Beware of Hail Storms: What to Do and How to Prevent Auto Hail Damage

There are four main causes of auto body damage, indulging fender benders, high speed collisions, negligence, and weather. Though light precipitation rarely will cause any dents, scratches, or cracks on your vehicle, more severe weather conditions certainly can.

Hail, for instance, can be quite destructive for any vehicle. Auto hail damage can completely ruin a car's windshield, not to mention all the dents to the body, and can result in you having to spend a significant amount of money for repair jobs. That's why you should do everything you can to prevent your vehicle from being damaged by hail. Here's how to do it:

• Cover your vehicle -- Buying a nice car cover or even using old blankets for covering your car can be a great way to prevent serious hail damage. You don't have to keep it covered all the time, but when a hailstorm is approaching, that's the first thing you should do.


• Pay attention to the weather -- Hailstorms can strike out of nowhere, which is why it's important to subscribe to some sort of weather alert service. As soon as a storm is approaching, it's time to act.


• Park near large buildings -- Buildings work as great natural hail shadows. If you're in the middle of a hailstorm and don't have adequate covering, head to the city and look for parking garages or a parking space near some large buildings.
  
  

If it's too late and your vehicle has already been struck by hail, there are a few things you need to do in order to get your car back on the road and looking great. Here are a few steps to take after your vehicle has been damaged by a severe hailstorm:

1. Contact your insurance company -- Since auto hail damage can be so expensive, you should give your insurance agent a call immediately after a storm. Take pictures to assess the damage if you can, too.


2. Head to an auto body repair shop -- Auto body services are great for repairing dents from hail. Additionally, these skilled technicians can repair or even replace windshields that were struck by hail.


3. Keep your car covered -- We already said this once, but it warrants repeating! The last thing you want is for another hailstorm to damage your newly repaired vehicle. It's time to start keeping your car covered all year-round so this damage doesn't happen again.
   
   

Don't let strong weather conditions ruin your car's appearance or value. If you want to learn more about preventing or repairing auto hail damage, it's time to give River North Collision Repair a call.