Insurers: Dallas Storm Damage May Exceed $400 Million

Powerful thunderstorms ripped through the Dallas-Fort Worth region late yesterday, producing strong winds and baseball-sized hail. Now comes the clean-up – and paying for it.

The Insurance Council of Texas notes the thunderstorm was the second extreme weather event to hit the region in the last six weeks. In April, several tornadoes unexpectedly touched down in the Metroplex area.

The insurance council estimates the cost of insured losses from the tornadoes exceeded $400 million – but adds "losses from last night’s storm could be higher."

“Insurance companies have labeled last night’s storm a catastrophe, which calls for an influx of insurance adjusters throughout the state to help out with the high volume of claims,” council spokesperson Mark Hanna says in a statement. The council encourages anyone with damage claims to carefully inspect their homes and vehicles, and shoot pictures or video of any damage.

And the region may not be done with extreme weather just yet. The National Weather Service predicts scatted thunderstorms in the Metroplex region this afternoon – with a chance for large hail and damaging winds.