What To Know About Fixing Your Hail Damaged Vehicle

Unpredictable weather is one of the four main reasons a car can sustain damage. If you live in an area that is prone to heavy thunderstorms, chances are you will have to deal with hail damage at some point. Hail damage can wreak havoc on the body and the windshield of your vehicle. Extensive damage will require the attention of auto body repair professionals in order to bring your vehicle back to its proper condition. Here’s what to know about fixing hail damage on a car.

Hail Damage Repair Methods

There are two main ways of getting a car fixed after being hit by hail. Paintless dent repair pushes out small dents by using a dent puller tool to smooth out the body panel. It can be used as long as the paint surface isn’t scratched or cracked and there aren’t any sharp or torn metal edges. It’s typically used for small dents. They can also repair the most common types of windshield breaks.

Body filler fills in dents and dings. The surface is then sanded to a smooth finish before being painted over. If a car has been heavily damaged, this is a more suitable option than paintless dent repair.

Insurance Coverage

The costs of the damage to your vehicle may be paid for by your insurance, depending on your coverage. If you have comprehensive insurance, it should be considered as an “act of God”. This means you aren’t responsible and the insurance will pay for the costs as long as you have paid for your deductible. Make sure you take plenty of photos of the damage to your insurance company.

If the costs of the repairs are more than the value of the vehicle, the insurance company may deem it as “totaled”. If this situation happens, you’ll either need to get your car back from the body shop or have it taken to a junkyard. Driving a “totaled” car may be risky because of underlying damage that may not be clearly visible.

Repairing hail damage should be done by an auto body shop professional that is certified in collision repair. You can research these auto body repair services online and get recommendations from family and friends. You don’t have to allow unpredictable weather keeping you from wherever you want to go. Fix the damage by finding a reputable auto body shop near you.