It wasn't the first hailstorm to hit Central Texas this spring, and that means work is piling up for certain industries like car repair shops.
GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — Many in Travis and Williamson counties are still assessing damage after hail bombarded the area Thursday.
It wasn't the first hailstorm to hit Central Texas this spring, and that means work is piling up for certain industries like car repair shops.
"It's just been one phone call after the next," said Stephen Brast, owner of Stephen's Paintless Dent Repair in Georgetown.
Brast said he's already gotten hundreds of calls to his repair shop, but he still has appointments lined up from other storms, too, like the ones in Bertram and Austin at the end of March.
"A week to get it through the insurance company and then another week to fix it, typically," Brast said. "The wait time is always going to get longer."
KXAN viewer photos show broken windshields in places like Round Rock and Pflugerville.
State Farm Insurance said it is already receiving claims from customers after Thursday's hail and expects numbers to increase as it gets safer for people to inspect their homes.
"Hundreds of customers reporting damage to both their property and their homes and also their vehicles," said Chris Pilcic, State Farm spokesperson.
Pilcic says it's too early to know the impact and the cost of this storm, but last year, the average homeowner hail claim in Texas was $11,700, and the average car hail claim is more than $4,400.
"It's shaping up to be another possible significant severe weather season across Texas," he said.
With more storms in the forecast, Brast is bracing for more waves of customers.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to be here through the whole thing," he said.
If hail pummeled your car, get a repair estimate from a body shop or two. Use that — and consider your deductible — to decide if you'll file an insurance claim. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners said frequent claims may affect what you pay for car insurance.
