5 Ways You Can Prepare Your Car for a Hailstorm

May 2, 2023

5 Ways You Can Prepare Your Car for a Hailstorm

May 2, 2023

When it comes to hail damage , prevention is always better than cure. So here are five ways you can prepare your car for a hailstorm from our experts at Elevate Hail & Dent Repair.

1. Park in a garage or covered parking: If possible, park your vehicle in a place that's protected from hail, like a garage or covered parking lot. This will give you peace of mind during hail storms and could potentially save your car from major dents and dings. If it starts to hail while you are on the road, it's best to pull over safely on the side of the road and seek cover if possible, but not to stop under an overpass. Driving through a hail storm will cause more damage to your vehicle than parking, and will increase the chances of glass damage to the vehicle. Stopping right under an overpass will increase the chances of your vehicle being involved in an accident. Make sure that safety is top-of-mind when deciding where to pull over.


2. Verify comprehensive coverage on your insurance policy: Make sure that you have comprehensive coverage on your insurance policy, plus a reasonable deductible (preferably $500 or less) so that you're protected if there's any damage done to your car due to hail.


3. Close all windows and sunroofs: Before the storm hits, make sure all windows and sunroofs are closed tightly so no water and debris can enter the vehicle when it hails.


4. Use a hail protection cover for your car, and deploy this protection prior to the storm: When it comes to protecting your car from hail damage, investing in a good quality covering or shield is essential. It will provide an extra layer of protection and minimize any potential damage to the vehicle body & paint caused by large hailstones falling at high speed during inclement weather conditions. It is important to deploy your covering or shield prior to the storm, as attempting to do so during the storm may cause severe bodily harm.


5. Stay inside if you don't have to drive: It's best not to drive when you know that there's going to be a hailstorm outside as there could be obstacles on the road such as fallen trees and branches due to strong winds associated with thunderstorms and hailstorms. Also, avoid going out after it has started to hail in order to cover your car or attempt to protect it; this could put you at risk since hailstorms can be unpredictable & dangerous. If you were planning on driving, it is safest to postpone in the event of a hail storm.

Protecting your car from hail damage doesn't have to be difficult - follow these simple steps and visit Elevate Hail & Dent Repair for reliable hail damage and paintless dent repair services!

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How does Total Loss Work?

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Millions of people every year neglect filing a claim for their Auto-Hail Damage due to the fear that their vehicle might total. The whole process of totaling a vehicle is confusing and stressful, the best and most simple solution to finding out if your vehicle will be declared a total loss before filing an insurance claim is to take your car to a repair facility for a consultation. But for some customers, there is a need to know more. How does totaling a car for hail damage work? What should you do if you think your car is totaled from hail damage? Well, this is a question that we hear all the time, so let’s dive in.

What are my options when my car totals for hail damage?

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Your vehicle is declared a total loss. Now what? Well, if you have Comprehensive coverage on your car, insurance companies provide customers with two options: surrender the car, or buy it back. Both options will pay the insured based off of the actual cash value of the vehicle, minus the policy deductible, as well as any state taxes and fees. The difference in the two, is whether or not the insured will keep the vehicle, and the amount received. I want to surrender my vehicle. Surrendering your vehicle would mean that the asset is released to the insurance company in exchange for its Actual Cash Value, less the deductible and any applicable taxes and fees. Once the insurance company has been notified that you would like to release the car to them, you will be expected to retrieve any personal belongings as soon as possible. Following the retrieval of your belongings, the insurance company will retrieve the vehicle from the shop of repair, and mail a check out to you. I want to keep my car. If you want to keep your vehicle, insurance allows what they call a “buy back,” where the insured essentially buys the vehicle back from the insurance company at salvage cost. The good news about hail damage is it does not impact the mechanical side of the vehicle. And in some states, like Texas and Colorado , a vehicle totaled via hail damage still maintains a clean title. You will however, not be able to reinstate comprehensive coverage on the totaled vehicle until a receipt of repair is provided to the insurance. With this option, not only does the customer get to keep their car, but they may receive a check for the Actual Cash Value, less the deductible, any applicable taxes/fees, and the salvage price of the vehicle. You can learn how to calculate your salvage cost by reading our blog post on how Total Loss Works . If you decide to keep your totaled vehicle, and wish to repair it, you can speak to your repair facility to see what the repair cost would be. Just remember, that the entire amount of the insurance check, and possibly then some, will need to go towards the repair. If you decide to keep your totaled car and do not wish to repair it, make sure to at least repair any broken or cracked glass to avoid safety issues. You will also want to repair any cracked paint so that the vehicle does not procure rust – which can be detrimental to a vehicle. I have a loan or lean. If the insured owes money on the car, the insurance company will put the money towards the lean. Any amount left over from the check will go to the insured. If the insured customer owes more than the car is “worth,” and has Gap Insurance , than the Gap Insurance will kick in to help cover the remaining balance on the vehicle. If the insured owes more than the car’s worth but does NOT have gap insurance, the insured is responsible for making arrangements with the lean holder to pay off the remaining balance. Totaling the car that you love can be stressful and frustrating, and the best option when totaling a car will always depend on your specific situation and needs. Here at Elevate Hail & Dent Repair, we provide a safe, transparent, and customer oriented environment where totaling your vehicle is our last resort. In the event there is no other option, it is our commitment that we advise the best course of action to fit your needs and lifestyle. If you’re worried about your vehicle totaling form hail damage, and are looking to take the next steps, call 1-844-766-4245 today to book your free consultation.