Hello Dougwe and Everyone,

I'm just another voice agreeing with a few of your comments in this thread.
I too went through a hail storm with golf sized ice rocks. The car needed fixing, one side and the roof of the van were dented, needing replacing, the van air vents smashed, the van bathroom fan hatch was annihilated, smashed, sucked out and spread far and wide, the fixed home where I was parked needed repainting and fixing.

If you want or are able to climb up there to cover your panels, the rubber Mud Mats from your car floor could come in handy for this but having said that, the wind was so fierce in the "Super Cell" storm that I was in, (Mildura Vic/Nsw border area)it would have blown them to kingdom come in no time flat and probably blown me off of the ladder too if I had attempted this.

I had raced outside with doona and blankets for the car and tossed them over it (probably preventing it becoming a write-off) BUT it wasn't until I copped an ice rock fair in the middle of my head that it knocked sense into me and I realised how dangerous it was to MY health. I then gave up and took cover inside the van.

I was sure that I had lost both van and car to the storm, it was that bad. 
I was so totally shocked to find that my SOLAR PANELS WERE ONE THING THAT HAD NO DAMAGE.
They are the glass covered sort.

In conclusion, like many others here, I think they are tougher than we realise whereas our skulls may not be so lucky. Have insurance for your possessions, don't lose too much sleep nor feathers with worry and above all, look after your own health.

Safe storms everyone,
Panther.