The Hail Shop USA

Auto Hail Repair Denver

Insurance

OEM vs Aftermarket Parts: Auto Body Repair

The Hail Shop USA Only Uses OEM

99% of all dent damage (with no paint damage) can be repaired with paintless dent repair. If the dents and dings can’t be repaired with paintless dent removal, The Hail Shop USA only uses OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts.

Why? The Hail Shop USA stands behind their 100% restoration claim by only using OEM parts if the vehicle panel can not be restored back to its pre-damaged condition. Even if your insurance company will only cover the cost of an Aftermarket panel, we will ALWAYS make the upgrade and cover the cost to replace an unrepairable panel with an OEM part.

There are only a handful of repair shops that use only OEM parts. Typically, a dealer’s shop will work with OEM parts, and an independent auto body shop will work with aftermarket parts. 

What is the difference between OEM & Aftermarket Parts?

OEM parts are exact replicas of the original parts put in your vehicle. Aftermarket parts, however, are designed only similarly are typically cheaper. In some instances, aftermarket parts can function as well and sometimes better than OEM parts BUT sometimes they don’t. If you aren’t 100% sure about your own car and its parts, aftermarket parts might seem like an acceptable exchange for the more expensive OEM parts.

What are the pros and cons of aftermarket parts?

Here we go over some of the biggest pros and cons with aftermarket parts. Ultimately, when it comes to insurance companies, they will only cover the cost of aftermarket parts if a panel needs to be replaced due to severe hail damage.

OEM Parts Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Easy to choose – unlike aftermarket parts, they are usually only offered in one type.
  • Guaranteed quality – OEM parts are designed to function exactly like the original part.
  • Lifetime Warranty – dealerships and automakers offer warranties for their parts.

Cons

  • Higher cost – compared to aftermarket parts, OEM parts will cost considerably more.
  • Limited availability – these parts are purchased through an automaker or select suppliers.

Aftermarket Parts Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Lower cost – Aftermarket parts are typically less costly than OEM parts.
  • Increased variety – increased variety of parts mean more functionality, and a range of prices.

Cons

  • Potentially worse quality – these parts also might not function as well as OEM parts.
  • More selection – increased choices could be overwhelming, and increases quality risk.
  • No warranty – some of these parts are sold without a warranty, depending on price.

In the end, OEM parts are all created equal and with 100% consistency. Aftermarket parts are not created equal and quality can greatly vary. To be safe, The Hail Shop USA chooses to 100% restoration. Restoring your vehicle to it’s original condition is our goal.

5 facts to consider before filing auto hail damage claim

Top 5 Pre-Filing Hail Claims Facts

Auto hail damage always presents a dilemma for car owners. Many decide to live with the dings whereas others file comprehensive insurance claims as soon as they see the hail fall.

In the article, we cover all of the questions that lie in-between.

  1. Know the type of insurance coverage you have on your vehicle.

    There is only one level of coverage that will cover the cost to repair auto hail damage and any other vehicle damage caused by Mother Nature.  It is called Comprehensive Insurance. You are not alone if you assumed that a Collision Policy would cover hail damage. Automobile insurance policies are (or should be) “piecemealed”  based upon the area you live in and where you drive most frequently.

    If you live in the states of Texas and Colorado or any of the other states that fall within Tornado Ally, you should have Comprehensive Coverage because of the frequent hail storms. For example – if you live in Denver, CO where residents experience drastic changes in temperature, excessive rain, hail, and snow, you should also have Collision Coverage. Where Comprehensive covers the cost of auto hail damage repair, it does not cover damage caused by potholes that come as a result of drastic weather variations.

    Check your policy. Your coverage can be found on your glovebox copy, online (if you signed up for online access), or you can call the general toll-free number found on their website.

    Auto Insurance Coverage’s Explained

    What auto insurance coverage is required by law? 100/300/100 is your liability coverage. This is what is required of you to carry by law. This, theoretically, protects the OTHER party in an accident. Not you, or your car.

    The D100 is Comprehensive Coverage. In this case, with a $200 deductible. Comp covers YOUR vehicle in the event of an accident that wasn’t your fault.

    The G500 is Collision Coverage. This covers YOUR vehicle in the event of an AT FAULT accident. Ordinarily, to make a full coverage policy, you would have Liability + U/W + Comp + Collision. In this case, a $500 deductible. You pay the first $500, the insurance company pays the rest to fix your car.

