Shanghai Daily news

Insurance companies in Shanghai are busy dealing with claims due to the wintry weather which has gripped the city.

The heavy snow has taken its toll with flights delayed or canceled, an increase in road accidents and damage to buildings.

Insurers have taken on additional staff to cope with the number of claims and have promised to streamline procedures so that policy holders can be granted compensation as soon as possible.

Between January 26 and January 30, Ping An Insurance's property arm in Shanghai received 10 times the number of claims it usually dealt with at this time of year.

The Shanghai-listed China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co had received 998 insurance claims, of which 800 involved motor vehicles, since the middle of January.

China Pacific has taken on additional staff at its services center to help and has also changed its procedures to allow the value of losses to be decided and an offer of compensation made onsite in some cases.