Insurance Claims

Auto Hail Damage Insurance Claim In The Nation

Hailstorm insurance policy cases increase every year with more than $1 billion being spent to recoup losses to crops and property each year. Hail damage insurance claims for vehicles damaged during a storm soars over 1.5 million claims each year. While some years hailstorms are much more severe than others, hail damage always provides a dilemma for car owners. The damage is mostly aesthetic so it won’t harm the structure of the vehicle, yet  owners see the damage each time they see their car.

Some car owners resort to living with the dings on their cars. Others submit comprehensive insurance coverage claims only to learn the price of repair work does not reach the amount of their deductible. Some might discover that seemingly very little damage is enough to cause their insurance firms to completely total their cars.

Should you repair your car? Should you maintain a hail-damaged vehicle that’s been totaled? Will your insurance prices rise?

Below are the most common questions we at Auto Dent Company see and help out clients figure out concerning hailstorm damage vehicle insurance policy claims:

My car was damaged by hail. Does my auto insurance cover hail damage?

You’re covered for hail damage only if you’ve purchased that particular add-on coverage with your insurance policy. It is occasionally called “aside from collision,” which also covers such dangers as criminal damage and theft. Even if insurance does cover hail damage, you will need to pay your comprehensive deductible amount.

Small hail damage usually isn’t worth getting fixed due to the fact that the repair work costs do not typically exceed the insurance deductible amount. However, significant hail damage can total a car.

I can live with some dings: do I have to fix my car?

If you own your car outright, the selection to repair the hail-damaged car totally lies with you. Lots of people live with the damage and spend the insurance check on something else. If, later, the vehicle is involved in a crash – whether it’s your fault or not – the pre-existing hail damage will be deducted from the settlement.

If you have an existing car loan, yes, you probably will need to fix it. Any type of negotiation check will be made out to both you and your lien owner, which will lessen the value of the property it still has protected.

Will a hail claim increase my insurance premiums?

Whether or not your insurance premiums increase will depend on your state’s legislation and insurance coverage carrier’s rankings system, however normally detailed claims of this nature do not impact your rates. There are even some states that do not allow surcharges for detailed insurance claims or cases where you are not liable. 

Insurance claims for damages triggered by natural occurrences normally are not held against you because they are uncertain and out of your control. However, it is always a good idea to contact your insurance company to be sure.

Keep in mind that even if your prices can’t be increased due to a hailstorm insurance claim, the number of claims made against your policy can impact your rates. If you have just recently submitted other insurance claims, the complete quantity of claims made can trigger you to be seen as a greater threat and you’ll pay more.

Does hail damage affect the title of the car? 

Hail damage will be indicated on your vehicles title only if the following conditions are true:

  • The insurer has declared it a total loss.
  • Your state allows hail damage as the only reason for a salvage title.  Numerous states have a “hailstorm” designation to distinguish hail-totaled cars from trashed or flooded ones. Others merely mark the title as “salvage.”
  • If the car is not stated salvage, the title is still clean. The damage might turn up on digital notification systems such as Carfax, though.

What happens if I decided to keep the hail-totaled car?  

If your car is confirmed to be totaled because of a hail insurance claim and you plan to keep driving it, ask your insurer to purchase the vehicle for its salvage worth. If your vehicle was worth $12,000 before the hailstorm as well as your insurance provider positions its salvage worth at $7,000, it will send you a check for the distinction – minus your deductible. 

You may need an inspection prior to the car being permitted to be driven. The title will be “branded” – for life reflecting the auto’s statement as being totaled. As mentioned above, some states have a hail-damage notation for titles. 

If you have any questions not covered on this page please call Auto Dent Company at (800) 379-9418 or contact us.