After a hailstorm, do five things in order: get safe, inspect the car in good light, photograph everything before you move it, check your comprehensive coverage and deductible, and get a repair estimate. Skipping the order is how people lose claim money or pay for repairs they didn’t need. Below is the checklist we walk customers through, plus how to decide whether to file a claim at all.
TL;DR
- Wait until the storm passes, then inspect and photograph the car before moving it.
- Hail is usually covered under comprehensive coverage, not liability-only policies.
- Compare the repair estimate to your deductible before you file. A claim that barely clears the deductible can cost more in the long run.
- You choose the repair shop. For factory paint, ask about paintless dent repair.
- Don’t chase tiny chips with a cheap touch-up. A bad paint match can lower value more than the chip did.
Table of Contents
- Step 1: Get safe and let the storm pass
- Step 2: Inspect the car in good light
- Step 3: Document before you move anything
- Step 4: Check your coverage and deductible
- Step 5: Get an estimate, then decide whether to file
- What to skip or handle carefully
- Our perspective: what 27 years of dents teaches you
- When you’re ready for an estimate
- FAQ
- Sources
Step 1: Get safe and let the storm pass
Hail often arrives with lightning, wind and heavy rain. The car can wait. Once it’s clear, walk around it before you touch anything. Look for broken glass on the ground and seats, and don’t drive a car with a cracked windshield or a broken window until you’ve checked it.
Step 2: Inspect the car in good light
A quick glance at a hood misses most of what hail does. Work through the car panel by panel.
The horizontal surfaces first. Hail hits roofs, hoods and trunk lids hardest because they face the sky. Check these before the doors and fenders.
Then everything else:
- Roof and roof rails
- Hood and trunk lid
- Fenders and door tops
- Side mirrors and trim
- Windshield, rear glass and sunroof
- Headlight and taillight lenses
- Plastic bumpers and moldings
Use light the right way. Consumer Reports advises inspecting in a well-lit spot or direct sunlight, and drying the car completely first, because a wet sheen works like a mirror and hides small flaws. We add one trick: hold a flashlight at a low angle to the panel, or stand so a window or a fluorescent light reflects across the paint. Dents show up as bends in the reflection, and small ones that look invisible head-on become obvious.
Run your hand over the panel. Shallow hail dents are often easier to feel than to see. Look for round, shallow dimples, usually the size of a dime to a quarter, scattered across the panel.
Check the paint, not only the metal. Cracks or chips in the paint at the center of a dent matter. They decide whether paintless repair is possible, since PDR works when the paint is still intact. For why that matters, see how paintless dent repair keeps your factory finish.
Step 3: Document before you move anything
Your photos are your evidence. Allstate’s claim guidance points to clear, high-resolution photos and video from multiple angles, with close shots of every dented panel, cracked glass and chipped paint. Here’s the routine:
- Park in direct sunlight or a bright garage.
- Take a wide shot of each side of the car, plus the roof if you can safely reach it.
- Shoot close-ups of each panel, once straight on and once at an angle.
- Put a coin or ruler next to a few dents for scale.
- Record a slow video walk-around, narrating the date and location.
- Photograph the odometer and the VIN plate.
- Save a screenshot of the weather alert or news report for that date and ZIP code.
Store everything in one folder with the date of the storm. If you’ve got multiple vehicles, label each one.
Step 4: Check your coverage and deductible
Hail falls under comprehensive coverage, which covers non-collision events such as hail, fire, theft and falling objects. Progressive notes that liability-only policies don’t pay for hail damage, and payouts are subject to your deductible and the car’s actual cash value.
Find three numbers on your policy declarations page:
| What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive coverage listed? | No comprehensive means no hail coverage |
| Comprehensive deductible | This is what you pay first |
| Reporting deadline | Many policies set time limits for reporting a loss |
Step 5: Get an estimate, then decide whether to file
This is the step most people rush. Filing a claim can raise your premium at renewal, and Progressive’s guidance is to weigh the repair estimate against your deductible first. If the damage costs far more than the deductible, file. If it’s close to or under the deductible, paying out of pocket is often the smarter long-term move.
