Car Hail Damage Repair

October 10th, 2020 by Fix Auto USA

Hail damage is not an uncommon occurrence, especially in certain parts of the country that are prone to inclement weather. In fact, the United States has been experiencing an increased frequency and severity of all types of storms, including hailstorms or hail storms, and even in states where hailstorms are usually rare.

Unsuspecting drivers can find themselves in the middle of an intense hailstorm that can inflict serious damage to their car’s exterior and paint job. The trunk, roof and hood are most susceptible to car hail damage.

Many drivers, especially on the West Coast, may not realize the damage that hail storms can leave in their wake. There are well over 5,000 major hail storms each year in the U.S. According to the Insurance Information Institute, from 2017 to 2019 there were 2.8 million hail claims in the United States. In 2019 alone, there were 785,000 claims.

Hail damage can run the gamut from small and minor nicks and dents to more significant damage inflicted by large chunks of fast-moving hail hitting a car. And more often than not, if you get caught in a serious hail storm, you’re not going to escape with just one or two dents; you could be looking at having to repair 40 dents or even more.

The good news is that car hail damage repair is a lot less involved than it once was. Although there are repair kids on the market, repairing hail damage is really not a do-it-yourself job, especially with bigger, deeper, and more complex dents. There’s a real risk that you could make the situation worse. If your goal is to have your car restored to its previous condition, the best way to achieve it is by taking your vehicle to a professional auto shop that you can trust like Fix Auto USA.

Hail dent repair

The two most common methods for repairing hail damage are paintless dent repair (PDR) and the body filler application. PDR is most effective with minor dents, but it is used for bigger and deeper dents as well. Obviously, the deeper the dent is, the more complex the repair will be. We use an inside-out approach. This requires pushing out the dent from the inside to achieve a smooth appearance on the outside. This procedure can be performed at a Fix Auto USA location near you. Another option, especially when you have several small to medium-sized dents, is to sand down the impacted area and fill in the dents with a body filler or putty. In some cases, if your vehicle got totally pummeled by hail, then you may need to replace an entire body panel. If your car severely got pelted with hail, you might have to have entire body panels replaced.

Where and when?

The April 2020 NICB Hail Report provides a breakdown of the states that file the most hail damage insurance claims each year. Texas led the nation with 637,977 hail claims filed over a three-year period, between 2017 and 2019. Other states that made the top-five list include Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Colorado.

Many people are under the impression that most serious hail storms happen during the winter but that’s not what the data says. They tend to occur in spring and early summer, between March and June, which, not coincidentally, happens to be thunderstorm season, especially in the Midwest and South.

Prevention tips

While your friends at Fix Auto USA would be honored to help you out with hail dent repair, we would prefer that you avoid the scenario altogether. What precautions can you take to minimize hail damage to your car? For starters, you could purchase a durable car cover designed to protect your car against hail and other environmental factors. Parking your car in a garage or investing in a carport is another option.  Finally, be vigilant and if you sense a storm is on its way, make sure your car is protected.

If you are need of hail dent repair or any other kind, Fix Auto locations are open for business and ready to serve you. Our highly trained and friendly technicians will inspect your car thoroughly, review the options with you, and make any repairs or replacements that you need.

 

This blog post was contributed by Fix Auto La Habra, a leading industry expert and collision repair shop serving La Habra and Orange County