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 However, some older and outdated methods not only take more time, but they can also lead to expensive but mediocre results.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.