What Size Hail Will Damage a Car?

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Unfortunately, hail of any size can damage your vehicle. That said, if the hail stone is an inch across in diameter, you can expect it to cause medium to severe damage. Because hail damage is so expensive to repair, many insurers will pay out your policy in the event that hail has caused medium or severe damage. Thus, it’s important that you know how to tell if you have hail damage on your car, so that you’re not driving around in an informally totaled car with little to no resale value.

Take a moment to learn about the types of hail damage, as well as how to protect your car from hail damage. If you have questions along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out to AutoSavvy!

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How to Tell if You Have Hail Damage on Your Car

Now that you know what size hail will damage a car, let’s examine how to tell if your car has hail damage, and how each type of hail damage correlates with different insurance assessments. Your insurance company likely has four categories they use to identify and measure the severity of hail damage. They are as follows:

• Cosmetic Damage with Intact Paint: This category applies to vehicles that have received small dents from hail, but haven’t suffered paint damage. In this case, you just need to swing by for paint-and-dent removal.
• Cosmetic Damage with Scratched Paint: If your paint job gets scuffed up, it’s likely you’ll need to replace the exterior panels of your car. In this case, your insurance company we’ll run a cost-benefit analysis to determine if it’s worth it to repair the car or total it.
• Severe Damage With Intact Paint: Sometimes, your paint job will remain intact, but your exterior panels and mechanical systems have still received significant damage. In this case, this category will be applied, and it’s likely that your vehicle will be totaled, though there may be room for hope.
• Severe Damage With Scratched Paint: In this case, your paint job, paneling, and mechanical systems have been hit hard. It’s almost certain your car will be totaled.

How to Protect Your Car from Hail Damage

If you don’t have access to a garage, and you know that a hail storm is coming, we recommend that you park your vehicle in a public parking garage, underneath a bridge, or another temporary shelter. Otherwise, you can duct tape blankets or cardboard over the panels of your car, which will usually protect your vehicle well enough. You can also purchase a hail protection tarp. On another note, make sure you have comprehensive insurance. Otherwise, you won’t be insured for hail damage in the event of a violent storm.

What Does AutoSavvy Have to Do With Hail Damaged Vehicles?

Hail damage is incredibly expensive to repair, and there are many cases where hail-damaged vehicles are deemed a total loss. That’s where AutoSavvy comes in. When a hail-damaged vehicle is totaled, there are many instances where it’s perfectly driveable. We find the totaled hail damaged vehicles that are cost-effective to drive and restore them to excellent condition.

Because the vehicles were previously totaled, they’ve lost significant value. However, this means you can buy a car in excellent condition for much less than even its conventional used equivalent. All the while, the vehicle you’ve purchased has undergone a far more rigorous inspection and rehabilitation process than the typical used cars at your average dealership.

Take a moment to explore our inventory, apply for financing, and reach out to an AutoSavvy location near you. We’re all over the U.S., with stores in Windsor, CO; Gilbert, AZ; Las Vegas, NV; Houston, TX; Fort Worth, TX; and beyond!

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