With hailstorms comes hail damage, especially for motor vehicles parked out in the open. Vehicle dents are the common result of minor hailstorms. More severe storms can also cause chips or scratches on the paint, scraping body panels and sometimes causing cracks on the windows, windshields or side mirrors. But for the most part, minor hailstorms only cause vehicle dents without damaging the paint. Hail dent removal is best left to professionals rather than trying to fix it by yourself. Here’s what you should do:
1. Document the Damage
Hail damage to vehicles is covered under comprehensive insurance policies. To provide your insurance company with the required proof of damage, it would be best to capture clear images of the damage to your vehicle as documentation for filing your claim. Ensure you’re in a well-lit setting, but not in full sunlight when taking the images. The direct glare of sunlight on your reflective paint surface will make it difficult to ascertain the full extent of the damage.
While some vehicle owners may want to record the storm causing damage to their car, it’s not necessary to file a claim. Keep these images and videos handy for proof, and have them readily available.
2. File an Insurance Claim
As soon as the damage happens, contact your insurance agent to check whether your auto insurance policy covers hail damage. If it does, file a claim without further ado. A claims adjuster will come out and determine the extent of the damage and how much compensation you’re due under your insurance policy for repairs. However, it’s important to note that their hail damage repair compensation estimate may not always reflect the true cost of repairs. That’s why you should shop around for a few estimates and select the company that offers the highest vehicle value restoration possible for hail damage repair work.
3. Get the Repair Work Done
Hail dent removal can be completed effectively with paintless dent repair (PDR) techniques. As the name indicates, paintless dent removal means that repairs are conducted without harming the factory finish protect that protects the value of your car and the metal panels from rust. PDR techniques are used to fully remove dents and dings from vehicle panels to restore the value and appearance of the vehicle. This industry-recognized repair process is used for hail dent removal as well as regular dings and large dents to metal exterior surface panels. Paintless dent repair can be quickly and cost-effectively completed by skilled PDR technicians to eliminate hail damage as if it was never there.
How Does Paintless Dent Repair Work?
PDR uses specialized tools that push out a dent from the inside, thus restoring the original shape of the surface, with no damage to the paint. Larger dent repairs might involve the use of exterior dent-pullers that resemble plungers to alternate between pushing and pulling the dent out. By pulling the panels back, they restore the shape without damaging the paint. The professional involved in the hail dent removal by PDR pushes and massages each dent in a precisely technical manner.
Of course, vehicle hail damage prevention is better than cure. Parking your car in the garage, getting a carport installed or using inflatable car covers can protect against hail damage. But if you do need to get vehicle hail dent repair, reach out to us today and we’ll help you get your car back to the way it was before the damage happened. Contact PDR industry leader Dent Shop for fast, effective, high-quality hail damage repair and top-notch customer service.