When you hear that a hailstorm is approaching, your first reaction is likely to find shelter. Your car could use a shelter, too, or it can suffer a lot of damage. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, you need to know how to handle it. There are a few simple steps that you should take to be safely back on the road in no time.
Contact Your Insurance Agent
If your car has suffered hail damage, the first thing that you need to do is contact your insurance agent. If you have comprehensive coverage for your vehicle, hail damage is likely covered. Your agent will help you file a claim and will tell you to take your vehicle to a body shop to get an estimate and repairs. Make sure that you contact your insurance agent as soon as possible, and send pictures of the damage if needed.
Take Your Vehicle for an Estimate
Your next step is to find a body shop that specializes in hail damage repair Denver CO. You will need to get an estimate of how much the repairs will cost so that your insurance company can approve or deny the amount. Let the body shop know that you are filing an insurance claim; often, they can send the estimate directly to your insurance company.
Have Necessary Repairs Made
Once your insurance company approves the claim, you can move forward with the repairs. There are a few questions that you should ask upfront. Find out how long the repairs will take, if pieces of the car will have to be replaced and when you need to pay your insurance deductible. In many cases, your deductible will be due upfront before repairs begin.
Secure a Rental Vehicle
While your vehicle is in the body shop for repairs, you will likely still need a vehicle. Before you approve the repairs, make sure that you have some form of transportation available to you. A rental car can be great in this situation. Some insurance policies even have coverage for a rental car for some days. You must know what your policy allows for so that you can make the best decision for your situation.
No one likes to deal with car damage, but the process can be less stressful if you have a clear path to take. Consider these steps for getting the repairs that you need after hail damage.