Here’s a simple example with made-up numbers. Your deductible is $500 and the estimate is $650. The insurer pays $150. A rate increase at renewal could easily outweigh that. Now say the estimate is $3,000: filing clearly pays.
For reference, our published ranges for paintless work are $100 to $500 for minor dent repair and $150 to $1,500 for large dent repair. Final pricing depends on the number, size and location of dents, so get a written estimate for your car.
You choose the shop
Your insurer may suggest preferred shops, but California’s Department of Insurance consumer guide to auto insurance makes the point that you can choose your repair facility. Rules vary by state, so check yours. If you drive a luxury or classic car, put factory paint at the top of your list. Here’s why we steer people away from traditional body shops for dents when the paint is intact.
What to skip or handle carefully
Tiny chips and light damage. Consumer Reports-cited professional advice is that very minor chips are sometimes better left alone than repaired badly, since new paint can mismatch the original color or peel later. If you do want to protect the finish after a repair, a guide on matte paint protection and preserving your finish is a useful read, especially if your car has a specialty finish.
The magnet test on older repairs. Magnets can reveal body filler on steel panels, a sign of a past hasty repair. Consumer Reports describes the test, but it won’t work on aluminum, plastic or fiberglass panels, which is common on luxury and vintage vehicles. Don’t use it as proof either way on those.
Driving with glass damage. If the windshield is cracked, get it looked at before a long drive.
Our perspective: what 27 years of dents teaches you
We’ve worked on dents for more than 27 years, and the pattern after every hailstorm is the same. People panic, call the first number they find, and agree to a repair before they know the damage or the deductible. Slow down for a day. Document, read your policy, and get an estimate.
The second pattern: owners assume a hail-pocked panel needs sanding, filler and repainting. Often it doesn’t. When the paint hasn’t cracked, a technician can work behind the panel and massage the metal back to its original shape. The metal has a memory, and with patience it goes home. You keep the factory finish, which matters at resale and matters even more on luxury, vintage and lease-return vehicles. Bondo and a respray can be the right call on badly creased or cracked areas, but it shouldn’t be the default.
Our advice is to run the numbers honestly. If the estimate is well above your deductible, use your insurance. If it’s close, the out-of-pocket route is usually kinder to your wallet over time. Either way, you decide.
— Brian Blanc
When you’re ready for an estimate
We’re a mobile paintless dent repair company serving Contra Costa County and surrounding areas, so we come to your home or workplace. We handle hail dents on everyday cars, luxury and classic vehicles and motorcycles, and we offer insurance claim assistance and lease return repair. Send photos from your checklist and request a free dent quote. To see how the process works, read our guide to fixing hail damage with paintless dent removal.
FAQ
Is it worth filing a claim for hail damage?
It depends on the estimate versus your comprehensive deductible. If the repair is much higher than the deductible, filing usually makes sense. If it’s near or below it, paying yourself often avoids a possible premium increase.
Will my insurance go up if I report hail damage?
It can. Progressive says a claim may raise premiums at renewal, and frequent claims can put you in a higher-risk rating category. Ask your agent how your insurer treats comprehensive claims before you file.
How do you check a car for hail damage?
Inspect in bright light on a dry car, starting with the roof, hood and trunk. View the panels at a low angle or watch the reflection for bends, and feel for shallow dimples. Check glass, trim and plastic parts, then photograph everything.
Does comprehensive coverage always pay for hail?
If you carry comprehensive, hail is typically covered, up to the car’s actual cash value and minus your deductible. If you have liability only, it isn’t. Check your declarations page or call your insurer to confirm.
Sources
- Progressive: How to Protect Your Car From Hail
- Progressive: Does Car Insurance Cover Hail Damage?
- Allstate: claim inspection and documentation guidance
- Consumer Reports: Check a New Car for Damage
- Consumer Reports: Avoid Buying a Lemon
- California Department of Insurance: Automobile guide
