Hail Has Damaged Your Car: What’s Next?
If you are a resident of Colorado and your car has fallen victim to hail damage, you are not alone. In fact, the prevalence of the need for hail damage repair lakewood co on your car is higher than most other areas of the world due to the susceptibility of the Midwestern United States to such types of weather patterns. The damage can be destructive and extremely costly. As such, protecting your car with proper insurance, and understanding how to utilize this coverage when you need it, are imperative to getting your car repaired and back on the road quickly.
Insurance Coverage
When purchasing insurance, you must ensure that you receive comprehensive coverage to protect your car from hail storms. Comprehensive coverage is also known as “other than collision”, meaning that it covers almost anything that could damage or total your car aside from an actual collision. Acts of nature, including storms, fire, or hitting an animal, plus theft, and vandalism are common use cases for comprehensive coverage. This coverage includes a deductible which you must pay to the auto repair shop, and your insurance will cover the rest of the cost, regardless of where the blame lies for the damage.
Working With Your Insurance Company
After your car is damaged you should notify your insurance agency as soon as possible. They will guide you through the next steps, but the process is generally similar in most cases. A thorough inspection will be conducted by the insurance company and/or the auto body shop. Once the estimate has been approved, your auto body shop will order any necessary parts and will begin the work. The most thorough shops will ensure they communicate the process and status to you as the work is being done.
It is imperative to have a thorough understanding of your car insurance coverage before disaster strikes. Hail storms are among such dangerous acts of nature that can strike with little warning, so be sure you know what to do, and what you can expect to have covered, before your car is damaged.