How Do I Get Hail Damaged Repaired on My Car?

You look out your window and can see a storm rolling in. Then you remember that your car is parked in the driveway or street, and thus ensues the mad dash to move your car into the garage or under a carport – if you have that option. If not, your car is left to face the elements of a bad storm, including one of the worst possibilities: hail.

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

1. Take photos of the hail damage with your smartphone. Pictures of hail damage can be harder to capture than other types of damage, so you may need to take photos from multiple angles.
2. 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.
3. Before having an assessment done, wash the exterior of your vehicle, so that the damage is easier to see.
4. Count the number of dings and dents and how dense or spread out they are.
5. Have the damage professionally assessed through someone provided by your insurance and through a local auto body shop.

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 the vehicle.

For sharper 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 your 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 shops if you can submit photos to them virtually to initiate an estimate on repairs. 
• 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, Carwise has you covered. Review current ratings, reviews and certifications on nearly 22,000 repair shops with Carwise.com. Use the shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed and certified auto body or auto glass shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.