Auto Hail Damage: Should I Fix It??

Talk about a loaded question, there are about thirty seven different ways to answer this, so I will try to keep it short and simple.There a three main points to cover regarding hail damage repair on your vehicle. Severity, situation, and maintaining your vehicle’s value, are the most important topics so that is what I will address and hopefully answer most of your questions and concerns.

Severity of The Hail Damage:

Every vehicle is different in regards to metal thickness, strength, and metal type. Aluminum panels tend to take the most damage from hail when compared to standard strength steel. Standard strength steel panels take more damage than high strength steel panels. Metal thickness also factors into the equation as well. Thicker gauge metal(most american and european vehicles) withstand damage and are easier to repair than thinner metal vehicles (Subaru, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, etc). Can you only see a few hail dings, or does it look like the surface of the moon? These are all things that should be considered when making an educated decision. All of these factors need to be considered when giving an accurate estimate for repairs, so most companies, including Professional PDR, will usually refuse to give an estimate over the phone and would prefer you schedule an appointment to view the vehicle in person. In almost every case, your damage will easily exceed the amount of your deductible and an insurance claim will need to be made, as long as you have comprehensive coverage on your policy. Also, filing an auto claim for hail damage DOES NOT affect you insurance rates. Rates will increase in an area regardless if you filed a claim or not, so you might as well protect your investment. If your auto hail damage is moderate to light, you should consider repairing the vehicle because in the event you are caught in another hail storm, two things can happen. First, the panels that were repairable via paintless dent repair, now need replacement which could affect the overall value of your vehicle. Second, if you filed a claim on the initial damage and need to file another claim, you will now be responsible for paying TWO deductibles to the repair facility.

Situation:

Do you own your vehicle?   If you own your vehicle outright, repairing the hail damage is strictly up to you. If you choose not to repair and file a claim, the next time your vehicle receives hail damage, your insurance carrier may refuse to pay without proof of repairs from a repair facility. Also, worst case scenario, if your are involved in a collision and you are at fault, your insurance carrier will not pay again for panels that they have already paid for in the previous claim. This could leave you with an un drivable vehicle, and instead of only paying the deductible, you could be on the hook for thousands of dollars to get your vehicle out of the shop.

Is your vehicle financed or leased?  If your vehicle is financed or leased, having insurance in place not only protects you financially, but its main purpose is to protect the investment of the lienholder. In the event something happened to you, or you couldn’t continue to make the payments, the lienholder doesn’t want a damaged vehicle, and you would be responsible for the cost of them having to make the repairs. The same would apply as above regarding the at fault collision predicament,

Maintaining your Vehicles Value:

Last but certainly not least, repairing your vehicle helps maintain the most value on your auto. Not only that, most vehicles aren’t cheap. The average cost of new purchases is around $30,000 and can go up to $80,000 or more depending on the vehicle. So why not protect that investment! If your were to trade in a vehicle with hail damage, or try to sell to a private party, it will cost thousands of dollars! Just like a lienholder, dealers do not want damaged vehicles. You will end up paying one way or another. So your best bet is to file a claim and make the repairs.

I’m sure this may not have answered all of the questions you may have. If that is the case, please contact our shop at 719-574-5678 and either myself or one of our team members will be able to give you the answer you seek. We have many years experience in repairing auto hail damage, and we are one of the best, if not the best, hail damage repair facility in Colorado Springs. We also cover any and all damage related to hail including paintless dent repair, traditional body repair and paint, panel replacement(hoods, roofs, etc.), and windshield replacement. We also have other auto related services in house as well, such as Clear Bra, Window Tinting, Detailing, Paint Correction, and Ceramic Coating.  In the unfortunate event you are caught in a hail storm and have questions or need repairs, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. We would love to earn your business and create another customer for life!

Bill Bertoniere

Professional PDR, Owner & Master Technician