After a major hailstorm, you may be facing significant automotive hail damage. While dealing with your insurance company is likely not your favorite task, it’s essential to receive compensation for hail damage. 

Here, we’ll talk about the scenarios in which you should call your insurance agent after a hailstorm. By filing a claim right away, you can get your hail-damaged property repaired as soon as possible. 

Inspecting For Automotive Hail Damage

After a hailstorm, your first course of action should be to inspect your car (if it was unprotected during the storm) for automotive hail damage. Hailstorms can vary greatly in the amount of damage that they cause. From minuscule dents to hail-totaled cars, we’ve seen it all in Colorado. 

Here are a handful of tips for checking your car for hail damage:

• Inspect the car under full shade. Sunshine could create a glare on your car’s metal that will make it difficult to see dents and dings. 
• Check the hood thoroughly. The hood of your car has a large surface area and often receives the brunt of automotive hail damage. 
• Check the sides, side doors, trunk, and back bumper.
• If you see or feel any damage, take a photo with your cell phone. It’s also a good idea to take notes of the damage that you can relay to the insurance company. 

If, after meticulously inspecting your car for hail damage, you don’t find any issues, you may be in the clear. But, even if you have a shred of doubt, it won’t hurt to call your insurance company. It’s better to call your insurance agent immediately after a storm and discover that no damage has been done than to neglect to call and end up finding storm damage weeks later. 

Calling Your Insurance Agent After a Hailstorm

After a hailstorm, don’t hesitate to call your auto insurance agent. After all, you pay your insurance agent to protect you, so you have every right to seek out their help. 

With your car insurance agent on the phone, you can discuss common questions, including:

Does My Coverage Include Hail Damage?

Typically, you’ll need to have comprehensive coverage to receive compensation from your insurance company for hail damage. Comprehensive car coverage protects your vehicle from damages that are out of your control, including theft, vandalism, and “acts of nature”. Colorado hailstorms are Mother Nature’s doing and fall within the boundaries of comprehensive coverage.

What About Auto Liability Insurance?

Auto liability insurance is required for car owners in most states across the U.S., Colorado included. This type of insurance protects other drivers and their property in case you’re found responsible for an accident. But, it doesn’t cover damages to your property. 

So, if you only have auto liability insurance, you’re likely out of luck when it comes to automotive hail damage. But, it’s still worth it to talk to your insurance agent. You can discuss your options and find coverage that better prepares you for future hailstorms. 

What Are My Next Steps?

Your insurance agent can walk you through the claims process so that you know what to do next. The next step will likely be to get your car appraised. The insurance company may send a representative to your home, or you may be asked to visit a hail damage repair shop. The representative will assess the damages and provide an estimate for repair costs. 

Why Do I Need To Call My Insurance Agent Right Away?

The longer you wait before calling your insurance agent after a hailstorm, the less likely your hail damage claim is to be approved. This is because in the time between the hail damage to your car is made and you file a claim, it’s possible that your car could incur further damages from other causes. Hail damage can also become worse over time when left unaddressed. 

Taking photos of the damage immediately after the storm and recording the date and time of the storm will further strengthen your automotive hail damage claim. For the claim to be approved, you need to prove that the damage was caused during the hailstorm. So, gathering evidence to prove this claim is helpful.