Hail—it’s one of the strangest weather formations in the world. Hail is solid ice that forms during thunderstorms, falling from the sky in chunks that can be as big as a baseball.
While hail is fun to watch from indoors, it’s not any fun for your car. Hail can be extremely damaging to cars and trucks, so if you’ve been in a hail storm, you might need to file a hail damage claim with your insurance company.
Ready to file your claim? Keep reading to find out how to best prepare your insurance claim.
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Make Sure Your Insurance Covers Hail
Before getting started, read the fine print of your coverage and make sure it covers hail storm damage. If you have a liability-only policy, you likely aren’t covered, since this only covers damage you might do to other drivers.
If you have comprehensive coverage, you’re probably covered. Give your insurance company a quick call to check if you’re unsure.
Report Your Claim Quickly
It’s helpful to report your claim right away after the storm. One reason for this is so you can get your car fixed as soon as possible.
Also, keep in mind that the hail damaged not only your car, but plenty of other cars in the area. The sooner you can file, the sooner the insurance company can action your claim.
There can sometimes be delays at body shops after big storms, so it’s smart to ask fast.
Learn more here about what else you should do after the storm.
Take Photos of the Damage
You’ll want to take photos of all the small dents, damage, or broken glass caused by the hail. Video can be useful as well, providing an overview of the car’s condition.
The insurance adjuster will need to ensure the claim is a legitimate one, caused by hail and not anything else. Unfortunately, insurance fraud is not uncommon, so providing evidence of the claim will help them approve and process it quickly for you.
Bring Your Car for Appraisal
Once your insurer has accepted the claim, you’ll need to bring the car to a body shop for estimates and repair. A trained technician will look over the car and work out the cost to repair.
If the repair cost is higher than the value of the car, it will likely be written off as a total loss. This means the insurance company will pay you out, so you can buy a new vehicle.
For minor damage, the body shop will make the repairs and get your car fixed and back on the road as soon as possible.
Prepare Your Hail Damage Claim With These Tips
With the tips above, it’s easy to know how to file your hail damage claim. Although no one wants to see their beloved car damaged by hail, your insurance company will fix it up as soon as they can.
To avoid damage in the future, it can be helpful to move your car into a garage or place a blanket over the roof on days when hail is forecast.
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