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3 Steps to Take After Hail Damages Your Car

14 November 2019

Gavin Lawson

Hail can cause minor or major damage to cars. While some hail storms only leave small dents in bodywork, larger stones can pose more of a problem.

If you've never had hail damage before, you may not be sure what to do to sort things out. Start with these three steps.

1. Assess the Damage

Before you do anything else, check your car over to establish how much damage it has. If you're lucky, then you might just have a few small dents on the bodywork. Cosmetic problems aren't usually a serious cause for concern.

However, in some cases, hail causes significant damage. For example, it can put holes in windscreens and lights. It can leave huge dents in the body of the vehicle.

Depending on the extent of the damage, you might not be able to drive the car right now. While a small dent in a door isn't so much of an issue, a hole in a windscreen or a damaged light that no longer works could keep you off the road.

Some damage compromises your safety on the road. For example, you shouldn't drive with a broken windscreen. In some cases, you'll end up with demerit points and fines if the police catch you driving after hail has affected key areas of the vehicle like your lights.

2. Contact Your Car Insurance Company

Your insurance policy may cover you for hail damage. If it does, then contact the company to find out what you should do next.

In some cases, say if the car has significant issues, then your insurance company might tell you not to drive it until you arrange an assessment or repair. Don't be tempted to get behind the wheel if this happens.

If an insurer tells you to keep the car off the road, you need to do this. If you drive the car and they find out, you're likely to invalidate your claim.

3. Contact a Hail Damage Repair Specialist

Even if you only have minor hail dents on your car, you'll want to get this fixed. If your car has a lot of problems, then you need to find out how bad things really are.

At this stage, it's advisable to contact the professionals. Even minor dents need professional repair to restore your car to its former condition. So, contact a local hail damage repair shop and ask them to look at your car and recommend the most suitable repair options.

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