Vehicle Hail Damage and the Importance of Proper Repair

Hail’s Impact on Vehicles

One of the most unpleasant things that typically happen during the holiday season is the havoc that weather can create for your vehicle. In the northern part of the country, wintertime can see swift, drastic changes in temperature that changes a rainy day into a hailstorm. In addition to converting rain into hail, this weather event has the potential to convert nice, new vehicles to dented cars with cracked windshields. It’s unfortunate, but a car damaged by hail is not out of the ordinary. Weather is one of the most common causes of auto body damage, alongside high-speed collisions, driver negligence, and fender benders.

If you have significant hail damage to your vehicle, it’s a good idea to have the necessary repairs performed before it evolves into other problems. A small crack in a windshield can spread into a much larger one and a dent can start to rust in damp weather if the paint is scratched or punctured. Hailstones often damage a windshield seriously enough to where replacement is needed, and over half of all windshield repairs and replacements involve long cracks (between seven and 12 inches long) that could go on to shatter the entire windshield if left as is.

Seek Professional Help for Your Repairs

It’s important to have your glass repair or dent repair services performed at a reputable auto body shop. While an established shop might cost more than having an acquaintance perform the repair, going to an experienced auto body repair professional will ensure that your repair or replacement is being done correctly.

It’s entirely possible to repair dents, windshield cracks, or even install full windshield replacements incorrectly. The chip or crack in the windshield might be only partially repaired, and while it looks better than it did, it is not a safe repair. The same can be said for windshield replacements. If they’re not installed correctly, you might have a windshield that experiences water leaks and isn’t flush with the frame. A poorly-installed windshield is just as dangerous as a cracked windshield.

Improper dent repair runs the same risk. If the person in charge of repairing your car doesn’t know what they’re doing, there’s a strong chance that they’re not going to fully repair the dent. It will still be visible and may very well look worse than it did initially. If you have a car damaged by hail, you must have repairs performed at an established shop by a licensed technician.

Examine Your Insurance Policy

Paying for repairs can be costly, but there are sometimes circumstances that spare you the repair cost. It’s a good idea to take a look at your auto insurance policy. Several companies will cover windshield repair or simple dent repair under comprehensive insurance if the damage was caused by something out of your control, the weather for example. When in doubt, get in contact with your insurance company and ask about your options.

Having your car damaged by hail can be difficult to deal with, but the sooner the damage is repaired, the less time it has to cause your vehicle further issues.