What kind of damage did the winter storm 2021 do?

The devastating economic toll from broken water pipes, downed trees, wrecked cars, and related weather-induced damage is becoming evident as thawing temperatures begin to release Texas from the record-breaking deep freeze that has engulfed the state over the past week.

Administrators in the insurance industry claim they believe that the price tag for recovery will approach Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which resulted in $19 billion in insured damages in Texas, mostly along the Gulf Coast, and is considered the most costly storm in the history of Texas.

One significant difference between then and now is that all 254 Texas counties have been affected by the current weather emergency, a factor reflected in the vast number of statewide claims that are already coming into insurance companies.

"It's going to be a very expensive event given the historical range, intensity, and duration of the cold wave," said Adam Smith, an applied climatologist with a member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "This impact is compounded due to the large cities and populations that were affected."

Still, Smith said that if the cost exceeds that of Harvey, he would be shocked because "hurricanes are typically the most costly weather disasters to impact the United States."

As broken pipes buried in walls and cement slabs thaw, and as property owners and repair workers can travel around enough in the previously frozen environment to evaluate conditions, a precise financial estimate of the damage is not yet possible, partially because the count will continue to rise over the coming days.

"Whether through power outages or an accident on icy roads, just about every Texan was impacted," said Camille Garcia, communications director for the Texas Insurance Council, a trade association.

It's unique to the extent that we haven't had (an event) in Texas in years involving statewide claims," Garcia said." "We are confident that we are looking at hundreds of thousands of claims."

Garcia said she thinks Harvey's price tag, a sum that equates to around $20 billion today when adjusted for inflation, would rival the ultimate amount of insured damages nationwide.

She and various other insurance industry experts encourage policyholders to start making claims as early as possible and not postpone essential repairs.

"I would never wait to do a major damage repair-if I had the chance to get that repaired, I would take it," said Garcia.

Nonetheless, she said homeowners should retain receipts and record anything by photographs, videos, or written notes and contact their insurance companies as soon as possible.

With insurance companies around the state reporting significant amounts of claims in recent days, including in Central Texas, the last piece of advice is being listened to.

"There are lots of broken pipes and tankless water heaters on the outside of homes that can not handle these freezing temperatures," said Stacy Reed, Austin's Reed Agency Community manager. "People have 2 inches of water and caved-in ceilings on their first floors."

Typical policies will not protect the pipe itself, Reed said but will cover the harm done to floors, drywalls, and ceilings.

For a lot of people, this was terrible, and for many, it happened in the middle of the night when the pipes were freezing, and they were waking up, and water was pouring out of a wall," she said." "More than one individual has been crying on the phone."

To track the damage, Reed urges property owners to take as many pictures as they can. Then get plumbers and contractors out and get estimates as soon as possible. Payout of pocket if you can and retain all receipts and paperwork.

It will be weeks before the full extent of the damage is understood, Chris Pilcic, a spokesperson for State Farm Insurance, said. Still, calls are already coming in. State Farm consumers will virtually get claims started and have the option of video walkthroughs with agents, something the company has been doing since last spring.

Generally speaking, when you have a severe weather incident, they appear to strike a handful of very isolated areas, except in terms of a hurricane or tornado outbreak. This impacts the whole state of Texas. We have clients reporting damage and damage mainly from frozen and broken water pipes or something connected with water in many major metropolitan areas and rural areas.

Even the smallest cracks may have repercussions. An eighth of an inch of aperture, Pilic said, can spill about 250 gallons of water a day. The insurance provider also expects claims relating to structural damage to walls, ceilings, and floors.

"We've just begun to thaw throughout Texas, and we encourage homeowners to be extra vigilant as it gets warmer because it could become more noticeable if there is damage," Pilic said.

Agent Craig Straube of the Farmers Insurance Company said he had received hundreds of calls over the past two days at his Lakeway office. But he suggests that clients first call contractors.

"Don't worry about the insurance company—they're not experts. The first thing the adjuster (insurance) would ask is if you have any figures, so have those as soon as you can,' Straube said. "If you are lucky enough to have someone to do the job, take pictures before and after and keep records of what has been done so that you can present it to your insurance company."

Most policies would protect not only your structure but also your possessions, he said, such as furniture. Fallen trees or other outdoor problems that have not caused structural damage are what are usually not covered.

In Central Texas, Straube said that the damage caused by this deep freeze is unparalleled, so it will take time to work through all the issues.

He said, "I've got three phones going at a time, and the calls keep coming." "It'll take us several months to get through this. It begins with being able to find someone to do the repairs. Plumbers are going to be very difficult to find.

On that note, Garcia gave property owners a word of caution about unsolicited offers to fix damage right away. In the wake of such weather disasters, fraud still increases, she said.

"People should be cautious of solicitations," and before doing business with them, Garcia said, they should study individuals and companies. "The good guys are probably booking and filling out their timetables already, so you just have to be very careful with those who are applying."

But there is a risk that staff will not get the parts they need, even though people can find contractors. A lack of materials is currently hampering repair work on heating and plumbing systems.

Johnstone Supply, a wholesale distributor of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning parts and equipment, could reopen its Metric Boulevard store on Thursday after losing power for three days.

"We have contractors who need equipment to make people warm again," said branch manager Pat Repa. "They need furnace parts, blower motors, igniters, everything."

Unfortunately, only what it has in stock can be sold by Johnstone.

"Our distributor is closed down in Dallas," Repa said. "We probably don't have enough inventory right now to meet demand."