4 Things To Understand About Automotive Hail Damage

When it comes to weather, you can never predict what is going to happen with it. You can't predict a hailstorm, and when a hailstorm hits, there is a good chance that if you are out driving around, you are not going to be able to get under cover in time to protect your vehicle. Hailstorms can leave some serious dents on your vehicle, which is why it is important to understand how automotive hail damage repair works.

Thing #1: Insurance Coverage May Come into Play

When your car gets damaged by hail, one of your first thoughts may be wondering how you will be paying for the damage. The good news is that you may not have to pay for the damage based on the type of insurance that you have. If you are carrying full coverage, also known as comprehensive coverage, there is a good chance that hail is covered. You may have to pay a deductible to get your vehicle fixed, but your insurance should cover the damage.

It can also be helpful to have rental car reimbursement to pay for a rental car when you are getting your vehicle fixed up.

Thing #2: Get an Estimate

When your car is damaged by hail, you are going to want to get a repair estimate. With a repair estimate, you will want to take your vehicle to a local repair shop. They are going to want to look at the damage. They will more than likely take pictures of the damage and ask you questions about the vehicle's overall condition. This may take about half an hour to an hour. The auto body shop may give you a quote on the spot, or they may gather all the information and follow up with a detailed quote at a later time.

You can choose who you work with to repair the hail damage, even if you are working with your insurance company. You can easily get a few quotes and choose who to work with.

Thing #3: Act Quickly

After a hailstorm hits your area, everyone impacted will reach out to local auto body shops trying to get their vehicle fixed. The sooner you call and get an appointment, the sooner the damage to your vehicle will be fixed. That is why it is important to act quickly after a hailstorm; if you wait too long, it could be a while before your vehicle is fixed.

Thing #4: Paintless Dent Repair is Possible

The type of repair you get depends on the size of the dents. If the dents vary from small to medium size, you may be able to use paintless dent repair. Paintless dent repair is a special process that allows one to pull the dents out of your vehicle without replacing any body parts without having to repaint the vehicle.

If you ended up with large dents that cracked the paint, you may have to go with more traditional auto bodywork, where the panel is replaced. You want to fix these types of dents right away, as the cracked paint can lead to rust over time.

If your vehicle was damaged by hail, you are going to want to act quickly to get a spot at your local auto body shop for repair. If you have comprehensive coverage, you may be able to get your insurance company to pick up the repair bill. Contact an auto body repair shop like Select Collision Group to learn more.