The latter firm received 149 reports of damages caused by hail, 234 by the storm in general, 50 from heavy rains and 180 from lightning. Based on these claims, Aegon estimates that 2,000 to 3,000 people in its clientele were affected. The 190 claims received by Allianz brought the total of storm-related filings received by the company this year to 3,250.
The aggregate value of damages that are on record comes to HUF 70.5 million, but the sum is expected to rise with more customers calling in. Aegon said it handles most of the cases over the telephone and instances where an on-site inspection is necessitated are addressed within 24 hours of the client’s call.
The majority of Aegon’s reports, more than half of the total, originated in Pest County and the northeastern parts of the country. Pest came first with 152, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg with 72 and Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén third with 42 claims. Allianz received most claims from Heves followed by Borsod and Bács-Kiskun counties.
Aegon noted that the volume of damages caused by weather conditions is increasing every year. After the summer storm season of 2010, the company paid its clients HUF 4.1 billion as coverage after 70,000 reports.
Indeed, 2010 produced a record volume of rain, with the region of Miskolc-Lillafüred-Jávorkút getting 1,554.9 millimeters of precipitation over the course of 365 days, an all-time high. Over the stormiest of weekends to date this year, there were reports of hail, significant amounts of rain and heavy winds. In eastern Hungary’s Karcag, around 1,000 homes were left without electricity as the wind tore down pylons in the area.
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