3 Top Tips for What to Do When You Have Hail Damage to Your Car

By Certified Master Techs in Auto Repair Information

In 2017, 78% of insured drivers purchased comprehensive coverage along with liability insurance for their vehicles.

Clearly, people care about their vehicles and want them to stay in good shape, even after an accident or unfortunate incident.

When bad weather strikes, your car is vulnerable to damage that may end up costing a lot of money. Has your vehicle recently been damaged in a hailstorm?

If you need to know how to handle hail damage to your car, keep reading to learn what you need to know before getting started.

1. Contact Your Insurance Provider

If you have chosen comprehensive car insurance coverage, the repair to your car with hail damage is likely going to be covered. If you have liability insurance only, this is not going to cover a hail damaged car claim.

Every insurance company out there will handle hail claims in their own way, so you need to follow up with your insurance agent or provider to make sure you know how to start the claim process.

Filing an Insurance Claim

If you have only a little damage, it may be better to pay out of pocket for your repairs. It depends on how much your deductible is, however, so be sure to get this information first.

Your vehicle may have been damaged in a big hailstorm instead of just a light hail. If that’s the case, it would make more sense to review your insurance policy after getting your hail damage repair quote. Then, you can see if filing a claim makes more sense financially.

The auto body shop you choose to work with may be able to help with your insurance claim.

2. Clean the Exterior of Your Vehicle

After you talk with your insurance provider, it is a good idea to take photos of the damage and then clean the exterior of your car.

Make sure to give it a gentle wash and not make the damage any worse. The reason that cleaning the exterior is important is that it will help make sure the most accurate estimate is given for damage repair.

3. Get the Damage Appraised

You’ll need to get your vehicle’s damage appraised by either your insurance agency’s claim system or through a direct repair program like VIVID Auto Body Shop. They specialize in auto body repair, collision damage repair, and auto hail damage repair.

Once you’ve chosen your repair shop, you’ll need to let your insurance adjuster know right away.

Then, you can schedule your repair and pay the insurance fee and deductible.

When the shop is inspecting your vehicle, they will also look for damaged areas that were not caused by the hail as well. These issues won’t be covered by your insurance policy or fall under your hail claim.

What to Do About Hail Damage to Your Car

When you’ve got hail damage to your car, you need to act fast if you want your insurance provider to help you cover the cost.

A good auto damage repair shop will be your best way to fix hail damage, so get in touch with them after speaking with your insurance company.