5 Common Mistakes and Questions About Fixing Hail Damage

Has there been hail in your area recently or a storm forecasted soon? Vehicle damage is common during the hailstorm season. Make sure you’re prepared to fix it with our guide of typical mistakes and questions from car owners regarding hail damage.

1. Neglecting the Damage

Hail damage doesn’t always manifest in huge, noticeable dents or cracked windshields—often, it’s minor dents and scratches. Some car owners will look at the exterior hail damage and shrug their shoulders, thinking it’s no big deal.

But even minor dents and scratches from hail could lead to more severe, long-term damage to the car than simple cosmetic harm. The longer you wait to fix the damage, the worse the effects of the hail could be. It may devalue the resale value of the vehicle.

2. Waiting Too Long for Repairs

Another common mistake we see from car owners about fixing hail damage is they hesitate for days, weeks, or even months before finally bringing the vehicle in for repairs. If a car owner waits too long, the hail damage could be considered preexisting damage for the insurance company, and the coverage will no longer include repairs.

Pro Tip: If your car gets hail damage, call the insurance company immediately to begin the claim-filing process and get it to a repair shop as soon as possible.

Plus, driving with hail damage to your vehicle is dangerous—no matter how insignificant or minor it may be. Even the slightest dent compromises the safety integrity of a car.

3. DIYing Hail Damage

Some car owners see a small dent or scratch from hail and think they can buff it out themselves. While the motivation is admirable, it’s best to let the professionals handle things like paintless dent repair.

Often, paintless dent repair is the method to fix dents and cracks from hail damage—but it requires dedicated training and specialized tools to do it correctly and safely. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you could do more harm than good to your vehicle.

4. Will Filing a Hail Damage Claim Raise My Insurance Premiums?

Many car owners worry about their insurance premiums rising when they file a hail damage claim. But hail damage is a no-fault claim and generally falls under a car owner’s comprehensive coverage.

If hail damages your vehicle, odds are other cars in the area were similary affected—which means that premium rates will probably go up for everyone regardless. You might as well file a claim and have the insurance cover repairs if your premiums go up anyway!

5. Are All Paintless Dent Repair Shops the Same?

Sadly, no. While many auto shops may offer paintless dent repair, that doesn’t mean they’re experts in the repair method.

It’s better to trust an experienced shop with expert service technicians like River North Collision Repair for hail damage car repair in Chicago. We know how to get your vehicle looking like new quickly and at an affordable cost.