Hail damage happens in Dundalk and there are a lot of questions when you do get caught in a storm. Don’t fret. We are really here to help you and make sure that all your questions are answered and that you have peace of mind when you choose a shop. If there are any questions you have outside of the ones below, please feel free to give us a call and we would love to help you.
Will my insurance cover my damage?
Yes, depending on your policy. There are two types of coverage. Comprehensive insurance is coverage that helps your restore or replaces a vehicle if it’s stolen or damaged in an accident or situation that is not collision. Comprehensive insurance is often called, “other than collision” coverage, fire, flood, trees, hail, joy rides, this is all covered by comprehensive. Call your insurance company and ask if you have this coverage, and if you do not, consider adding it as it could be detrimental if you don’t have it and hail strikes in Dundalk.
Is there an out of pocket expense?
Yes, we charge a deductible and there are some fly-by-night companies that will give you big discounts or other incentives when repairing your car, but when your airbags don’t work in an accident after a repair, we have a bigger issue. Choose a shop that is brick and mortar, and has a good reputation for repairing your vehicle. Although this is a tool, remember that your life is on the line when you are driving and if something isn’t replaced or repaired correctly, this could be detrimental. There are ways we can work with you if your deductible is a problem. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to call the shop. Repairing your car to factory conditions is always our goal after hail damage.
Will this show up on my carfax?
We are not mandated reporters on CarFax for hail damage. You will want to check your CarFax report a few months after your hail damaged is repaired. Your insurance may report it to CarFax, but we do not. If you do have any reported damage, you will need to follow up and contest the report depending on what is reported on your car. Hail damage is minimally invasive when done correctly and protocols are followed. It should not deeply devalue your car when it is repaired.
How do you fix the dents?
The dents are fixed by fine metalwork. We in most cases push them out from inside the panel. There is a lot of what is called R&I that needs to happen to fix them. R&I stands for remove and install. We take off door panels, your headliner is dropped, headlights and tail lights come out so we can gain access to the dents. We then take metal tools that massage very slowly the dents back to the factory body shape. If there is no access to fix the dents, like on the rails above the doors, we are able to use a method called glue pulling. We basically very very slowly pull the dent out with glue, make a mountain and then flatten the metal back out. The hail repair process usually takes a few days to a week to repair with normal damage.
Please let us know if you have any questions about hail repair in Dundalk we haven’t answered here. We are here to help. Please contact us at the shop and we would love to take care of you and earn your business.