  2. Don’t assume that you don’t have enough hail damage to justify filing a claim.

    Many decide to live with hail dings because they assume the damage isn’t enough to justify the deductible.

    Other’s might find that seemingly minimal damage is enough to cause their insurers to total out their cars! If you can see dents after a hail storm, you should always assume that there are more. You might not be able to see them but not all hail dents can be visualized with the naked eye.

    Paintless Dent Repair shops like The Hail Shop USA specialize in the finding and repairing of ALL auto hail damage. We use light boards that have strips of LED lighting that help our technicians literally see EVERY imperfection, no matter how tiny or shallow.  Whereas you might only see a few hood dents, your insurance adjuster might find a few more. Upon the 3rd inspection by a reputable Paintless Dent Repair shop, you might discover that what you assumed what just a couple of hundred dollars of damage turns into a few thousand.

  3. Pre-inspections from PDR shops are an option.

    You can always get a free inspection from a paintless dent repair shop before you file a claim with your insurance company.

    If you do not own your vehicle and carry comprehensive insurance because your lender requires you to do so, you might be concerned about not having enough damage to justify paying a high-deductible. You always have the option to call The Hail Shop USA to schedule a free hail damage inspection.

  4. Repair the damage or keep the money.

    Do I have to get my hail damage fixed or can I just keep the insurance check? 

    If you are contemplating keeping the insurance company check to pay off some bills instead of getting your car repaired, consider the following.

    1. Are you making monthly payments to a lender? If you are then you have a contractual obligation to get the hail damage repaired.
    2. Do you own the vehicle? If yes, the money is yours to do with as you choose. Keep in mind that if your vehicle is damaged again, you will not be paid a second time for pre-existing damage. You also run the risk of being dropped by your insurance company.
    3. What are your future plans for the vehicle? If your plan is to drive the vehicle until it drives no more, it is your decision as to what you can live with. If selling your car in the future is the plan, remember that the value of your vehicle greatly decreases if it has hail damage.

  5. The skinny on rental car reimbursement.

    You might assume that your insurance policy covers a rental car, until you find out that it doesn’t.

    This is something you should also look in to before filing your claim. The Hail Shop USA offers free rental car service for our hail damage repair customers that don’t have rental car coverage. Most car hail repairs require approximately 1-3 days of shop time.

How much car insurance do I need?

Upgrade your auto insurance or live with a downgraded vehicle.

Mother Nature is off to the races. The Kentucky Derby has nothing on this 2020 hail season. Hail Alley is certainly living up to its title already in late March. Typically, hail storms of this magnitude don’t usually strike until mid-April. Not this year.

Vehicle owners are suffering the side effects of baseball-sized hail and are now left wondering what to do next.

If you have already started the hail claims process, you probably already know what level of insurance coverage you have on your vehicle. You will have been given one of two answers.

Hail Damage Repair is NOT Covered

This is called liability insurance. In other words, YOU are liable for the damages left behind after the most recent hail storm.

Ouch.

If this is you, don’t feel too bad. You aren’t alone. In an article from Oklahoma’s News Four, one car owner laments his decision to carry only liability on his vehicle.

Chris West, 5-year Oklahoma resident said,

“We should’ve done the comprehensive insurance, but you live and you learn.  Welcome to Oklahoma.”

Your best option for auto hail repairs is to contact The Hail Shop USA for a complimentary inspection. Paintless Dent Repair is the most affordable “out-of-pocket” option for hail damage repairs. We can walk you through your options.

Hail Damage Repair IS Covered

This means that you chose to go with the Comprehensive Insurance policy. Comprehensive is one step above full coverage. If you have a lien on your vehicle, there is a very good chance you have it. Insurance companies in Hail Alley will oftentimes require you to carry Comprehensive coverage due to the frequency of hail storms in its path.

The first step is to file a hail damage claim. You will be asked to provide the date of occurrence, policy number, make/model/year, and a good time for an inspection with a local adjuster.

After your vehicle is inspected by the adjuster, set a time to get a second inspection from The Hail Shop USA.  The number one reason you should ALWAYS get a second opinion from a reputable paintless dent repair shop is that insurance adjusters will miss, on average, about 30% of the actual damage.

The Hail Shop USA can work directly with your insurance company and file any supplements to ensure your damage is 100% accounted and paid for.

