With all the storm damage from last year, many things have changed, including insurance.

United Risk Services Commercial Lines Agent Jenyse Durham tells Raccoon Valley Radio that the change hasn’t been small either.

“It’s changed dramatically because carriers are pulling out of the market in Iowa completely. So there’s less options, or people are scrambling to find coverage because their carriers no longer writing that line of coverage. Carriers for commercial policies are more stringent on what they’ll accept and so we are looking further and further to find companies that are interested in writing certain lines of coverage. Additionally, premiums are going up to accommodate some of the loss histories across Iowa and that hits all of our pocketbooks, ours included even though we’re writing insurance, we feel the same effects that our clients do.”

United Risk Services Personal Lines Agent Diane Hawley mentions that personal insurance has also taken a hit, with premiums jumping as well, especially with hail insurance for houses. She explains that she’s seen premiums jump to at least $2,500 for home hail insurance, with some taking a one percent approach, meaning your premium is one percent of your home’s value, so if your house is worth $400,000, your hail premium is $4,000.