Most of the SA farmers affected by a freak hailstorm last week have no insurance for their crops, according to MGA Insurance Group.

Last Monday evening large hailstones and damaging winds swept through the Riverland region, destroying stone fruit and grapes ahead of the critical summer harvest.

Adelaide-based national broker MGA says most of its clients affected by the storm are vineyard operators. Many have property covers in place but nothing for crops because of financial constraints.

“Unfortunately, due to low grape pricing over the past decade, many grape growers do not have any hail coverage on their crops,” broker Matthew Hutchinson told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“We have seen an estimate of 50-60% of some crops being lost due to this event, which in most cases will be uninsured. I would say it sums up the situation in the region.”

Some farmers have reported losing everything, according to the SA Government, which has offered to direct them to appropriate support services and programs.

“The storm has damaged a wide range of crops, from grapevines to nuts, to citrus and dryland cereal crops,” Primary Industries Minister Tim Whetstone said.

“For farmers who have suffered extensive damage, the financial burden comes on top of the high cost of water they have had to pay to get crops to their current stage.

“Primary Industries and Regions SA staff will be commencing assessments of the damage to crops across the Riverland, with a crew to be based out of the Loxton Research Centre.”