The 12th costliest hailstorm in Texas history with roof claims expected to increase

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Getting dents out of cars and replacing roof shingles across Tarrant County is going to take a while.

The Insurance Council of Texas, an industry trade group, now estimates last week’s hail storm will reach $600 million in auto and property claims.

If those estimates are correct, Friday’s severe weather would be the 12th costliest storm in Texas, said Mark Hanna, an Insurance Council spokesman.

“That means a lot of insurance adjusters are busy right now looking at autos, homes, and businesses,” Hanna said. “We need to get people back on their feet again.”

For many Tarrant County residents, the headaches are just starting.

The phone was also ringing constantly at Lon Smith Roofing and Construction in Fort Worth.

The company had 22 estimators working Monday and is in the process of adding more staff, said Lon Smith president David Cox.

Homes and businesses with roof damage stretch from Benbrook to Arlington.

“We’re adding more people to answer phones,” Cox said. “It’s the biggest one we’ve had in a while but it’s too early to say how big it will be. These storms tend to grow around the edges as more people realize they may have damage.”

The next time it rains will likely reveal more hail damage, Cox said.

“You have the shock and awe where big hail hit — we’ve all seen the video — but really these things tend to grow on the edges,” Cox said. “We need a good rain to expose granular loss.”