The Dayton Daily News reports that while Ohio has not been hit as hard as other states during the recent outbreaks of catastrophic storms, state policyholders may feel the effect anyway.

With insurance losses so far this year estimated at $8 billion, just short of the $9 billion estimated losses for all of last year, insurance companies may be looking at rate increases as a way to cover them, even in states where losses are low.

Competition may have been keeping rates low in Ohio up to now, but that could change. The challenge for agents, as always, is to show why switching insurance policies, even if it saves a few dollars, is not always the best decision.

If you know rates will be going up, don’t let the renewal notice be the way your customers find out. Prepare them for the increase, and take that opportunity to show them why they won’t want to lose the value of working with you.