Hail damage to your car can be an unpleasant and stressful experience. That’s why we want to provide you with all of the information needed to know about repairing hail damage to your car. Whether you have already experienced hail damage and need help repairing it or you want to be prepared just in case, here is what you need to know.
There Are Grades Of Hail Damage
There are basically four grades of hail damage to your car–cosmetic with intact paint, cosmetic with scratched paint, severe with intact paint, and severe with scratched paint. Cosmetic damage with intact paint is usually minor and can be easily repaired with some paintless dent repair techniques (or PDR).
These painstaking processes involve suction and rods and, though they can take some time, restore your car to its original gorgeous condition. However, cosmetic damage with scratched paint can be more extensive and may require repainting or touch-ups. Any kind of “severe” damage refers to structural damage that may affect the performance of your vehicle; this kind of issue should be resolved expediently for your safety.
Timely Repairs Are Always Smart
The sooner you start repairing your car after hail damage, the better. Even minor hail damage can worsen over time if it is not resolved quickly. Factors like humidity, temperature, and sunlight can all aggravate the damage and make it worse. It is also important to assess and repair the damage before any other damage occurs. The reason for this is that insurance companies always account for “pre-existing damage.” What this means is that if there is a hail damage to your car Monday, but you’re in a collision on Thursday that substantially damages your car, your insurance will not pay for any of the hail damage repair and may even deduct that damage from your payout for the collision. That’s why it is important to take your car to a professional auto body shop like Shur-Way Auto Body as soon as possible after experiencing hail damage. Our technicians will work efficiently to ensure that your car is repaired quickly and that further damage is prevented.
Contacting Insurance
It is a good idea to contact your insurance after receiving hail damage. Insurance companies cannot raise your premiums because you report hail damage–it is a “no fault” situation, which means the blame cannot be placed on you. Insurance companies may raise rates if an area is regularly under fire from hail, but this means they are raising the rates whether you contact them or not.
Additionally, filing a claim with your insurance provider can help cover the costs for repairs, especially for more severe hail damage. Your insurance provider may require an inspection to determine the extent of the damage, but once it is approved, you can schedule the repairs with a trusted auto body shop like Shur-Way Auto Body.
DIY Repair is Not Recommended
While it may be tempting to try to repair hail damage on your own, it is not recommended. DIY repairs may not be as effective as professional repairs and may even cause more damage to your car’s exterior. Even minor cosmetic issues can turn into major structural or performance problems if left in the hands of a novice. Not properly administering repairs to a crumple zone that is designed to take impact to protect the driver and passengers, for example, could mean serious danger in the event of a collision.
Professional technicians have the necessary tools and techniques to repair hail damage and can ensure that your car is restored to its original condition. Attempting to fix hail damage on your own can also lead to an invalidation of your car’s warranty so having a professional technician work on the damage is always the safer choice.
Find Local, Experienced Professionals
At Shur-Way Auto Body, we understand how stressful it can be to repair hail damage to your car. That’s why we strive to provide our customers with the highest quality service to ensure that their cars are repaired properly and quickly. Our technicians are experienced and certified in hail damage repair and will work closely with you to make sure that your car is returned to its original condition. If you have any questions about repairing hail damage to your car, feel free to contact us today to get started.