CANADIAN HAIL STORM LOSS ESTIMATED AT C$1.2BN

The massive hailstorm that swept through Calgary, Alberta on June 13 caused C$1.2bn ($900m) in insured losses, making it the costliest hail event and fourth-costliest natural disaster in Canadian history, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. The bulk of the damage was suffered by private property and vehicles, followed by commercial property. The storm smashed windows and tore the siding off hundreds of homes in northeast Calgary and caused some flooding. While flood losses may not be insured, uninsured losses will be covered by Alberta’s disaster relief programme, said Premier Jason Kenney. The only larger catastrophe losses recorded in Canada are the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires (C$4bn), the 1998 ice storm in eastern Canada (C$2.3bn) and the 2013 flooding in southern Alberta (C$1.7bn). Alberta has suffered six of Canada’s 10 costliest disasters.