My vehicle was just damaged in a hail storm. Now what?

What do I do if my car was damaged in a hail storm?

Hail damage can be very confusing and troublesome and we are here to help you through the process, from A to Z!

  1. The first step is to call your insurance company and file a hail claim on the vehicles that were damaged.
    Visit here to find your insurance company’s claim department.

    • You will need your insurance policy number
    • VIN of the vehicle that was damaged
    • Date and time of the incident
    • Description of the incident
    • Description of damages
    • Location of incident
  2. Next, you will receive a call from a local claims adjuster. Most insurance companies will come to your choice of location to do the assessment. The results of the assessment will be mailed to you along with a check that will either be written to just you or you and your lender.
  3. Call The Hail Shop USA at (800)485-9026 to schedule your paintless dent repair appointment. You can also use our online form. One of our friendly hail specialists will walk you through the process and answer any questions you might have.
    FYI: Your insurance company might lead you to believe that you have to choose a body shop from their preferred list but this is not true. You can get your hail damaged at any paintless dent repair shop.
  4. When you drop your vehicle off for hail damage repair, we will re-evaluate your vehicle for any additional damage that the insurance assessor might have missed. We will use a special marker to circle all of the hail damage. On average, insurance company adjusters will miss 25-30% of your vehicle’s hail damage. If this is the case, will contact you and your insurance company. A request for additional funding (insurance supplement) will be made.
  5. Once we know that all of the hail damage will be paid for by your insurance company, we will start the paintless dent repair process.
  6. Depending on the amount and severity of your cars hail damage, a typical auto hail damage repair takes anywhere between 2-7 days.
  7. Once the dents are 100% removed and your vehicle has been restored to its pre-damaged condition, we will wash the vehicle and clean the interior.
  8. Upon your arrival to pick-up your vehicle, we will go over your vehicle to make sure you are completely satisfied. We guarantee our work with a limited lifetime warranty.

Keeping insurance claim check vs. repairing hail damaged car

Can’t I Just Keep My Insurance Claim Check?

You have no garage and a recent hailstorm left your car with more scars than Edward Scissorhands. You file a claim, pay your deductible and receive a check for damages from your insurance company. But could you simply pocket the cash if you want to? Spend it on something else?

Firstly, if you don’t own your car outright (you have a loan or are leasing), then you have no choice. Your loan holder will require you to use the claim check to pay for repairs. In fact, your insurance company might even write the check to the repair company directly. If somehow you pull off not getting it fixed, you could be dropped from your insurance company or accused of fraud.

If you own your car outright, using your claim check for repairs is ultimately up to you. However, here’s a few reasons why we recommend you should still get it fixed.

4 Reasons to Repair Your Hail Damage

  1. Depreciation.
    Fixing damages maintains the value of your vehicle. In the future, you will be selling or trading in your car at a lesser value if it has hail damage. Websites with vehicle history services like CARFAX will note any reported damages including hail damage. Not to mention the damage will be noticeable during any basic pre-purchase inspection. In some states, the damage will be noted on the title, making it harder to value or insure.
  2. Total Loss.
    If your vehicle is declared a total loss someday (due to collision, flooding, irreparable storm damage, etc.), your insurance company will subtract the amount of this hail damage payout from your vehicle’s total value. Let’s say you planned on a $10,000 insurance settlement for your totaled car. If you didn’t use a previous $1,000 claim check for repairs, you will only get $9,000 (minus deductible and taxes) due to your prior negligence.
  3.  Future Damages.
    If you live in an area with a lot of hail, odds are this hail damage won’t be your vehicle’s last. When the next big storm doubles the amount of dents in your hood, your insurer will subtract the amount of the previous hail damage claim check from the new claim check. You will still receive an amount for the new damages, but it won’t cover the preexisting damage.
  4. Safety.
    After severe hailstorms, your vehicle may not be safe to drive. If your area was hit with hailstones the size of grapefruit, essential functions of your car may be compromised. This is something you can ask during your auto hail damage assessment, completed by your insurance adjuster and paintless dent repair shop. Make sure if you go back out on the road without repairs, it’s safe to do so.If repairs will cost more than the vehicle is worth or you simply don’t mind some unnoticeable dings, you are not required to use your claim check to fix your car if you own it. However, if you want to maintain the value of your vehicle, you should fix your hail damage.