Nearly 40% of Texans Admit Being Scared by Texas Weather

IRVING, Texas, April 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Thirty-seven percent of Texans say Lone Star State spring storms scare them, and more than a third say they feel the weather is getting worse year after year, according to a new survey by Allstate Insurance Company.

The number of Texas hail and wind related homeowner insurance claims increased 5% and lightning related claims increased 52% for Allstate Insurance customers last year. Allstate is the second largest home insurer in the state. The insurer is reminding residents to prepare now for storm season.

"Spring storms in Texas are unpredictable," said Diana Wickman, an Allstate agent in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. "While they may seem more prevalent in some areas, it still can cause severe damage anytime, anywhere, so people need to be careful and take them seriously."

Among Texans who said spring storms in the state have scared them, more than half (54%) said tornadoes concerned them the most, followed by wind (18%) and hail (15%.) 

Hail and wind impacted more Allstate insured homes in the McAllen area, followed by the Dallas-Fort Worth area, than in any other parts of the state last year. Allstate tallied the top 10 stormiest counties in Texas by looking at the areas with the highest frequencies of wind and hail related homeowner property damage*.

Prepare Now: 

Clean Out Your Garage: While 88% of Texans said in the survey that they were prepared for this year's spring storm season, 60% have not cleaned out their garage so they can park their car in it during a storm. Take steps to reduce risks of damage to your property like having a spot for your car during a hail storm and removing dying tree limbs and outside furniture that can go airborne during a wind storm.

Make a Plan: 65% of survey respondents have not gone over a safety plan with their family and 61% haven't prepared areas in their home to take shelter in case of a tornado. Visit emergency management government Web sites to help you come up with a plan before a catastrophe.

Take Stock of Your Stuff: 70% of survey respondents have not done a home inventory. Walk through your home with a video or still camera to create a record of what you have and where it is in your house. You can also download an App like Allstate's Digital Locker (TM) to help create an inventory.

Call Your Insurer: 52% of Texans haven't located their insurance information. Reach out to your insurer for a yearly coverage check-up. Review your policy with your agent to make sure your coverages meet your current needs.

About the Survey

The survey of Texas residents was conducted March 3 through March 14, 2013 among a sample of 3,200 adults, age 20 to 69, reached via telephone. The margin of error for the sample is +/- 3%. Market areas included in the survey were Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin and El Paso.

The survey was conducted by Reality Based Group, an Austin, Texas based customer experience management and market research company.

*About the Storm Data

To collect the data, Allstate measured the frequency of hail, wind and lightning homeowner property claims from January through December 2011 and January through December 2012 in 45 Texas counties which all had at least 4,000 Allstate policies.  

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate, Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names and Allstate Financial business segment. Allstate branded insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services are offered through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com, www.allstate.com/financial and 1-800 Allstate^®, and are widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate^®." As part of Allstate's commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $29 million in 2012 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.

SOURCE Allstate Corporation