11/02/2025
Recent Hail Damage Information 🔥🔥
If your vehicle was damaged by recent hail, here is some helpful information. You are more than likely going to file an insurance claim. The insurance company will ask you to send photos through an app. They will send you a low-ball estimate and tell you that once you find a shop, the shop can supplement for additional damage to cover the repairs.
Here's where the pain begins. What they're not telling you is that they want to do half repairs and some PDR, if not all PDR (Paintless Dent Removal). The problem is that body shops don't do PDR; it's a third-party company that needs to be called out. Most are from out of town, and others are storm chasers. So, it might be 3-4 weeks before they can even start repairing. By this time, your 30-day rental is about to be up, and after the 30 days, you'll be responsible for paying the rental. No exceptions. The insurance company will then blame the shop for the time delay. This will continue for about two months.
So, be prepared for your rental coverage to run out and the insurance company blaming the shop and the PDR company.
When finding a shop, if the shop tells you from the beginning it's going to be a rough process and explains the rental coverage and how the third-party PDR company is involved, you might be okay. Also, if they say you'll be without a vehicle for two months, that's pretty accurate.
Additional recommendations:
Ask about the quality of the paint system.
Ask about photo documentation from beginning to end.
Keep all documents from the shop and insurance.
Also, regarding glass replacement, make sure they use Original Factory Glass and not aftermarket glass.
If the quality of repair is poor, it may not be showup until years later when you decide to trade your vehicle or paint defects start showing.