Debris Removal and Temporary Repairs Storm damage often includes downed trees and windblown debris. Make sure clients understand the limits and requirements for debris removal and temporary repair coverage.
Comprehensive Coverage With high winds and hail, remind your customer about comprehensive coverage being needed for these types of claims.
WATER-RELATED |
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Water-related storm events in the U. S. continued a three-year upward trend, rising from 6,679 in 2022 to 7813 in 2024, driven primarily by an increase in flooding events. This number is right at the 25-year average for water-related events. In Kansas, 2024 saw 169 such events— below the 25-year annual average of 217. The peak of water-related storm events was recorded in Kansas was 2007 with 504 events. The following graph shows where water-related events occurred in KS last year with the largest happening in Northwest Kansas.
events also trended downward across both Kansas and the U. S. While 2024 brought some relief to severe drought conditions compared to 2022 and 2023, the crop insurance combined ratios in Kansas remained high at 114 %, highlighting the lingering impact of severe weather.
As a reminder, here a few coverage issues to discuss with customers at it relates to wildfire and heatrelated events:
Defensible Space and Underwriting Restrictions Carriers may deny or limit coverage for properties near wildfire-prone areas without defensible space or mitigation measures. Start the discussion with customers about landscaping, brush clearance, and roof types.
Smoke Damage and Hidden Losses Some policies exclude or limit smoke damage unless tied to direct flame. Ensure clients have adequate coverage for smoke infiltration, especially for autos and contents.
Power Surge and Electronics Damage Wildfire-adjacent outages often cause power surges.
WILDFIRES, HEAT, AND DROUGHT: FINALLY SOME RELIEF
In 2024, wildfire and heat-related events in Kansas significantly declined compared to 2023, which had the second-highest number of such events in the past 25 years. Kansas experienced far fewer of these types of events in 2024 at 148, down from 494 last year. Wildfires in Kansas remained low and drought
22 KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER