When your car is damaged in a hailstorm, you might be uncertain about how to proceed. As a valuable asset that most often is your primary mode of transportation, it certainly causes problems to have dents from hail all over your car. Let’s review a few common questions about repairing vehicle hail damage.
What Should I Do Immediately After Discovering Hail Damage?
After a hailstorm passes and it’s safe to go outside, check on the state of your vehicle. If it’s been damaged, the first step is to document and photograph the damage. Then, it’s important to contact your auto insurance provider. If you don’t already know, you should determine whether or not hail damage repair is covered under your insurance policy. In general, a comprehensive policy will cover claims due to acts of nature such as a hailstorm. If you live in an area that frequently experiences hail, you should definitely call and ensure hail damage is covered under your current policy.
Then, you’ll need to have the vehicle professionally inspected. You can have this done through your insurance company with a field inspection or at a shop that specializes in vehicle hail repair. In most cases, you should seek more than one estimate in order to gain a more accurate assessment of the repair cost (and the compensation amount your insurance company will owe you).
How Does a Repair Shop Fix Vehicle Hail Damage?
Depending on the severity of the hail damage on your vehicle, there are a few different ways to fix your vehicle. The first and most efficient method of hail damage repairs is paintless dent repair (PDR), which is also called paintless dent removal. This method of hail damage repair requires specific tools that press and massage damaged panels from behind. As a result, the dented metal is pushed back out and restored to its original shape without any need for repainting. This method of dent repair is typically recommended for smaller and easily accessible dents and is equally suitable when hail damage is spread out over the hood, roof and trunk of a car. For more severe dents or hail damage with cracked paint, it may be necessary to use more traditional forms of dent repair that require filling in the dent cavity and repainting or entire panel replacement.
When Should I Start the Process of Hail Damage Repair?
If your car sustains dents from hail, it’s important that you start the repair process as soon as possible. Ideally, you’ll contact your insurance company and have your vehicle professionally inspected within a few days of the damage occurring. After that, getting to a repair shop as soon as possible should be a priority. The longer you wait to have vehicle hail damage repaired, the higher the chances of your car sustaining even more damage. If those dents aren’t taken care of, a second hailstorm could compound the existing damage. If another hailstorm compromises your car’s protective paint, rust could form if left as is. Not only is rust unsightly on your car, but it can cause serious structural decay if you’re not careful. In the worst-case scenario, your vehicle’s value could be appraised as lower than the cost of repairs, in which case your insurance company could prematurely total it.
If you need help filing a hail damage insurance claim or getting a professional estimate, reach out to our team today! Contact us and come experience the Dent Shop difference – thorough estimates, top-notch repairs and stellar customer service.