Category: Hail Repair

Auto Hail Damage 101: Protect Your Vehicle Value

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auto hail damage

Hailstorms can wreak havoc on your car’s exterior and devalue its worth. Hail damage repairs can be expensive if you don’t have a comprehensive insurance policy. According to insurance.com, the average claim for hail damage repair is around $3,000 on average in 2020. Compare that to the $305 average vehicle repair cost for other forms of damage. There are steps you can take to minimize the effects of car hail damage on your wallet and protect your car’s value. Here’s a quick guide to what you need to know about to prepare for and deal with auto hail damage.

How Hail Damage Devalues Your Car

If a hailstorm leaves behind auto hail damage and you choose not to repair it, the value of your car will go down by the amount it would cost to fix each dent. This is typically around $3,000 for average damages. However, the value of your car won’t decrease at all if you file a claim under comprehensive coverage and take your vehicle in for paintless dent repair. Since comprehensive insurance policies cover not at-fault incidents or damage from weather, filing a claim will not drive up your insurance costs.

Yet if the cost of the damage is less than your deductible, it may not make sense to file a claim because you’ll have to pay for the repairs. If your vehicle is old and not worth much, your insurance company may deem the total value of the vehicle lesser than the cost of repairs, in which case they will determine the car as totaled. You’ll have to weigh the value of your car, the repair costs and your deductible amount to determine whether or not to file a claim.

Another crucial consideration regarding vehicle hail damage is that your car will be significantly devalued until it’s fixed. This is important to remember because if you get into an accident, your insurance company will weigh the vehicle value against the costs of collision repairs and hail damage repairs, which can sometimes cause your vehicle to be prematurely totaled. Driving around with hail damage in a now devalued car is a risk to your investment in your vehicle, which is why you should seek repairs as soon as you’re able.

How to Prevent Hail Damage

The best way to protect your car is to prevent hail damage in the first place. Watch for local weather alerts and park your car in a garage whenever possible. Check your insurance policy to make sure it includes comprehensive coverage, since a policy change after a hailstorm will not apply to hail damage incurred before. Your vehicle is not only your mode of transportation, but a big investment that should be protected as much as possible; taking necessary precautions to mitigate hail damage is well worth your time and effort.

How to Fix Hail Damage

The best way to repair auto hail damage is with paintless dent repair. Paintless dent repair is not only more cost-effective for repairing hail damage, but it’s also less harmful to your car. With traditional dent repair, you end up with a Carfax report that devalues your vehicle, since it documents repairs made that lower the worth of the vehicle. Conventional repairs fall under that category because it’s a cosmetic repair method that fixes the appearance of the vehicle by filling in and repainting over dents, meaning the damage is still there, but now it’s covered with a coat of paint that may not last or match the rest the vehicle after some time has passed. Instead, choose paintless dent repair to fix your car’s hail damage for a faster and more cost-effective solution that protects your investment in your vehicle.

Dealing with auto hail damage can be frustrating. Hail not only dents your car, but your wallet as well. If you need help fixing hail damage on your vehicle, call Dent Shop today to get a free evaluation.

Posted in Hail Repair, Paintless Dent Repair

Five Reasons PDR Is The Best Solution for Repairing Dents from Hail

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repair hail dents

During a hailstorm, your vehicle may sustain hail damage on the roof, side panels, or on the hood or trunk. You should get a reputable dent removal technician to evaluate and repair these dents from hail stones, using the most effective hail damage repair method: paintless dent repair (PDR). Here’s why.

PDR for Hail Damage is Minimally Invasive

Typically, dents from hail impacts are prime candidates for paintless dent repair. According to the National Weather Service, for hail to extensively damage your vehicle, it would take a hailstone larger the size of a golf ball (1.75 inches). As such, in most cases you can repair hail dents using PDR methods. Paintless dent repair is quick and minimally invasive as it doesn’t require sanding, painting or filling as with traditional auto body repairs.

