FAQS

Most comprehensive insurance plans cover hail damage, sometimes known as ‘other than collision damage,’ which also covers hazards such as vandalism and theft. However, you will have to pay your deductible amount, and often minor hail damage isn’t worth claiming because the repair costs do not exceed the deductible.

If you own your car outright, the choice to repair the hail-damaged car is yours. However, if your car is involved in an accident — whether it’s your fault or not — the pre-existing hail damage would be deducted from any settlement. If you have a loan outstanding on the car, then you probably will have to fix your car. Any settlement check will arrive made out to both you and your lienholder, which will want the value of the asset it still owns protected.

Cosmetically, repairing dents, dings, and hail damage improves the look and appearance of your vehicle and helps maintain its highest value.

It depends upon your state’s laws and insurance carrier’s ratings system, but generally, comprehensive claims of this nature don’t affect your rates. There are even some states that don’t allow surcharges for comprehensive claims or claims where you are not at fault. Claims for damages caused by natural events typically are not held against you, since they are unforeseeable and out of your control. But you should check with your insurer to be certain.

Keep in mind that even if your rates can’t be raised due to a hail claim, the number of claims placed against your policy can affect your rates. If you have recently placed other claims, the total amount of claims made could cause you to be seen as a higher risk, and thus you’ll pay more.

If your car is declared totaled because of a hail claim and you intend to keep driving it, ask your insurance company to buy the car for its salvage value. If your car was worth $12,000 before the hailstorm and your insurance company places its salvage value at $7,000, they will send you a check for the difference — minus your deductible, of course.

You may need an inspection before the car is allowed back on the road. The title will be “branded” — forever reflecting the car’s declaration as a total loss. Some states have a hail-damage notation for titles. A car with a branded title is difficult to insure for comprehensive and collision coverages because its value is difficult to determine.

At Green Hail our proprietary Paintless Dent Removal process uses highly skilled technicians and uniquely designed tools to get in behind the dent and massage and flex the metal back to its original shape rather than covering it up with BONDO and paint. Each dent, no matter how small, must be worked on with one or more PDR tools. Fortunately, metal has a memory and will respond to gentle, even pressure to ease the metal back into its original shape. The paint decompresses along with the metal so that no paint damage occurs.

The PDR process is often used to repair hail damage or other similar dents that occur when an outer panel strikes (or is struck by) an object that has not compromised the finish of the panel. Since the outer finish of the panel has not been disturbed, it eliminates steps in the refinishing process and may allow for more timely repairs.

The ability to repair vehicles using PDR requires that the technician be able to access the backside of a dent. Some repairers drill holes for access. Most do not recommend PDR if drilling is necessary.

1. The number of dents on the vehicle.
2. The size of the dents on the vehicle.
3. The depth of the dents on the vehicle.
4. The type of metal.
5. The location of the dents on the vehicle.

Green Hail offers a FREE on-site estimation performed by one of our experienced sales technicians. You can set your appointment by calling us at 469-659-1444.

• Dents less than 1″ away from the edge of the hood, door, wheel well, trunk and fender panel.
• Dents that have damaged the finish of the car panels. For example, if the paint is chipped, scratched or gouged.
• Dents that are not accessible from the backside of the vehicle.
• Fuel doors.
• Metal or chrome bumpers.