26 September 2023, SOUTH AFRICA: The SA Weather Service (SAWA) reported last week that the first spring thunderstorms were expected over Gauteng, the North West, the Free State, and the eastern Highveld.

Summertime is historically hail season in the northern parts of South Africa. Hail stones, which vary from the size of marbles to the size of golf balls, cause millions of Rands worth of damage each year. Last year, the short-term insurer, Santam, paid out more than R1 bn in hail and weather-related claims on the personal insurance portfolio alone.

As climate patterns shift, frequency and severity of hail storms is likely to increase. A 2022 report by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation highlights that over the last 12 years, South Africa has endured the most extreme weather events out of all African countries, with 33 disaster events between 2010 and 2022. The study also found that South Africa is the only African country affected by five out of the six types of extreme weather events analysed, namely droughts, floods, landslide events, extreme temperature, storms and wildfires.

Santam says that being prepared for hail season can help significantly to minimise costly hail damage.

Santam’s Head of Client Solutions Underwriting, Attie Blaauw, says: “Hail is an extremely destructive natural weather pattern. Hailstones can measure up to 7 cm in diameter so it is easy to see why so much irreparable damage is done to vehicles and property.”

Blaauw says that the cost to repair and replace vehicles varies according to the severity of the storm and whether the damage could be repaired paintless or not. “Not only are the costs crippling, but the repair process can take months, depending on the availability of car parts and the capacity of approved motor body repairers,” he adds.

Statistics show an average of six to eight hail days each year in parts of Gauteng and Lesotho, the eastern Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

Blaauw offers some tips to help Northerners be adequately prepared for hail storms:

If you are on the road or your vehicle is parked:

• Drive slowly – slower driving minimises the damage of hail and combats slippery roads.
• Locate a safe, covered area immediately or pull over under an overpass, provided it is safe to do so.
• Undercover parking at malls and petrol stations are good temporary solutions to protecting your car during a hail storm.
• Stay inside the vehicle. Large hail stones pose a genuine personal injury threat.
• Keep fleecy blankets in your boot so you can cover your car to minimise the impact of hail. If you don’t have blankets, grab the floor mats and put them on the roof and hood to at least cover some of the car to help minimise the costs of dent repair, dent removal and other hail damage repair.
• Take careful note of the extent of the damage to your car, look for damage to all glass items including side mirrors, tail lights and head lights. Taking pictures may be useful when it comes to claim time.

When you are at home:

• Keep your gutters clean and free of debris. Hail takes a while to melt and an overflowing gutter could lead to a leaking roof and further damage. Hail build-up is also heavy so make sure that the guttering is sound and in good order.
• Trimming trees close to your house helps get rid of branches that can cause severe damage  during a storm
• Keep your blinds down. Make sure you close all curtains, blinds or shutters to prevent broken window glass and hailstones from entering your home and injuring you or your family.
• Park your car in the garage or in a sheltered undercover area.

Blaauw says South Africans in hail-prone areas should ensure they are adequately covered against hail damage in their insurance policy. “It is very important to know exactly what you are covered for and for what amount.  Make sure your policies are up to date and take a note of the insurer’s available emergency services. Good insurers will have an opt-in weather alert service – make sure you sign up to this,” says Blaauw. He concludes by urging South Africans affected by hail to immediately report the incident to their insurers.

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About Santam, Insurance, Good and Proper

Santam is South Africa’s largest short-term insurer with a market share in excess of 22%. Listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the Santam group provides a diversified range of general insurance products and services in Southern Africa and internationally through a network of over 3 300 intermediaries and direct channels.

The group’s more than 1 million policyholders range from individuals to commercial and specialist business owners and institutions, including 80 of the Top 100 companies listed on the JSE. The group employs over 6 000 employees and was certified as a Top Employer by the Top Employer Institute for the sixth consecutive year in 2022.