What are my Options for Repairing Hail Damage?
You see a nasty storm rolling in - then you remember that your car is parked in the driveway or street so you make a mad dash to move it into the garage or under cover in time If not, your car is left to face the elements of a bad storm, including hail or sleet.
Hail can easily damage vehicles left out in the open during a storm. While car covers can protect against mild hail damage, if the hail is larger than an inch in diameter, damage is likely.
However, most hail damage can be repaired by your local auto body shop.
STEPS TO TAKE AFTER HAIL DAMAGES YOUR CAR
Take photos of the hail damage with your smartphone. Pictures of hail damage can be harder to capture than more common types of damage, so you may need to take photos from different angles.
Contact your insurance company to see if they will cover hail damage repairs for your vehicle. If it is covered, ask if you can submit photos of the damage.
Before having an assessment done, wash the exterior of your vehicle, so that the damage is easier to see.
Count the dings and dents and how dense or spread out they are.
Have the damage professionally assessed through someone provided by your insurance and through a local auto body shop (specifically, Golden Hammer Collision *wink*)
STANDARD AUTO BODY REPAIRS FOR HAIL DAMAGE
There are a few different ways that hail damage can be repaired. Paintless dent repair (PDR) is a quick and inexpensive method that corrects the dents without needing to repaint your vehicle (typically).
For deeper dents or dents that have cracked the vehicle’s paint, PDR might not be possible. In that case, conventional dent repair is used, which may involve filling and repainting the dent, or replacing the part or panel that is damaged.
Hail can damage windshields, windows and sunroofs, so auto glass repairs may be needed as well. It’s important to get your cracked windshield repaired as soon as possible because cracks can impair your vision while driving and even compromise the structural integrity of the vehicle.
HOW TO FIND A LOCAL AUTO BODY OR AUTO GLASS SHOP TO REPAIR HAIL DAMAGE
Depending on the extent of the damage, hail repairs can unfortunately add up quickly, so there are a couple things to keep in mind before selecting a shop:
Ask your local auto body shop if you can submit photos to them virtually to initiate an estimate on repairs (you can do that on our website!)
Seek multiple estimates. Select a few different shops and get quotes from each of them, to get an idea of price range.
If your car suffers hail damage, Golden Hammer Collision has you covered.