When does hail damage become covered by auto insurance?
Your car will be shielded against hail damage if you have full coverage insurance. However, damage from hail is not covered by a liability-only policy. Although carrying comprehensive insurance is not mandated by law, it is strongly suggested for drivers whose vehicles are worth more than $3,000 or are less than 10 years old.
Comprehensive auto insurance protects your vehicle from damage caused by things other than collisions, such as hail. This includes, but is not limited to, vandalism, theft, and falling objects. A deductible is the portion of a claim that you are responsible for paying out of pocket. Deductibles for comprehensive policies can be anything from $50 to $2,000.
Without full coverage insurance
Your auto insurance company is almost certain to refuse to pay for the damages if you do not have comprehensive coverage. Hail damage can only be covered by comprehensive insurance. Including complete coverage typically adds another $100 yearly to $300 yearly. When you consider that a hail storm can cost you thousands of dollars, the cost is manageable. This is especially important to keep in mind if you reside in a region that experiences frequent hail storms, such as Nebraska, Colorado, or Wyoming.
Should you report your car’s hail damage to your insurance company?
The amount of damage caused by a hailstorm will determine whether or not you need to file a claim. Although claims from hail storms can average $3,000, minimal damage may only require you to pay your deductible. Suppose your windshield gets chipped by hail and your deductible is $500.
The average cost to repair a chip in a windshield is less than $130, so if you have one, it’s better to pay for it yourself than to make a claim with your insurance company and incur a $500 deductible. If the cost of repairs is only slightly more than your deductible, you may still see an increase in your premiums after making a claim. You could save money in the long run by paying a little more than your deductible rather than having to pay higher premiums.
Repair businesses in the area may be inundated with vehicles damaged by hail after a severe storm. As a result, customers may have to wait longer than usual for service as essential replacement components are restocked or personnel are stretched thin.
How to submit a claim for hail damage to your auto insurance
Similar to other auto insurance claims, hail damage claims are processed similarly. After the storm has passed, get in touch with your insurance company as quickly as possible, either electronically or by phone. Your claim may take longer to process if there has been a significant storm in the area, since many of your neighbors will likely also be contacting to register a claim at the same time.
The quicker you contact your insurance company, the faster they can assist you. Your motor insurance provider will send out an adjuster to go over the damage after you file a claim.
Where do hail storms occur most frequently?
If you live in a region of the country where hail storms are prevalent, you should take precautions. If you live in Texas, Wyoming, Nebraska, or any of the other midwestern states, you should buy comprehensive auto insurance because hail storms are more common there. The number of counties that saw hail is depicted on the map below.
Where in the United States hail storms are most common
Paying for everything out of pocket can quickly exceed the cost of insurance premiums. For instance, in Texas alone, hail caused almost $3 billion in damage to property between 1950 and 2011.
How to Avoid Hail Damage to Your Car
If you live in one of the states mentioned above, you may want to take measures to protect your vehicle from hail.
The first and most crucial step is to always keep your automobile under cover, such as in a garage or covered carport.
To protect your vehicle from the elements, you might invest in a car cover. The cover can be swiftly deployed in the event of an unexpected hailstorm while you are traveling or parked away from home. In most cases, you won’t be stranded for more than a few minutes during a hailstorm.
You should also install a weather app that will warn you of oncoming hail so that you can take appropriate precautions, such as putting up the cover or pulling over into a protected place. The requirement for an insurance claim to pay the cost of repairs can be avoided or paid for out of pocket if as little damage as possible is done to the vehicle.
