Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, does insurance cover hail damage to my car? Rocky Mountain Dent Service in Denver knows it may not be top of mind until your vehicle gets stuck in a hailstorm and you have all those annoying little dings to contend with. That’s why we’ve put together the information you need to know about car insurance and hail damage.
The short answer is maybe yes, maybe no. Okay, we know that probably isn’t the most helpful thing we’ve ever said but read on and we will explain under what circumstances you will be able to use your car insurance to help pay for hail damage repairs. Though hail may not leave deep dents, it tends to leave a lot of them–driving up the repair bill quickly.
Hail Coverage
To determine does insurance cover hail damage to my car, you need to get out or download your policy and see what your plan covers. If you have liability-only coverage, the unfortunate news is that it will not pay for hail damage. If, however, you opted to include comprehensive coverage then it’s your lucky day. The insurance company will help pay for dent repairs.
Something to note is that comprehensive coverage must have already been on your vehicle at the time the damage occurred. Also, sometimes when a hurricane or heavy storm is projected in the forecast, insurance companies will put a hold on adding comprehensive coverage to your policy until the threat has passed. So, it’s generally a good idea not to try to play the odds. If you want to ensure that you have hail coverage, just add comprehensive coverage to your policy and keep it there.
Deductibles
Again, your deductible depends on the type of policy chosen. Some policies have a zero-deductible option, but you have to pay a higher premium to secure that. Many companies, however, require at least a certain amount for a deductible. Whatever deductible amount chosen, the cost of hail damage repairs almost always costs more than that, so it is still to your benefit to have coverage.
Totaling the vehicle
Another question that comes up frequently is if hail damage can total a vehicle and the answer is yes, it can quite quickly. Depending on the value of the car, hail damage repairs can exceed the value of the car itself and make it not worth fixing.
Here at Rocky Mountain Dent Service, we help a lot of people who didn’t find out until it was too late does insurance cover hail damage to my car? This is why recommend always garaging your vehicle if you live in a hail-prone area, especially if your car is particularly valuable. There is nothing more frustrating than a random freak storm causing such a headache for you. Also, be sure to add comprehensive coverage to your policy, even if you have to pay more of a deductible. It will still be worth it in the end.
Ready to get rid of those unsightly hail dents? Call or contact us today for more information.