According to a study, Missouri is located within a distinct triangular corridor that receives the most severe hail-producing thunderstorms in the United States. In fact, it is rated #4 among states with the most documented hail damage claims.
So when you walk outside to find your car spotted in hail dents after a big St. Louis thunderstorm blows through, don’t just accept it and move on. Get your car back to the way it was by talking to your insurance company. If you have purchased comprehensive insurance coverage on your car, your insurance company can and should cover you for that damage. After all, it’s not your fault that the car is damaged– blame Mother Nature!
Here are the four easy steps to file a car hail damage insurance claim:
Step 1. Contact your insurer
The first step is to contact your insurance agent or the insurance company. They will guide you through their own hail damage claim process on the phone. In many cases, they will either collect the requisite information from you or they will send you a claim form to fill out.
Additionally, we often get asked about whether filing a claim will affect your record. The answer to that is: no. Once again, if you have purchased comprehensive insurance coverage, hail damage is considered a comprehensive auto insurance claim (also known as “other than collision” coverage) and you should be covered for unpredictable conditions like severe weather. Get in touch with your insurance company to talk about your options.
Step 2. Schedule an inspection by an adjuster
After contacting your insurer and filing a claim, typically the next step is to have an adjuster inspect your car in order for the insurance company to approve that claim. We recommend an on-site inspection at our facility in this case. With specialized lighting that better reveals all of the dents and dings, we can ensure a more accurate inspection of your car. We also have many years of experience conducting business with adjusters which will aid the process.
Step 3. Choose your own repair shop and get an estimate
Depending on the process of your insurance company, you may typically begin looking at body shops. Don’t let the insurance company bully you into getting repairs done at one of their preferred shops, though, because they can ultimately control the pricing that way. It’s your car, you have the choice to go to whichever repair shop you would like, so pick a place that you are comfortable with.
Also, a word of caution when you are choosing the repair shop: you need to make sure they are a professional and legitimate shop. We are seeing lots of traveling teams come into town to take advantage after a hail storm. When looking into shops, ask the manager if the work they do is outsourced to a local or mobile company. You always want to make sure you are having a master technician work on your car. Here are some things to look at:
- Check the business with the BBB
- Find out if the business has a permanent address and telephone number
- Make sure to get all of your dealings in writing
Keep us in mind when you are looking for a professional and trusted dent repair shop. You can save up to $500 while also saving your factory paint. Our estimates are always fair and reasonable.
Step 4. Schedule the dent repair
Once you have the go-ahead from your insurance, you may now move forward with your chosen body shop and begin the dent repair process. Depending on the severity of the damage, you could be without a car for some time. We know this can be a hassle, which is why many shops have arrangements for rental cars right at their location.
At Dent Devil, we can arrange for you to have a rental car from Enterprise Leasing. From there, we will handle all of the details! Our friendly technicians understand your concerns and are here for all of your questions. Your car will be in like-new condition in no time!
Call us today to make an appointment to get your hail damage repaired at either the Clayton or Ballwin location:
Ballwin
14949 Manchester Rd
Ballwin, MO 63011
636-230-7900
Clayton
8061 Clayton Rd
Clayton, MO 63105
314-669-9966
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