Texas Hail More Damaging Than Most

Hail Alley USA is what they call portions of Texas when between the months of March and June, when the state is assaulted by weather. Texas has earned this name rightly so as it is the hardest hit state in the Union by hailstorms and 40% of all homeowner claims in Texas are related to roof damage from hail.

According to the North Central Texas Council of Governments, these hailstorms won’t be getting any better. It was stated that "Over the next 30 years, the North Central Texas region will be hit by more than 200 tornadoes, more than 2000 hail events, and more than 100 significant wind storms..."

Is Texas the hardest hit? Since 1980, the country has averaged 3,000 hailstorms a year, with four states accounting for 42 percent of the total. Texas, 500 per year; Oklahoma, 400; Kansas, 225; Nebraska, 135.

Texas officials estimate that up to 40 percent of all homeowner’s insurance claims in that state result from hail damage. While the Midwest and Great Plains states have the most hailstorms, Colorado has the most storms with large-size hail (diameter greater than 1.5 inches). So even though Colorado has fewer storms, the storms that occur cause more damage. (The largest hailstone ever recorded -- more than 6 inches in diameter -- fell in Kansas in 1970.)

Hail losses can be overwhelming to homeowners and to the insurers that cover their homes. It is a lose-lose situation for both insurers and homeowners. While there is nothing you can do to stop hail; there are viable options for minimizing your exposure to having your belongings damaged by it or to at least having it repaired as soon as possible.

To start, look at having an estimate on your home’s roof. There are new products available called "impact resistant roofing". Having this type of roofing can reduce your homeowner’s policy by up to 35%.

Second, keep a good insurance policy with a company that won’t hassle you when paying out its claims. During Texas most recent devastating hailstorm, some insurance companies were on site to help people out. A good insurance company will help out immediately even when payout claims add up. Statistically, among State Farm insurance companies 25 highest claim payouts in history, eight involved significant damage caused by hail. The company's fifth-largest payout for a single catastrophic event occurred in 1992 -- about 68,000 claims totaling nearly $245 million resulting from a hailstorm in Fort Worth, Texas.

Damage to vehicles was also serious during the recent Texas hailstorm. GEICO regional vice president for Texas operations said, "We are aware of the serious damage that hail storms can inflict on vehicles, often making it difficult or impossible to use your car. We have added additional staff to make sure the claims are handled quickly, minimize the inconvenience to our policyholder's lives and get them back on the road as soon as possible."

If your vehicle has been damaged by the recent storms, especially if windows are broken, insurance companies recommend covering it with plastic or other material to protect it from further damage.

If you know a hailstorm is coming, there are a few things you can do to protect your vehicle, as it is one of the few things damaged by hail that can be moved.

1 - Park your car in a garage or under a roof before the storm begins.
2 - If you have to leave it outside, cover your car with a thick blanket to minimize the impact of hail.
3 - If driving, look for a covered safe place and wait for the storm to pass.
4 - If there's nowhere to go, stop your car. The impact will be stronger if your car is in motion.
5 - After the storm, assess the damage and call your insurance company.

Damage to sheet metal can cost thousands of dollars to repair and replacing a broken windshield can add up to hundreds of dollars. Again, you must have the proper insurance, such as comprehensive coverage, to pay for the damage. If you are covered, you have the right to get your car repaired to the condition it was in before the hail damaged it. Depending on the damage, your body shop will either hammer out dents and paint or use paintless dent repair.

Despite Texas reputation for assaulting hailstorms, if you know how to prepare and tackle the problem after it happens, you won’t be so left out in the cold.

David Etienne is the founder of FIX-A-DENT, the premier provider of Professional Paintless Dent Repair services in the United States. Established in 1993, FIX-A-DENT continues being the leader in Paintless Dent Removal (PDR), technologies, practices, and techniques. For more information, please visit http://www.fixadent.com