Texas Hail Damage Could Cost $300M in Car Repairs

Hailstorms that rolled through the Fort Worth area last week could result in $300 million in vehicle repairs.

Mark Hanna, a spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas, estimated Friday that 50,000 vehicles were damaged by the Thursday morning storms, which pounded cars and busted windshields from Fort Worth to Arlington.

The severe storms that moved through the area produced heavy rain, winds and hail. According to the ICT, several businesses including the Arlington Police Department reported extensive windshield damage to their fleet of vehicles.

Hanna tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “This is a catastrophic event for us.”

The hail fell in two bursts and varied in size from blueberries to tennis balls.

The number of roofs damaged wasn’t yet available, though Hanna says it’s likely about one-third of the number of vehicles damaged. But with repairs costlier, roofs could double the price of the damage.