PDR Ensures Efficient Hail Damage Repairs

A PDR technician will use special mirrors and lighting to inspect the extent of the auto hail damage. Your PDR technician will then access the dented panels from the backside. Only the interior panels need to be removed for this inspection, which means it’s a relatively quick process. Once your technician can access the dented outer panel, they use specialized tools and techniques to gently unbend it and work the metal back to its original shape. When expertly done, PDR can take less than two hours to complete.

PDR for Hail Damage is Cost-Effective

Compared to traditional auto body repairs, paintless dent repair is cost-effective because it utilizes fewer repair materials, less labor and less time. Save yourself a great deal of money and time with PDR as opposed to conventional repairs. Car owners who aren’t familiar with PDR may get in over their heads when their vehicles get dented by hail. They start thinking of the downtime and inconvenience they’ll have to endure when the hail damage is getting fixed, as well as the repairs cost and the hassle of renting a vehicle for use while their car is in the shop. It’s far preferable to avoid such stressful situations by choosing PDR repairs, as opposed to conventional repairs art a busy auto body shop. When you use paintless dent repair techniques, you’re investing in a much more cost-effective solution to your dents from hail.

PDR Offers an Easy Time with Insurance

Auto insurance adjusters recommend PDR for auto hail damage. Since PDR is a fast process, they usually don’t have to send a courtesy car. In addition, the claim process is also relatively quick. All you have to do is document the extent of the hail damages by taking clear pictures of the dents and dings, and then send them to your insurance company. Once you get a claim number, your PDR technician can proceed with the vehicle hail damage repairs to return your car to its original condition and value.

PDR Preserves Your Car’s Factory Finish

This is perhaps the main reason that most vehicle owners are drawn to PDR. The admiration and preference of PDR cuts across the auto industry, from high-end sports cars to more affordable car brands. Nobody wants to repaint or replace any of the body panels of their cars, as that decreases the market value of the car by a significant margin. Whether the hail-damaged vehicles are new or pre-owned, they are all prime candidates for PDR repairs that maintain vehicle value.

Don’t panic when your car sustains dents from hail – cost-effective PDR techniques will repair the hail damage in record time. To determine if your vehicle’s hail damage is a candidate for PDR, text us photos of your hail damage for a free evaluation or stop by for a free drive-through estimate. To get the best auto hail damage repair in Rapid City or Northern Virginia, contact our team at Dent Shop today.

Posted in Dent Repair, Hail Repair, Paintless Dent Repair

The Dos and Don’ts of Dealing with Auto Hail Damage

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hail damage

When your car sustains hail damage, you should seek an estimate and hail damage repair from professional dent repair technicians. As any reputable dent removal technician will tell you, paintless dent repair (PDR) is the most effective hail damage repair method. You may already know that PDR is the ultimate solution for your vehicle’s dents and dings, but do you know where to start when it comes to hail damage? Here are a few dos and don’ts to keep in mind when your car is damaged by hail.

DO: Take Clear Pictures of the Hail Damage on Your Vehicle

If your car insurance covers hail damage, you should take pictures that document the hail damage extensively and send them to your insurance company to file a claim. Most car insurance companies classify hail damage under comprehensive claims. Once you receive a claim number from your insurance company, you can begin the process of obtaining repairs. Luckily, most insurance companies accept and even recommend PDR repairs, since it’s such a superior, fast and cost-effective repair method. For that reason, it’s also advisable to send pictures of your hail damage to your local PDR shop before your visit. Ensure all the pictures are in focus and the dents are well-lit and shown from different angles to clearly convey the extent of the damage.

DO: Visit a Vehicle Hail Repair Shop

Depending on the extent of the hail damage on your vehicle, a professional dent repair technician will advise you on the best method of vehicle hail repair in Rapid City. Typically, PDR dent removal works on hail damage that has neither major scratches nor damage to the factory finish paint on your vehicle. No paint damage means PDR methods can be used to massage the dent out, but if paint damage is present, rust will develop and spread on the exposed metal necessitating more extensive repairs or panel replacement. A PDR technician can easily and quickly assess the hail damage to determine if PDR is the best repair option and will suggest reputable body shops as an alternative if a more extensive repair solution is needed. You want to have a professional opinion before you deal with your insurance or start to estimate the hail damage repair cost.

