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Insurance companies and autobody shops stay busy after Monday's surprise hail storm

Golf ball-sized hail rained down across south-central Texas, impacting cars and homes.

SAN ANTONIO — Insurance companies are being flooded with claims after a hailstorm ripped through San Antonio and surrounding communities Monday evening, prompting people to scramble for relief.

KENS 5 viewers continue to share pictures and videos of damage caused by hail; in some cases, golf ball-sized chunks rained down on cars and homes.

USAA Spokesperson Rebekah Nelson urges people who’ve been impacted recent storm damage to file a claim through their designated insurance company.

Most companies offer options to file online through their website or mobile app.

Nelson stressed it’s OK to make appointments for temporary repairs, but for permanent solutions, she recommends filing the claim first.

Documenting the damage by taking pictures and videos is vital when filing an insurance claim as well. Nelson noted it helps with expediting the overall process and ensuring the best financial outcome it available.

“Whether it’s just for your vehicle, your home or even your business, taking the right steps ahead of time and then knowing how your policy covers you after the storm, it’s really important,” Nelson said.

Autobody shops are also being inundated with calls from curious potential customers in need of repairs because of hail damage.

Certified Collision Center, located on San Antonio’s northwest side, is one of several companies keeping busier than normal.

Marcos Ruiz, CEO of Certified Collision Center, showed KENS 5 some of the damage done to cars that were already being worked on for collision related repairs.

One classic car undergoing a full restoration was riddled with holes all over its soft top. Another vehicle’s windshield cracked and had a blown-out window.

Ruiz said his team has notified the owners of these vehicles about the damage so they can consider filing another claim.

“We had some vehicles in the shop and those were also damaged from recent hailstorms. A lot of them were golf ball sized hail so the hailstorm is pretty bad this time,” Ruiz said.

Certified Collision Center staff fielded 50 calls in the morning hours Tuesday, and plans to stagger hail damage-related appointments throughout the coming weeks.  

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