7 Things To Be Avoided When Filing For An Auto Hail Damage Claim
One thing that’s absolute if you’re living in Colorado is hailstorms, which spans between March and June. And many people lose their money to have their cars fixed due to damages caused by hail. If you have this problem and you don’t act immediately, you may end up spending more than what you’re supposed to – especially when filing for a hail damage claim.
Read more as we’re going to talk about the 7 things to be avoided when filing for an auto hail damage claim so you can prevent losing more money.
Not Being Able To Contact Your Insurance Provider Immediately
It’s a must that you contact your insurance representative right after you realize your car has sustained hail damage. And the reason for this is the adjuster will have to make an assessment before approving your claim.
So expect them to ask many questions as the assessor will have to know the detailed account of how you got the hail damage, when did it occurred, the number of dents, and the areas in your car that’s affected by hail damage.
While the damage you have may be cosmetic, it will eventually become a major point of concern since light hail damage can still depreciate the value of your car. In short, you’ll be losing thousands of dollars if you’re going to sell or trade-in your vehicle in the future.
Failing To Set A Schedule To Meet Your Insurance Adjuster
While it’s a given that you’re busy at work or other stuff you’re dealing with every day, we recommend you spare some time to meet with the insurance representative so they can make the assessment right away after sustaining hail damage.
This means you have to be at home during the assessment as the adjuster will require accurate answers from you. And the interview can’t be done by phone since the insurance representative will have to actually see the extent of the hail damage to help justify your claim and give a proper estimate according to the type of damage you have on your vehicle.
Waiting For The Hailstorm Season To End Before Filing An Insurance Claim
Now this might be a sensible thing to do for most people. After all, there’s a possibility that your car might get damaged again if another hailstorm hits your area. But the thing is insurance companies classify one hailstorm as one event. And if your vehicle has sustained damage from 2 separate hailstorms and you’re filing for a single insurance claim, you’re technically committing insurance fraud, which is a serious crime punishable by law (imprisonment between 2 to 5 years with a $50,000 fine or double the amount of the fraud).
And if you choose to file for a claim after the hailstorm season is over, there is a big chance that the damage incurred will go from still repairable to totaled. In short, what was supposed to be an easy fix will now be a type of damage that is beyond repair due to the mangling from the second hailstorm.
Not Being Able To Contact Other Auto Repair Shops For Estimates
Most of the time, people tend to be complacent and accept the estimate of the first auto repair shop they visit. But this is not advisable since body repair facilities always consider costing along with other factors before giving an estimate. So there’s a possibility that the estimate being given to you may be higher than what you’re supposed to spend.
Hence, you should visit other shops so you can compare estimates and choose the one that’s appropriate for your situation. This way, you’ll be able to determine if the estimate being given by the insurance adjuster is enough for the kind of hail damage you have sustained.
Worrying That You Might Pay For A Deductible
Many people forego the repair of their vehicles after a hailstorm and filing for a claim because they’re concerned about the deductible they’ll have to pay. Fortunately, some auto repair shops have this program called a Deductible Forgiveness Program so any cost involved in the repair will be covered.
Fearing Your Premium Will Increase Once You File For A Hail Damage Repair Claim
In some cases, car owners will opt to delay or not file for an insurance claim because they assume their monthly premium will increase. But the truth is you’ll end up spending more if you don’t file a claim since hail damage is a costly type of damage.
Moreover, that’s not how things work because hail damage is classified as a “no fault” type of claim. In short, the damage incurred is beyond your control. And therefore, it should fall under your comprehensive coverage and can’t be the reason for any increase in your premium.
To put things into perspective, if your car crashed a wall then that can be considered as your fault, which can also cause your monthly premium to increase.
On the other hand, you won’t be held liable for having dents on your car after a hailstorm (unless you intentionally left your car outside to be damaged by hail) since the forces of nature are at play here and it is something unavoidable. Hence, your premium won’t increase just because you filed for an insurance claim.
Refusing To File For A Claim And Leave The Car Damage
Last but not least, this the worst thing you can do to your car because dents no matter how small or big they are, will rust quickly. And the more you leave the car damaged, the more the body of your vehicle is compromised.
So it’s recommended to get in touch with your insurance company today and have your car checked. Also, visit auto repair shops that specialize in Paintless Dent Removal (PDR) so you’ll be able to get an idea of the cost involved in the repair.
Hail Free Solutions is a premier shop that offers PDR since 1996. They are one of the very few certified paintless dent removal companies in the United States that has actually trained with the manufacturers to ensure quality PDR services for any vehicle.
Visit their website today or call them at 720-483-7979 for more information.
