Every year there are more hail storms

We are seeing violent hail storms striking different areas of Spain, Italy, France… with large hailstones. When one of these storms hits, vehicles that are on the roads or parked outside usually sustain serious damage to the bodywork and windows.

The cost of repairing hail damage to a vehicle can range from 500 to 2,000 euros. In the most serious cases, the price can go as high as 5,000 euros.

Online you can find more or less original ways to fix the damage caused by hail to your car, but let me tell you beforehand that they don’t work.

Repairing dents caused by hail. Avoid DIY.

In the event of damage due to hail, it is best to avoid DIY fixes, which can even worsen the situation. 

It’s easy to find “false myths” and “miracle solutions” on the Internet, such as:

• Park a dented car in the sun so the heat expands the metal in the body, smoothing out the dents.
  

If it worked, which it doesn’t… How long do you think it would take for the sun’s heat to get rid of every dent on the car? The sun’s heat isn’t enough to eliminate the dents caused by hail.

• Place dry ice on the affected areas so the temperature difference shifts the dents to the outside. It doesn’t work on such small and nearby dents.

• Apply hot air to the dents with a hair dryer. According to this theory, you point the hot air from a dryer from some 15 cm away.
  

Spoiler: You’re much more likely to ruin the paint on the car than repair the dents.

• Use hailstorm dent repair kits.
  
• Buy a dent remover that, using suction, will suck out (really) the dents caused by the hail.
  

It won’t work. In a car with dozens of dents, the end result isn’t worth the cost, nor the time and effort you’re going to invest.

Things you can do to repair your hail-damaged vehicle 

Insure your car. The insurance won’t always cover acts of nature.

If your vehicle has been damaged by hail, the first thing you have to do is check what coverage you have with your insurance company, together with the civil liability coverage required by law. Damage from hail is usually not covered, since it is an atmospheric or natural phenomenon, even if you have broken window coverage. 

Ask your insurance agent about the cost of this coverage and see if it might be worth purchasing it. Hail storms are becoming more frequent and can strike anywhere in the country, completely at random.

Trust the professionals

Should you be unfortunate enough to have a hail storm dent and destroy the bodywork or windows of your car, it’s best to trust a professional service with fast turnaround times.

Choosing a workshop that has an agreement with your insurance company, if you have this coverage, will significantly reduce the wait time, and you may also be eligible for additional useful services, such as a replacement car.

Take your car to a specialised body and paint shop 

This is the fastest and most effective option. These workshops have the tools and professionals that will make your car look like it did before. 

Whether you have an insurance policy that covers hail damage or not;  the best solution is undoubtedly to take your car to professional body and paint repair shop. 

They will analyse the extent of damage and, by using the right tools and equipment, will fix the problem once and for all.

WHERE TO REPAIR A CAR DENTED BY HAIL

You can currently find body and paint workshops that specialise in repairing hail damage using techniques that will leave your car like new in record time. In other words, the time between identifying the damage, approving the budget and getting it repaired is reduced.

These shops use PDR techniques, which rely on traditional tools and techniques that are very effective at repairing all the dents on your vehicle.

Lever Touch, with a network of more than 400 multi-service workshops across Europe , offers a comprehensive hail damage repair service that is fast and effective. We work with the leading insurance companies. All our staff are trained in no-paint repair techniques, so the work is more eco-friendly and your car retains its value (no repaints).

You can contact us at info@levertouch.com to get information on the trusted hail damage repair shop closest to you.