At Auto Hail and Dent Center, we’re proud to be a leading paintless dent repair facility in Colorado. If this is your first time dealing with hail damage, we’re here to walk you through the process and answer your questions.
Your deductible
Your deductible is set in your insurance policy, which you arranged with your carrier’s agent. Most of the policies we see have a $500 to $1,000 deductible. This is the amount you pay
toward the repair, and the insurance company covers the rest. It can be hard to know how much damage a storm caused, but in most cases hail damage costs well over the deductible.
Step 1: File your claim
Some agents tell customers to collect estimates from several shops first. That’s an outdated approach. You do not need to call your agent. Today, insurers want their own representative, or
a third-party inspection partner, to evaluate the vehicle. Most carriers also have an app where you can file the claim and get instructions for your first estimate. The fastest, easiest path is to file the claim and follow the steps your claims department gives you.
Step 2: Get your insurance estimate
Some carriers ask you to submit photos so they can write the estimate. Keep in mind that hail is very hard to capture on camera outside of ideal lighting and conditions, so photo estimates often miss damage. The first estimate is a starting point and is frequently lower than the true cost of a complete repair. That’s normal and can be corrected in the next step.
Step 3: Choose your repair shop
Once you have your original estimate, Colorado law gives you the right to take your vehicle to any repair shop you choose. You don’t have to use the insurer’s preferred shop.
Step 4: The supplement
Your chosen shop will inspect the vehicle and write its own estimate, called a supplement, which is sent to your insurer along with your claim number. Repairs can’t begin until the
insurance company reviews and approves the supplement. This stage can take a couple of days up to a week or more, and it’s the part of the process we can’t control.
Step 5: Repairs
Once the supplement is approved, repairs at Auto Hail and Dent Center move quickly. With more than 20 years of paintless dent repair experience, our technicians know how to restore
your vehicle to its pre-hail condition.
Questions? Call us today 303-862-9543. We’ll help you through every step.