Omaha and Lincoln's recent record hail storms

Posted by Wes True on March 12, 2018 in Pella Windows & Doors of Omaha and Lincoln

For the last several years, Pella Windows & Doors of Omaha and Lincoln have been repairing an unusually large number of hail-damaged windows across the metro areas. We are your local experts in helping homeowners work with their insurance companies to cover these repairs.

According to a report in the Journal Star, Nebraska ranked 2nd on a per-capita basis and 3rd overall nationally for the number of hail-related claims from 2013-2015, behind only Texas and Colorado.

While the same story states “a large chunk of the claims were for roofs damaged by the storms,” did you know hailstorms can also damage windows and doors? Oftentimes, roofing and siding companies will miss the windows and doors.

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If you’ve had your roof or siding assessed or repaired for hail damage, you should make sure your windows and doors get checked as well. Hail damage can be hard for the average homeowner to identify and it isn’t always obvious.

If you’ve been near the path of a hailstorm, contact Pella Windows & Doors of Omaha and Lincoln to set-up a free in-home consultation. We can evaluate and help answer any questions related to storm or hail damage to your windows and doors.

Omaha Hail Storms

On June 29, 2017, a hailstorm swept into the Omaha area and rained baseball size hail on houses, businesses, and cars. This hailstorm set in motion about 25,000 insurance claims, inspections, and payouts that the Omaha World-Herald reported cost approximately $80 million, even referring to it as the “June 29 Omaha hail property damage catastrophe.”

This catastrophe damaged roofs, windows, siding and much more. It was reported that the hail was large enough to damage asphalt shingles, even pounding holes in tougher asbestos shingles.

The hailstorm that swept through Omaha in June 2017 was not an isolated event. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Events Database, here’s a list of storms in the Omaha metro area by county over the last two years:

Lincoln Hail Storms

The hailstorm that hit Lincoln on May 9, 2016 was “likely one of the costliest storms in terms of insurance claims in the city’s history,” according to the Lincoln Journal Star.

The story states that State Farm reported 9,900 claims and nearly $100 million paid out and Farmers Mutual of Nebraska reported 6,600 claims and $48 million paid out. American Family Insurance reported 1,600 claims and about $10 million paid.

That’s 18,100 claims and $158 million paid from just those three insurers.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Events Database, here’s a list of storms in the Lincoln metro area by county over the last two years:

Lancaster County hail storms (click on the links for list and more details)

• Six major hailstorms in Lancaster County in 2016

• Six major hail storms in Lancaster County in 2017

After discussing the details with your insurance agent, contact Pella Windows & Doors of Omaha and Lincoln. You can set up a free in-home consultation to answer any questions you have about the hail damage to your windows; our agents will be happy to assist you. Get your free quote by contacting Pella Windows and Doors at (402) 403-5762 or by clicking Get a Free Quote at the top of the page.

About The Author

General Manager of Operations

I serve on the executive team for the Pella Direct Sales Network (PDSN), by providing remarkable last mile services including installation, prefinishing, delivery, and exceptional customized quality in the Omaha, Lincoln, and Council Bluffs metros. One of my passions is to grow leaders within our company that will coach our teams to achieve operational excellence, through continuous improvements in quality, innovation, and productivity. At Pella of Omaha & Lincoln, we are able to solidify a strategy that produces an agile operating model, and are able to proactively respond to our everchanging market and environment.

I have learned the business from the ground up over the last 18 years. My first role after graduating from Iowa State University with a bachelor's degree in supply chain management, was working nights at Pella Corp as an assembly line manager. After moving back to Omaha and transferring to our PDSN, I had to the opportunity and pleasure to lead every operational and sales team. This in-depth, hands-on experience has led up to the my readiness for this current role.

I’ve been married to my supportive wife Ashley for nearly 13 years and a proud father of three active boys and often do my best thinking (and stress relief) through regular workouts.