Dauphin hail damage could cost MPI $8M/AUTO HAIL REPAIR
| By ROB NAY, SUN MEDIA |
Baseball-sized hail shattered windows, cracked windshields and dented vehicle bodies. HANDOUT |
Damages could climb to $8 million for vehicles caught in a storm that hammered Dauphin last week, Manitoba Public Insurance said yesterday.
"We'll probably be closing in on 3,000 claims by the end of Monday," said MPI spokesman Brian Smiley.
Estimates range from $6 to $8 million for total vehicle damages as a result of the Thursday night storm, said Smiley.
The system brought baseball-sized hail and high winds to the community about 300 km northwest of Winnipeg.
Vehicles throughout Dauphin had shattered windows, cracked windshields and dented bodies.
All 200 vehicles at Barry Forman's Ford automobile dealership suffered damage in the storm. "It looks like a war zone," he said.
Brad Collett, chief administrative officer for the City of Dauphin, had two vehicles damaged in the hail. Numerous homes and businesses also had windows shattered, he said. "There's tremendous glass damage," said Collett.
Despite the broken windows and damaged roofs, he said the cleanup has been progressing and residents have been busy picking up fallen branches in their yards.
MPI will open an emergency hail claim centre in Dauphin tomorrow in addition to its regular office in the city to help process claims.
People still need to call MPI first to open a claim before taking their vehicles to the centre. MPI's toll-free line is 1-800-665-2410.
The same storm that hit Dauphin also caused an estimated $1 to $2 million in damage to vehicles in Winnipeg, primarily in the city's North End, said Smiley.
More than 600 claims were expected to be filed for hail damage in Winnipeg by the end of yesterday.
The largest total for vehicle damages happened in 1996, when a July storm caused $53 million in damages based on 24,400 claims in Winnipeg, said Smiley.
MPI rates will not be affected for 2007-08, said Smiley, as MPI filed its rate application earlier this summer.
