Local Insurance Adjusters See 2014 Winter Weather As Costliest in a Decade
By Jim Melwert
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Winter may finally be on its way out, but it sure has left its mark.
This winter weather caused an estimated $5 billion in damages to homes, businesses, and infrastructure nationwide -– about $2 billion more than in a typical winter. And that doesn't factor in canceled travel costs or business or shipping disruptions.
In our area, Tony Hoffman, president of Ace Public Adjusters, says they are seeing a lot of roof leaks, damage from fallen trees, and other issues from the heavy ice and snow, and also frozen frozen pipes.
But while he says it's been a noteworthy winter, it's far from the worst they've seen.
"The last couple years we've had (Hurricane) Sandy, we've had (Hurricande) Irene," he notes. "(But) as far as a wintry mix, this has been one of the worst in the past ten years."
And although this winter has been memorable, the winter of 1993 is remembered as one of the costliest. The blizzard in March of that year, the so-called "storm of the century," just by itself racked up $9 billion in damages.