The figure, provided by the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association (RMIIA), is based on preliminary data from around 34,000 insurance claims. The weather pattern ranks as the fifth-costliest in the state’s history. Most of the damage stems from the widespread hail that battered cars and homes. The association reports there have been 21,000 motor claims and 13,000 homeowner claims, with the majority of damage coming from the hail that pounded the areas of Aurora, Centennial and Parker. Colorado’s most expensive storm series in history occurred in July 1990, when hail caused $625m in damage. Last year a tornado hit the town of Windsor in north central Colorado, costing $193m in hail and tornado damage ( Insuranceday.com, May 28, 2008). That storm ranked as the fourth-most expensive, according to the RMIIA.