As soon as your car insurance approves the hail dent repairs, your PDR technician should be ready to start the auto hail damage repairs. It makes sense why this modern paintless dent repair method is preferred by insurance companies and drivers alike as a body shop alternative.

Now that you know the steps to take when your car is damaged by hail, it is also wise to know what you shouldn’t do. Here is what you should avoid.

DON’T: Postpone Hail Damage Repair

You may be tempted to wait for the hail season to end before you seek car hail damage repair services. You want to avoid waiting for two main reasons. First, if your car sustains additional hail damage, the extent of the damage and the number of dents is only going to increase. With big dents on your car or secondary damage that cracks the paint, paintless dent removal may not be the appropriate fix, meaning your repair costs and time in the shop has gone up significantly. If repairs aren’t a viable option, you may have no choice but to replace entire body panels in your car. Even worse, using traditional autobody repairs instead of PDR means your car will lose the original factory finish that maintains its value and visual appeal. You stand to lose much more money if you wait to have the damage repaired and its worsens beyond what PDR can fix.

The second reason why you shouldn’t wait to fix hail damage on your car is insurance. Your insurance adjuster may decline to pay the auto hail damage repair costs if you fail to claim within the specified time limit. Usually, the timeframe is between six months and one year – you should confirm this time length with your insurance company. Hail can cause serious damage or big dents on your car, and these repairs may get pricey. To avoid paying out-of-pocket, you should report the damage to your insurance company as soon as it occurs.

Paintless dent repair is the superior method of fixing auto hail damage, and not just because it preserves the original factory finish paint on your car. It’s more cost-effective and is also the fastest way to repair dents from hail damage. In fact, paintless dent repair can take as little as two hours when done properly, though for hail damage with multiple dents repair times can vary.

At Dent Shop, our team of professional hail damage repair technicians are here to fix your vehicle and get it back to you for half the cost and in half the time. For professional estimates and superior hail damage repair results, contact Dent Shop today!

Posted in Hail Repair, Paintless Dent Repair

Two Important Things You Should Know About Paintless Dent Removal

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hail damage dent removal

Paintless dent repair is a modern dent removal technique that is growing in popularity for a number of reasons. With 228,400 motor vehicle repair and maintenance shops in the U.S., it’s inevitable that some of them would want to create a better way to repair dents and perform hail damage dent removal. Any vehicle owner looking for small dent repair these days will likely seek out a shop that specializes in high quality repair techniques that are affordable and efficient. Here are two important things you should you know about paintless dent repair and paintless dent removal.

PDR Produces Outstanding Results When Used to Repair Auto Hail Damage

In most cases where a technique such as paintless dent removal is the preferred method for repair, a few culprits are suspected. Damage from hail is perhaps the most common suspect of both small and large dents in cars. As a result, many people may desire to restore these areas of their car’s body and remove the typically small dents without resulting in a noticeable difference from the rest of the car’s exterior. In many cases, outdated techniques that use other paint to cover up marks caused by hail dents don’t quite match up with the original body’s color and shade, and lower quality or improper application of cover-up paint can result in bubbling, fading or other discoloration down the road. Paintless dent repair solves this problem by producing amazing results on hail damage repair. First and foremost, the technique doesn’t use any paint and does not risk lowering the value of your car by applying cover-up paint over the damage. Instead, PDR technicians rely on their certified training and special tools to remove the dents by applying pressure to the underside slowly and methodically until the metal in back in shape. This kind of repair job for vehicle hail damage offers far superior results, especially since the technicians have far more precision over these kinds of repairs. As you may have guessed, PDR methods produce reliable repair work that can take care of just about any dent from hail damage.

