Hail damage advice

[craigcd]

Allright, im sure most people are going to say if you have a question regarding insurance call you insurance company, but hear me out first.

My car (1997 Honda Civic) recieved some minor(what i thought) hail damage back in July, I have pictures of the hail and my car covered in hail. At first I decided it wasnt worth the hassle of making the claim on a older car, plus the increase in insurance rates ect. Everytime I wash my car I see that it is actually alot worse than I first expected.

Here is my dilema.

I am not sure if my insurance company will allow me to still make a claim, due to my delay in making the claim (my mistake). Do I call them and attempt to make a claim, or hope that it hails again in the future to make a claim at that time? My worry about making a claim now is that they will reject it, make a note on my file, and this will prevent me from claiming hail damage down the road.

Im not looking to screw the insurance company, and im not looking to have the car repainted or anything like that. I would would just like it returned to the pre-hail damage condition, which is what insurance is for.

And advice will help.

Thanks!

[arian_ma]

If I were you, I'd pay out of my pocket to fix the hail damage if it isn't too bad. Personally, I would never buy a car with hail damage (or ANY sort of bad rep) on it's title.

Get some PDR done!

[dj_rice]

Wait for a big hailstorm and then claim

[craigcd]

Originally posted by dj_rice
Wait for a big hailstorm and then claim

Haha I could be waiting a long time, I think the hail season is coming to a close lol.

[HHURICANE1]

You still have time to claim if it only from July. You have at least 3 months, probably more to make a claim.

[ca18det240sx]

Tomco i believe is pretty competitive, and his prices dont seem too bad at all from what he told me. Maybe ask him to do you an estimate.

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by ca18det240sx
Tomco i believe is pretty competitive, and his prices dont seem too bad at all from what he told me. Maybe ask him to do you an estimate.

It'll be around till year-end until I can start thinking a game plan to help out hail damages in Calgary. There are already existing dent shops in Calgary who are getting automatic insurance claims to their shops.

Don't want this turn into another story book... read this:
http://forums.beyond.ca/st/185728/wh...ix-hail-dents/

Sum up for OP with specific thread question
- It should be ok to let your insurance know about the situation, from what I'm reading, it's the TRUTH, how your vehicle was damaged in July, and you just started noticing the dents at different light angles. They know this. We've had people calling insurance 6 months after DOL/ date of loss (and we were still in the town fixing)

- Tell them details of what time/date/location your vehicle was hailed on, they should have knowledge with this.

- Problem with waiting for another hail storm and reporting it.(which professionally, I do NOT recommend)... if let's say you HEAR another hail storm (but didn't go through it yourself); and you "tell" your insurance you got damage from that location... Problem is, the severity (deep, light, etc...) are going to be different.

So if yours is really deeply hit right now... and the next damage (which you "claim" you were in wink wink) is really light... This would look really really suspicious. (and again, I do NOT recommend doing this)

- Usually you get 1 year to get it fixed whether with Paintless Dent Repair or bodyshop repaint (CONFIRM THIS FOR YOUSELF)

Alright just trying to keep it informative and simple without going off topic too much.

Oh, might as well, what the hell... for the other dent shops who'll be telling ppl fixing hail damage is the same thing as door dings... Check out my Holidae Inn I'm chillin' in at a hail site... We might be in the same industry, definitely not the same lifestyle always on the road, giving up comfy home life.


Oh so relaxing, the water is clean, those spots are just the wear.


Rotating TV


Air control unit


As long as it's not blood


70's shag carpet, I keep forgetting to bring my sandals... So I had to break out the Safeway brand.

This is one of those hotels out in the middle of no way where guests in each room gets pegged off one by one.

[Raven_R1]

i just got 1500 cheq

[craigcd]

Thanks for the good advice Tom. I called my insurance company and they were fine with it. They said I have up to 3 months or so to make a claim, it will cost me 250 deductible, and to start looking for a shop to handle it.

Thanks