At The Dent Company, we have been repairing auto hail damage for a long time and have answered a lot of questions over the years. One of the top questions we get is, “Why did my insurance company send me to a body shop for hail damage?” Of course, we think this is something one should ask their insurance agent but you probably won’t get the whole truth.
While Paintless Dent Repair is well known to be the superior method for auto hail damage repair insurance companies continue to send their customers to body shops for various reasons. The customer’s best interests are usually not their top priority.
Auto Hail Damage is Just a Fraction of Insurance Claims
A big reason insurance companies send their customers to a body shop for auto hail damage is that they already have a relationship with an existing one in the area. Auto accidents and fender benders account for the vast majority of claims sent to body shops all year long. These shops become “Preferred vendors” for the insurance companies and these repairs account for a significant proportion to the bottom line for these body shops.
Auto hail damage, on the other hand, is a different breed entirely. Regular hail damage only occurs in certain parts of the country, such as Denver or and Texas and it only hails part of the year. Therefore, hail damage is only a small fraction of claims an insurance company deals with on a daily basis. It just makes sense to send their work to a body shop that they have used prior and it usually works well for everybody…usually.
Their plan starts to fall apart when it comes to hail damage and especially when areas are hit by large hail storms. We have had many customers come to us after hearing it could take months just to get an estimate for auto hail repair at the body shop recommended by their insurance company. Besides their regular bodywork, they were simply not equipped or staffed to take on the extra auto hail damage repair.
Insurance Companies Are More Concerned About Cost
It is well known in the industry that the insurance company will not pay for OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts. Instead, they will only pay for cheaper aftermarket parts and usually of lower quality. They have even been known to require used parts to further cut costs.
For these reasons, insurance companies will recommend a body shop who they know will do the job how THEY want it done. For a simple repair, this may be fine and you may not even notice.
For auto hail damage, when multiple body panels are damaged, this can be a nightmare as aftermarket parts are not built with the same quality, fit and precision as OEM parts. In their eyes of the insurance company, the repair doesn’t have to be perfect or the best quality. “Good enough” is acceptable in their eyes as long as they save money.
You Have Choices – We Work With All Insurance Companies
You do not have to take your vehicle to the shop recommended by your insurance company. If you like your local body shop, you can take it there. As we have explained above, there is usually a reason an insurance company will recommend a shop and it probably isn’t for your benefit.
The Dent Company works with all insurance companies and we will even take care of all the paperwork once you file your claim. Insurance will only pay for hail damage for those with full-coverage policies. They will not cover liability only policy holders.
Use Paintless Dent Repair for Auto Hail Damage
At The Dent Company, we are The Auto Hail Repair Experts. Our Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) method is the industry-leading standard for auto hail damage repair.
Paintless Dent Repair does not require sanding, painting or aftermarket body parts. Instead, hail dent removal is achieved by gently resetting the dents back to their natural state using specialized PDR tools by our highly experienced PDR technicians. Your vehicle is restored back to the condition it was in before the hail damage.
Your vehicle stays original and your factory paint is not harmed during any part of the dent removal process. Paintless Dent Repair is a permanent fix and the dents will not come back as the metal is no longer stressed.
Auto hail damage can be very expensive to repair. If the damage is extensive enough the insurance company may elect to “Total” your vehicle. If you owe more than the vehicle is worth, you will still have to pay off the remaining balance and go without a vehicle.
Paintless Dent Repair for auto hail damage is usually much more cost-effective. In many cases, a vehicle can be repaired by us using PDR when it would have been totaled by a body shop for the exact same repairs.
Paintless Dent Repair is faster. Since we repair your existing vehicle, there is no waiting on parts, prep or paint. We can start your dent removal work immediately once we have your vehicle. The average repair time is 2-4 days depending on the extent of the hail damage.
Auto Hail Damage: You Only Get One Factory Paint Job
The factory paint will probably be the best paint job your vehicle will ever have. When the factory paint is applied, the entire vehicle will go through of series of acid baths just to prep the bare metal for priming before the paint is ever applied in an extremely sterile environment. It is a very elaborate and expensive process. Even if a body shop could produce the same paint job as from the factory, the insurance company will never pay for it.
When a vehicle does need to be re-painted, they will try to match it as close as they can but it will never be an exact match or come anywhere near the quality of the factory paint. The paint and finish on a vehicle have a direct impact on its overall value when it comes trade-in time.
This is why it is so important that your factory stay intact and preserved for as long as possible and why so many people choose to use Paintless Dent Repair for auto hail damage.
N0-Deductible Auto Hail Damage Repair From The Dent Company
When you bring your vehicle to the shop recommended by your insurance company, you will be expected to pay your full deductible when the work is complete.
At The Dent Company, our process is so streamlined, precise and cost-effective that we are able to pass our savings on to you. When we repair your hail damaged vehicle(s), we will let you keep your deductible up to $500 per vehicle. In some cases, we may even be able to raise that limit depending on the extent of the damage.
We have free rental cars available so you are not stranded while your vehicle is in our care. All of our work comes with a written Lifetime Warranty and a Satisfaction Guarantee.
Word of mouth and customer satisfaction has made The Dent Company successful from day one, and we never forget that. We want to be your go-to dent company and the one you tell your friends about.
The Dent Company
The Auto Hail Repair Experts
America’s Dent Co.