PDR Requires a Skilled Technician to Be Performed Properly

The use of PDR techniques is growing in popularity across the country and is even becoming the preferred method of repairs recommended by insurance companies depending on the extent of the vehicle damage present. However, paintless dent repair techniques are notoriously difficult to achieve without the proper training. That’s why you should never take your car to an auto body shop that doesn’t have staff members who are qualified to perform proper paintless dent repair and removal services. Doing so may result in shoddy low-quality work since they may not possess the appropriate tools or the experience to complete the job properly. Technicians who perform proper paintless dent removal work undergo extensive training and certification programs. By working with a repair shop that has certified paintless dent repair technicians in the garage, you don’t have to worry about the results. Shops like these will offer lifetime guarantees for their work, knowing that the quality of their repairs speaks for itself by permanently eliminating the dent damage on their customers’ vehicles.

At Dent Shop, our experienced paintless dent repair specialists use their expertise and training in order to perform remarkable work on all kinds of car body types, whether or not your vehicle is new or pre-owned. If you’re looking for hail damage dent removal or vehicle dent repair services, please don’t hesitate to reach out and get in touch with a member of our team today. Contact Dent Shop today to get started on your free estimate for repairs!

Posted in Dent Repair, Hail Repair, Paintless Dent Repair

The Top Benefits of Treating Vehicle Hail Damage with Paintless Dent Repair

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vehicle hail damage repairs

Many people associate vehicle hail damage with time-consuming and expensive repairs, but that doesn’t have to be the case. If no paint damage is present, then paintless dent repair is the top choice for car hail damage. In fact, 80% to 90% of dents from hail can be repaired using paintless dent repair methods. This modern technique of hail dent removal can provide a number of advantages. Here are the four top benefits of using paintless dent repair for vehicle hail damage.

Quick Repair Times

Traditional car dent repairs using conventional repair methods involve a multi-step, labor-intensive and time-consuming process to fix hail damage. It could take weeks or even months to get your car back from the shop, depending on the extent of the damage. These traditional repairs rely on fillers to pack into the dents, then painting over the materials to give the appearance of a repair, a method that ends up on Carfax reports for a significant loss in vehicle value.

However, the techniques used with paintless dent repair reduce the repair time significantly. Individual dents can be repaired in a few hours, while hail damage may require a day or more depending on the extent of the damage. When you work with a paintless dent repair expert, you can take your car in and often get it back in the same day or the day after, much faster than conventional repairs.

Vehicle Restoration

At times, auto body shops may suggest expensive replacement panels after vehicle hail damage occurs, but PDR is a much more cost-effective option if there’s no paint damage present. Paintless dent repair can restore your vehicle to its original condition without harming its valuable factory finish paint or reducing its value by smoothing out the dented panels. Your vehicle’s panels will be restored to its pre-hail damaged condition without a detrimental incident report on Carfax. Most importantly, PDR methods for vehicle hail damage repairs will maintain your car’s resale value.

Safe for the Environment

Chemicals from vehicle paints can release toxic air pollutants that are harmful to the environment. Paintless dent repair uses specialized, reusable tools to fix auto hail damage without removing, damaging or adding paint. Unlike traditional repair methods, there is no waste produced during the process. In traditional repairs, both base layers and final coats of paint need to be added to the filled-in dent, and unfortunately, the top layer of paint can be a mismatch, or fade, bubble or warp over time. There’s no guarantee that the repainted section will completely match the rest of your vehicle and not become obvious over time. Paintless dent repairs are safer for the environment and the wiser choice for repairing hail damage and protecting your investment in your car.

Permanent Dent Repair Solution

Paintless dent repair is a permanent solution for hail damage, since the process slowly massages the dented panel back into its original shape. This repair method is proven to have a lifetime guarantee, and the car dents and dings won’t come back again later on. This process can be used for dents of any size, shape or location on your vehicle. You can have peace of mind knowing that your car won’t have to return to the shop for future repairs.

When your car gets damaged by hail, you know who to call. At Dent Shop, our professional hail damage repair technicians can get your car back into optimal shape quickly. Get in touch with our team today schedule a free hail damage repair estimate today.

