Hail can wreak havoc on your car. Even those car owners that have a garage can’t completely escape the ravaging balls of ice all the time. When you are in the middle of a road trip, or are driving during a hail storm, you can’t always avoid the damage that it can cause. If you have experienced hail damage to your vehicle, you may be wondering what your next step should be. Most importantly, you may be wondering if your auto insurance will be covering the cost to fix it. Top Notch Body Shop & Mechanic is here to talk about hail damage and what you can expect from your auto insurance company throughout the process.
Hail Damage Car Insurance Claim
When it comes to hail, and the coverage from your insurance, it all depends on what kind of a policy you have. If you have a liability only policy, you will be stuck with the bill when you have the hail damage repaired. If you have comprehensive coverage, you will find that your insurance company does provide coverage for storm and hail damage. You can’t purchase this insurance after the damage has been done and hope that they will cover the cost to repair it. You need to have this coverage before any damage takes place.
Deductible Expectations for Vehicle Hail Storm Damage
Most insurance companies require that you meet a deductible before they will cover any costs when it comes to comprehensive insurance. If you don’t have a deductible, you are likely paying a higher premium than someone that does have a deductible. The amount of the deductible, all depends on the type of policy you have chosen. Hail damage almost always exceeds the deductible, but when you do have a deductible, that cost is due at the time that your vehicle is repaired.
Extensive Damage = Totaled Car
The damage caused by hail can be extensive. An insurance adjuster will come and inspect the vehicle and let you know if the car is totaled or not. If you are dealing with a low value vehicle, the damage may be more extensive and the cost high enough that it isn’t worth fixing it. When hail hits an area, there are several cars that will be filing a hail storm damage claim with their insurance, and so it is important to remember that it may take some time to get an adjuster out for inspection.
Auto Body Repairs & More in Dallas, Texas Dallas, Texas (Just Minutes Away from Addison, Balch Springs, Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Coppell, DeSoto, Duncanville, Farmers Branch, Ferris, Garland, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Irving, Lancaster, Lewisville, Mesquite, Ovilla, Richardson, Rowlett, Sachse, Seagoville, Sunnyvale & Wylie, TX)
You can’t always avoid hail storms. The best way to keep your vehicle as safe as possible is storing it properly. If you have covered parking at work, you should definitely take advantage. Also, park your vehicle in the garage as much as possible; especially when you know that severe weather is heading your way. If you have a vehicle that has sustained hail damage, you can rely on the experts at Top Notch Body Shop & Mechanic to perform the necessary repairs and work with your insurance company so that you can have your vehicle back as soon as possible. Call us today!
