Damage From Recent El Paso Hail Storm Tops $150M

The east side of El Paso, Texas, was pounded by a violent hailstorm Sept 16, racking up insured losses of more than $150 million, the Insurance Council of Texas reported.

The fast-moving storm struck in the late afternoon producing baseball size hail that pelted roofs, dented automobiles and brought traffic on Interstate 10 to a standstill. An estimated 10,000 homes and 20,000 automobiles were damaged.

“We had homes and businesses where people were ducking for cover because the hail was coming through the roofs,” said April Taylor, personal lines manager for Sellers Insurance Agency in El Paso. “It was a scary situation.”

The storm is believed to be the costliest hailstorm in El Paso history. It surpassed a 2007 hailstorm that was reported to have had $50 million in insured losses.

El Paso’s homes received damage averaging $6,500, while automobiles received an average of $4,000 in damage. At least five automobile dealerships were hit. No injuries were reported.

Source: The Insurance Council of Texas, www.insurancecouncil.org