Posted in Hail Repair, Paintless Dent Repair

How to Deal with the Aftermath of Hail Damage

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hail damage repair

No one wants to find out that their car has been on the receiving end of hail damage. But if your vehicle has experienced damage, dents or scratches from a hailstorm, then it’s a good idea to know your options and act fast to prevent your situation from worsening. That’s why we’ve compiled this quick guide on how to deal with the aftermath of hail damage to your car.

Get Your Damage Assessed Right Away

Hail damage can get pretty bad depending on the size of the hail stones from the storm. The quicker you act to visit a technician or dent repair shop that specializes in hail damage repair, the quicker you can get your vehicle back out on the roads. If you live in an area that experiences frequent hailstorms, then it pays to take care of hail damage as soon as you experience it. Dents that could have been repaired easily may require more expensive, conventional repairs if another hailstorm worsens the existing damage on your vehicle.

Check Your Insurance Policy

Dealing with vehicle insurance companies and filing your hail damage repair claims can be a process full of setbacks and financial pains. But when it comes to hail damage repair, you need to work with your car insurance company quickly in order to avoid further problems. Choosing a repair company that can help you navigate the claims process and work with your insurance company is also a good course of action.

The majority of car insurance policies have a separate section of guidelines that pertain to damage caused by hail and other environmental factors. In order to fall in line with these policies, it’s often a good idea to contact your insurance company right away after you end up discovering any form of hail damage, whether it seems severe or not. If you wait too long to report this form of damage, you just might end up discovering that your report doesn’t fall within the time frame that makes your insurance company liable to pay for your hail damage repair.

Find a Technician That Specializes in Hail Damage Repair

There are several different approaches to dealing with hail damage repair. However, some older and outdated methods not only take more time, but they can also lead to expensive but mediocre results. For this reason, it’s a good idea to take your vehicle to a shop that has the expertise to offer the latest hail damage repair techniques. Methods such as paintless dent repair (PDR), for instance, can make your vehicle look as though it never went through a hailstorm. The process is faster, more cost-effective and preserves your vehicle value. PDR requires the skilled hands of a technician who has been trained in using specialized tools and paintless dent repair techniques to restore vehicle bodies with hail damage. Taking your vehicle to any old local mechanic may not bode well for the look, feel and value of your vehicle after hail damage.

Prepare for the Future with New Storage Options

If your region gets lots of hail, then you should pay attention to how you’re storing your vehicle. If you can cut down on the amount of time your vehicle spends parked outdoors and exposed to the elements, then you can likely reduce the chance of hail damage. For this reason alone, it’s a good idea to invest in some form of indoor storage in order to dodge the damage that comes on from hailstorms in your area. Rent a garage space, or perhaps research hail proof vehicle covers. You’ll be grateful the next time a hailstorm hits your region.

If your car has experienced hail damage and you’re in need of high-quality hail damage repair as a result, please don’t hesitate to reach out and get in touch with a Dent Shop team member today.

Posted in Hail Repair

Dent Shop Rapid City Announces Availability of Hail Damage Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) Services to Address Damage From Monday’s Heavy Storms

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Large hail stones in Rapid City

National PDR Experts Offer Insurance Claims Processing and Fast Repair for Hail Damage to Area Vehicles

In the wake of damaging hail incidents across the Pennington County area on Monday, July 6th, leading hail repair experts Dent Shop Rapid City urges those who sustained damage to their vehicles to take action and choose the fast and effective solution for repairing hail damage to their vehicles: Paintless Dent Repair (PDR).

Dent Shop Rapid City uses Paintless Dent Repair to completely remove dents for a permanent solution that maintains the vehicle’s factory finish and manufacturer’s warranty and is typically covered by insurance. In contrast to the more expensive, intrusive and time-consuming conventional solutions, which reduces the value of your vehicle due to a superficial solution, paintless dent repair can be completed at a fraction of the time and helps retain vehicle value.

