According to an initial estimate by Versicherungskammer Bayern, the damage caused by the storms last weekend is in the mid to high double-digit million range. The trend is “rather up – certainly not down,” said Christian Krams, head of claims at the Versicherungskammer Bayern group, on Tuesday of the German Press Agency.
“We still have relatively little data given the short time available,” said Krams. “We also expect late registrations after the holiday season, because many are still on vacation.”
By Tuesday noon, the insurance chamber had received around 12,000 damage reports, mainly from southern Bavaria, 9,000 of them from the building sector and around 3,000 related to cars. “We have a lot of serious damage. We often have the situation where the entire roof shell is destroyed. And many vehicles are totaled.”
Unusually strong hail caused real devastation in Bad Bayersoien in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district on Saturday. According to Mayor Gisela Kieweg, 370 of around 400 houses in the village have roof damage. Some roofs are completely destroyed. Representatives of the insurance chamber are available on site as contact persons.
The Benediktbeuern monastery in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen was also hit hard. “For the monastery alone, we are already assuming a double-digit million amount,” said Krams. Plasterers and fresco painters want to examine the destruction of the centuries-old building on Wednesday. Hurry is required to prevent further damage.
The consequences of the flooding were still limited. There have also been isolated reports of damage. “But it wasn’t quite as bad as feared,” said Krams. Storm and hail damage are usually insured. Around 80 percent of the buildings in Bavaria have insurance cover here. The situation is different with elementary insurance. It is becoming more important in the course of climate change, since it protects against floods and snow pressure, among other things. Nevertheless, around 50 percent of the buildings in Bavaria are not insured here.