In 2017, the Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance Association (SMHI) will be celebrating its 100th anniversary.
To help mark this historical milestone, the company is writing a book chronicling the story of how Saskatchewan citizens have responded throughout the years to what is known in rural communities as the “Great White Combine.”
The Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance Association is asking people to submit photos of hail storms or hail damage that they have taken throughout the years and interesting stories or folklore that go along with them.
Prizes will be awarded for the best photos and/or stories. Some will be potentially used in the book.
Wayne Black is the president of SMHI. He farms near Tisdale. Black says he is proud to be a Director for the farmer-owned insurance company. “This organization is unique. There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the world. What makes it unique is that it’s delivered through the rural municipality system and we sell hail insurance at cost. There is no subsidy from the taxpayer to provide this service.”
Black and the other board members who oversee the hail insurance company are excited to share the history of their highly-competitive, successful business operation.
“Saskatchewan has changed a lot since the early part of the 20th century when settlers first moved here but agriculture remains an important contributor to our province’s economy,” said Black.
“Our forefathers saw a need to protect themselves against one of Mother Nature’s fiercest elements,” said Black. “Back then, just as it is today, hail is the biggest single risk producers have. Instead of turning to government to provide this service for them, they created their own company.”
The Municipal Hail Insurance Act gives Saskatchewan rural municipalities the authority to run a hail business. RMs appoint delegates to the SMHI annual meeting who in turn elect directors to oversee the work of the multi-million dollar insurance organization. The organization is directed by farmers and for farmers.
“I’m convinced that if the founders of this organization hadn’t come up with this one-of-a-kind alternative the government would be providing hail insurance as a subsidized product to the farmer through the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation — which is a crown agency,” said Black.
“That’s how it happens in every other province except Saskatchewan. The lions-share of the hail insurance business in Alberta and Manitoba, for instance, is subsidized by the government through their own multi-peril crop insurance programs.”
“If you have photos or stories to share about hail storms throughout the year, please share them with us,” Black concluded. “We’ve got a great story to tell but we would like to include pictures that illustrate the dramatic impact this force of nature can have.”