As your local Rapid City area PDR expert, Dent Shop Rapid City is offering full assistance to those in the Black Hills region who experienced hail damage from Monday night’s thunderstorm – or for anyone with existing body damage that might benefit from PDR. Call, text or schedule your appointment via the Dent Shop Rapid City website. Dent Shop Rapid City’s technicians can quickly and expertly determine the extent of your damage and provide an estimate, and work directly with your insurance company to approve your repair and fix the damage.

“The great news is that Paintless Dent Repair can fix most vehicle hail damage,” says Dent Shop Rapid City Partner Tim Kordon, “so choose an experienced PDR professional with proven technical expertise to fix your dents.”

About Dent Shop Rapid City: Dent Shop Rapid City uses its decades of PDR experience to efficiently and cost-effectively return vehicles back to their original condition. Dent Shop Rapid City’s leadership team are recognized experts in the PDR field and offer their expertise to a national network of PDR providers throughout the country in response to requests for dent repair assistance after major storms and other disasters. Dent Shop offers incredible PDR and hail damage repairs and top-notch customer service at all four of their business locations: Ashburn, VA, Tysons Corner, VA, Redlands, CA and Rapid City, SD.

 

 

 

Posted in Hail Repair, News, Paintless Dent Repair

Average Cost of Vehicle Hail Damage Insurance Claims & Repairs

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Evaluating Vehicle Hail Damage

If your car has suffered damage from a hailstorm, you may be worried about dent repair costs and if your insurance will cover it. Here’s what you need to know about the best repair method for hail damage, costs and insurance coverage policies.

Cost of Paintless Dent Repairs for Vehicle Hail Damage

If the hail stones did not damage your vehicle’s paint, it may be a suitable candidate for paintless dent repairs (PDR). A faster and much more affordable alternative to conventional, invasive repairs that fill in and paint over dents, PDR work involves patient metalworking to restore the frame to its original shape. It’s even preferred by insurance companies as the primary method to repair vehicle hail damage and dents without paint damage present.

The cost of paintless dent repairs (PDR) to fix hail damage will depend on a few factors. The number of dents caused by hail as well as the size, depth and location of each dent will determine how much time it will take for repairs. Costs will depend on the extent of the hail damage, whether or not your vehicle’s paint has been compromised and the repair shop you select. It’s recommended to seek out a reputable PDR shop for a free estimate to determine if you need PDR or conventional repairs.

Paintless Dent Repair Insurance Coverage

If you have comprehensive coverage before the damage happens, your hail dent repair costs are likely covered (after you pay your pre-determined deductible). Comprehensive coverage typically pays for damage or theft occurring outside of collisions, covering expenses like windshield repair, hail damage repair and damage from theft or vandalism. Comprehensive auto insurance plan premiums vary by state and may be higher in states like South Dakota or Colorado that are among the highest for hail damage claims. Yet without coverage, it can get expensive to pay out of pocket in entirety to fix dents from hailstorms.

Your insurance rates generally won’t go up if you file a hail damage claim and they may even pay for loaner vehicle costs while the car dent repair is being done. It’s important to file a claim as soon as hail damage occurs. If you fail to repair hail damages when they first occur, your insurance company may deny future claims if previous damage exists. If your car is considered totaled, meaning the cost to fix the hail damage exceeds the value of the car, comprehensive coverage will be denied for the dent removal cost.

Hail Damage Costs

The average cost of a hail dent removal insurance claim is roughly $3,000, according to insurance.com. The cost you’ll pay will depend on the extent of the damages, your chosen insurance policy and your deductible amount. If your vehicle’s paint has been damaged, it will cost you more for conventional repairs or replacement panels.

Save yourself time and money on hail damage repair costs by opting for PDR first. At Dent Shop, we’ll work with your insurance company and get your car back in optimal condition quickly. We have over three decades of experience dealing with all types of cars and repairing hail damage. Contact us today for a free estimate!

Posted in Hail Repair, Paintless Dent Repair

Vehicle Hail Damage Repairs: Navigating Insurance Coverage & Next Steps

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hail damage repairs

Dealing with the aftermath of vehicle hail damage can be tricky; it can be difficult to determine where to seek repairs and navigate insurance and file claims. Many drivers do not know if their hail-related damages are covered or if it’s even worth filing a claim with their insurance carrier at all. Let’s learn more about the specifics of insurance coverage and having your car repaired after suffering dents from hail damage.

