Throughout the year, thunderstorms roll across the country bringing cooler temps or warmer weather. The rain is often needed for crops to grow and aquifers to refill. Unfortunately, some storms bring hail. Those icy stones fall from the sky causing damage to anything they hit. Small pea-sized hail doesn’t always cause damage, but those volleyball-sized stones can do a lot of damage especially to your car. Hail can affect your car in a few key ways.
Physical Damage
A hailstone can hit your car just right to crack a window, the windshield or mirror. Stones as small as a nickel can leave dents in the body of the vehicle. Modern vehicles are often designed with plastic or aluminum bodies that are prone to denting. Older vehicles may have more resilient iron and steel bodies. Hail damage repair Lakewood CO can help remove those unsightly dents and replace window damage. Selling your vehicle with hail damage still visible definitely lowers the resale value.
Insurance Claim
Many auto insurance policies feature a hail damage rider. If yours has one, you can file an insurance claim to cover the costs of repair. However, an insurance claim can lower the value of your vehicle. Repairing the damage the right way can result in a lower devaluation than using a non-certified auto body shop.
DIY Repair
Sometimes hail damage can be a DIY project for those with experience. However, if you filed an insurance claim, doing the project yourself is going to cost you more in the long run when you go to sell the vehicle. Car buyers want to know that the repairs were done correctly and may not take your word for it.
Resale Value
Ultimately, if you repair the damage caused by hail with a certified shop, the car shouldn’t go down very much in value. Any broken glass should be attended to right away. Fixing those dents and scratches caused by the falling stones can prevent further devaluation upon resale.
