Mother Nature Racks Up Nearly $40 Million in Damage During N.M. Hailstorm

For Albuquerque, New Mexico residents earlier last week, the pounding came in waves.

The first stones battered roofs and cars in the middle of the night and then another round hammered the west side the following morning. For areas further south, it was baseball-sized hail totaling cars in Socorro and leaving its telltale marks on other communities such as Roswell, Hobbs and Belen.

All that hail has added up reportedly to an estimated insurance price tag of $39.7 million. Based on the number of claims filed so far, the insurance industry estimates that the Oct. 5 hailstorm will result in more than 8,300 auto claims and approximately 4,100 homeowner claims.

Some companies have brought in special catastrophe teams and have opened drive up claims centers to help with the settlement process.

“Since it has been quite awhile since New Mexico has experienced this kind of damaging hailstorm, it’s easy to forget the kind of damage that those little white stones can do in just a matter of minutes,” said Carole Walker, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association. “But insurance companies are geared up to handle the incoming claims, so if you haven’t yet contacted your carrier to report damage you need to do that as soon as possible.”

The Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association has this advice for consumers filing insurance claims for damage. Hail damage is covered under one’s auto policy if they have comprehensive coverage. Damage from hail, wind and tornadoes are covered under a standard homeowners policy.