Vehicle Hail Damage: Am I Covered?

First and foremost, it is important to understand whether your hail damage repair costs will be covered.

As long as you have comprehensive coverage before hail-related damages occur, your insurance carrier will front the costs after you’ve paid your deductible amount. Comprehensive policies cover “not-at-fault” incidents, such as acts of nature or damages that occur due to issues outside of collisions, but only if the policy was in place beforehand. You cannot purchase a comprehensive plan after the fact. Some carriers will extend this provision to extreme weather forecasts, meaning your comprehensive plan needs to be active before extreme weather makes the news otherwise resulting damages will not be covered.

What is the difference between comprehensive coverage and other auto insurance plans? There are three basic car insurance coverage plans: liability coverage, collision coverage and comprehensive coverage.

Liability plans cover costs if you are at fault; these plans cover damage to other parties’ vehicles as well as the other drivers’ and/or passengers’ medical expenses.

Collision coverage pays for damages to your vehicle in the event of a collision no matter who is at fault. Collision coverage will payout even if you are in a single-car collision (e.g., if you spin out of control and hit a guardrail).

Finally, comprehensive coverage will pay for non-collision related expenses, like windshield and glass repair, vandalism, theft, animal-related damages and acts of nature, including vehicle hail damage and hail dent repair.

Filing A Vehicle Hail Damage Claim: Is It Worth It?

Weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks of filing a claim – in most cases, filing a claim is the preferred option. With comprehensive coverage, insurance companies do not raise your rates for filing a hail damage claim. In addition, depending on the extent of the damage, you may require a loaner vehicle while repairs ensue, and insurance companies generally contribute towards those costs or pay them in full.

Assess the damage and seek out estimates for repairs. Minor hail damage that has not cracked the vehicle’s paint can usually be repaired with paintless dent repair (PDR), a cost-effective repair solution that may not exceed high deductibles. However, the average auto insurance claim for hail damage is $3,000. Though these costs can fluctuate with the types of repairs needed to fix or cover up the damage, filing a claim is usually the best course of action since hail damage can be costly to fix.
The cost of repairs, the length of repair time and your need for a loaner vehicle will depend on the method of repair suitable for fixing the vehicle hail damage. Dents with cracked paint will require either replacement panels or traditional repairs. This entails injecting the dented area on cars with a filler – sanding, bonding then painting over the filled-in area. The process is time-consuming, labor-intensive and can get quite expensive.

Paintless dent repair, on the other hand, is cost-effective, maintains your vehicle’s value and is preferred by insurance companies when the hail has not cracked the paint. With just a few specialized tools, PDR technicians pop the frame or shell of your car back into its original position after precise, gentle massaging of the dented metal. PDR doesn’t just mask pockmarks and hail dents like conventional repairs. Plus, experts can complete the entire paintless dent repair process in an average of two hours, typically the same day, meaning you may not need a loaner vehicle.

Even if your vehicle is eligible for paintless dent repairs, the nature of hail damage will generally exceed deductible costs.
In summary, even though the type, length and cost of repairs will vary depending on the damage and chosen repair method, filing an insurance claim is most often the wisest choice.

Determining Your Course of Action

If the damage to your car following a hailstorm is particularly subtle, it may cross your mind just to leave it – and avoid insurance claims, repairs, and maintenance altogether. There are a few reasons why that is not a good idea.

  • Any hail damage has the potential to lower the resale value of your car. Potential buyers are likely to seek savings elsewhere, not on a hail damaged vehicle. Dents in the surface panels can indicate underlying structural damage to your vehicle, whereas conventional repairs that mask that damage will still end up on your Carfax report, since structural damage can severely impact your car’s integrity and worth.
  • Visible damage may also interfere with future insurance claims. While minor hail dents may not trouble you, insurance carriers may deny claims for vehicles with existing damage. Keep up on repairs to make sure you are eligible to file claims following a collision or any other qualifying event.

