Can an Auto Body Shop Fix my Car After the Redding Hail Storm?
The latest Hail storm in Redding, CA has many of our customers trying to figure out what they need to do. Who ever heard of hail that damaged cars and houses in California… right? Well as we can see, they do happen.
How Will My Car be repaired after a Hailstorm?
The damage caused to a car in a hail storm can be minor or even total a car. The top surfaces usually get the most damage. Often, the damage can be repaired by a process called paintless dent removal (PDR). In this case the technician works to gently pry the dents out from behind or use glue tabs to pull them out. This sounds a lot easier than it is. It is a highly skilled process and can’t be done by just anyone. Your local body shop will know someone good at this. Most body shops will have the PDR guy do it at their shop.
Any time you have car damage it’s best to start at a quality auto body shop, to make sure you are repairing your car right and retaining its value.
Does My Insurance Cover Hail Damage
Don’t assume all insurance policies will cover your hail damage if you take it to a collision repair shop. If you have “comprehensive” coverage, then the insurance company will pay for the repairs, after the deductible. But, a lot of people waive their comprehensive coverage to lower their premium, especially on lower value cars. Just make sure you check your policy or call your agent first.
Should I Repair MY Car After a Hail Storm?
Whether you have insurance or not there are a few other factors to consider when repairing your car at a body shop.
• Appearance-. Can you drive a car with dents all over it or is the damage more than you can live with.
• Trade-in value- Most car dealers will significantly lower the value of your car if it has hail damage.
• Sometimes the hail causes so much damage that the structure is damaged and the choice becomes obvious.
Where Do I Get My Car Fixed After Hail Storm?
When hail occurs it is often in a large geographic area. Most auto body shops will become booked out for months. In that case, you can look at body shops in surrounding cities. Their backlog is often less. After the recent hail storm, the Collision Pros in Red Bluff started booking up the very next morning. Even though the shop is busy, the backlog is still half of the wait as the shops in Redding, CA. It might be worth the drive to Red Bluff.
Preventing Hail Damage
When you live in areas prone to hail storms it’s easier to take precautions. However, in California, we might only see one hail storm like this our whole life. The only thing we can do is watch for signs of a hail storm approaching and keep the car in a covered area.
Even trying to prevent damage from these unusual storms is likely to be difficult. We have to go to work and the grocery store and they don’t have covers. The best defense is a good insurance policy.
If you do get stuck in a hail storm take it to the Collision Pros in Red Bluff, Chico, Paradise, Woodland and Auburn, California.
