Hail is a leading cause of car and property damage in many states and produced more than 2.8 million insurance claims from 2017-2019, according to a National Insurance Crime Bureau review of Insurance Services Office claims data. In 2020 alone, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration recorded more than 4,600 major hailstorms.
Developed by Liberty Mutual’s innovation center, Solaria Labs, the hail alert program has grown from a pilot activity in Texas to now include 30,000 customers who have requested to receive a text message notifying them in real time when hail is forecasted in their area. Its effectiveness is evident through a recent survey in which nearly half of respondents (44%) said an alert prompted them to move their car to a safe, covered location, negating the risk of hail damage.
“We are constantly testing new digital insurance offerings and services that expand protection to our customers in ways beyond insurance,” said Liberty Mutual’s Head of Global Retail Markets Innovation and Solaria Labs, Adam L’Italien. “A value-added service like our Hail Alerts helps to create deeper connections with our customers by keeping them and their property safe from the unexpected.”
Liberty Mutual offers Hail Alerts in in Ala., Ark., Colo., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Minn., Mo., Miss., Mont., N.D., Neb., N.M., Okla., S.D., Texas, Tenn., and Wyo.