To make the decision that’s best for you now and in the long run, weigh the pros and cons, determine if your insurance policy covers repairs and have a professional evaluate suitability for traditional repairs or paintless dent repair. Navigating the insurance process can be difficult – Dent Shop accepts all insurance and can help you file your vehicle hail damage insurance claim. Contact us today for trusted hail damage repairs and free estimates from Dent Shop’s skilled PDR technicians.

Posted in Hail Repair

How Can Paintless Dent Repair Fix Hail Damage on Your Vehicle?

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hail on car

When dealing with vehicle damage from inclement weather, whether from hail damage or due to storms causing tree limbs or debris to hit your car, it can be frustrating to find skilled professionals capable of fixing these issues. Hailstones especially can cause extensive cosmetic and structural damage. The good news is, paintless dent repair (PDR) can remove dents of many different sizes and depths resulting from a hailstorm. Here’s how paintless dent repair can fix hail damage and restore your car to its original condition.

What exactly is paintless dent repair?

Paintless dent repair, as the name suggests, is a process that repairs dents and dings (without paint damage present) caused by hail and other sources. It is a delicate process that requires intensive training and experience from the technician performing the repairs. Professionals who can properly apply this repair method are able to fix dents of varying depths, circumferences and locations on a vehicle.

The process of paintless dent repair relies on a strategic approach. First and foremost, technicians will assess the damage done to the car. Because this repair method requires intense attention to detail, technicians sometimes require extra time to prepare the vehicle. Much of the preparatory work involves assessing the damaged panels of the vehicle under specific lighting and coming up with a plan for the repairs. Technicians use specialized tools to slowly and precisely push any dents out from the bottom side of the car’s panels.

How can paintless dent repair contribute to hail damage repair?

Experts say that between 80% to 90% of hail dents can be repaired using paintless dent repair (PDR) techniques. Because the possible damage caused by hail can vary so widely, using paintless techniques is one of the best ways to restore your car’s panels to the original condition. Minor dings can be easily handled using paintless repair techniques.
At an auto body shop, dents are either sanded, filled in and repainted over or the panel with damage is replaced altogether. With hail damage, the labor-intensive process of sanding and grinding away paint, applying bondo filler to the dent cavity then using multiple coats of paint is time consuming and expensive. Often, a professional may suggest replacing the entire panel instead of using a traditional method for hail damage. Rather than pay a larger sum to replace an entire panel with mere dimples or minor dents in the metal from hailstones, a PDR technician can massage those dents out for a fraction of the cost.

Who can I trust to repair hail damage with PDR?

Because the dent-repair techniques used in the paintless dent repair process are so specific and specialized, it’s important to have repairs completed at a local, reputable PDR shop. Storm chasers that immediately move on to the next hail site are difficult to hold accountable if the repairs are not up to par. Whereas a local, established company with a physical location has their PDR technicians and specialists always on-site, meaning they can be relied upon to deliver quality work every time.

You definitely don’t want to take your vehicle to just anyone once you notice hail damage. As you probably know, hail damage can be quite severe depending on the situation. Neglecting to have that hail damage fixed can significantly reduce the value of your vehicle. For these reasons, it’s crucial to take the time to research and locate a repair shop that specializes in paintless dent repair for hail damage.

Many regular auto body repair shops, unfortunately, do not have the proper equipment or trained specialists to perform accurate and reliable paintless dent repair. In this case, you may need to consult with other experts in the field to find a shop that can perform the type of work that you need. This may mean foregoing your usual mechanic or auto body repair shop in order to get your vehicle hail damage fixed thoroughly, efficiently and cost-effectively with PDR.

If your vehicle has hail damage or minor dents and dings, please get in touch to request a repair estimate today. At Dent Shop, our team of experienced specialists has the training and tools needed to help get your vehicle repaired and back out on the roads after hail damage.

Posted in Hail Repair, Paintless Dent Repair