El Paso doesn't get hail as often as North Texas does, but when a monsoon storm drops it, it tends to hit hard in one part of town and miss the next. If your car was in the wrong neighborhood, here's what to do in the first few days.
1. Photograph it in daylight
Take photos the next morning, outside, from a few angles. Get the roof, hood and trunk, since those face the sky and take most of the hits. Note the date and roughly when the storm came through. Hail dents are often shallow and hard to see straight on, so don't worry if the photos undersell the damage.
2. Check what dents don't tell you
Walk around the car and look for:
- Cracked glass in the windshield, sunroof or back glass. A crack can spread, so report it right away.
- Broken lights and mirrors.
- Cracked or chipped paint at any impact. That spot will need refinishing, and it's better to have it on the estimate from the start.
- Damaged trim and moldings on the roof and around the windows.
3. File the claim
If you carry comprehensive coverage, hail is generally covered after your deductible. File online, in your insurer's app or by phone, and write down the claim number.
4. Be careful with storm chasers
After big storms, out-of-town repair crews sometimes set up in parking lots and go door to door. Some do good work. Before you hand over your keys, ask a few things: Where is the shop located? Will you be here in three months if a dent comes back or a trim piece rattles? Who handles the supplement with my insurer? A local shop has every reason to stand behind the repair.
5. Get it inspected under line lighting
Ask the shop to inspect under line lighting or a light board. It shows every dent, including the shallow ones an adjuster can miss in daylight. If the shop finds damage the adjuster's estimate didn't include, it can send a supplement to the insurer so the repair covers everything.
How long does hail repair take?
It depends on the damage. A car with light hail on a few panels might be a day or two. A car that sat out in a heavy storm can take several days, especially if the headliner has to come down so the roof can be worked from underneath. The shop should give you a timeline after inspection, before it starts.