March 2023 DFW Hailstorm: Damage Report and Next Steps

North Texas storm season opened early in 2023. Friday night's system produced confirmed large hail across multiple communities, with the heaviest activity running through south Collin County into north Dallas County.

NWS confirmed hail ranging from quarter to golf ball across a corridor from Garland and Mesquite through Rowlett, Sachse, and into Rockwall County.

Where the damage is

Based on what our inspection teams saw this weekend:

Rowlett and Sachse. Golf ball-size with significant density. Roofing and gutter damage is widespread.

East Garland. Quarter-size to larger, with enough density to cause functional damage on roofs 8 years old and up.

Mesquite corridor. Mixed — quarter-size on the west side, marble to quarter on the east. Cosmetic damage is widespread. Functional damage is more limited to older roofs.

Rockwall. Golf ball confirmed in the southwest part of the county. The lakefront and east side caught less.

What to do now

File within a reasonable window. Most Texas policies require timely notice — generally a few weeks to a month. Don't wait until June to file a March claim.

Get your inspection before the adjuster shows up. Metro-wide events create adjuster backlogs of 3 to 5 weeks. Use that window to get a thorough independent inspection with documentation in hand.

Check your attic. If hail opened up any existing vulnerability — cracked pipe boots, old patches that didn't fully seal, aging valleys — the rain that followed Friday's storm may already be inside. Stains on insulation or drywall need to be photographed and added to the claim.

What claims will look like this spring

The March event is probably the first of several significant storms this season. DFW adjusters are already stretched. National carriers will import adjusters from other regions, which sometimes creates inconsistencies in how damage gets assessed.

Expect:

• An adjuster who doesn't know local pricing or code requirements
• An initial estimate that misses line items (code upgrades, satellite reconnect, gutter sections)
• A supplement process that adds 1 to 3 weeks to your timeline

None of that's unusual. It's the normal storm-season claims environment in North Texas. It's also why a contractor who knows how to document and supplement matters.

Don't sign anything you haven't read

Storms bring door-knockers. Some are excellent, local, and insured. Plenty aren't.

Ask for proof of insurance — liability and workers' comp — before you agree to an inspection. A contractor who can't produce current certificates has no business on your roof.