How to Check Your Car for Hail Damage After a Storm

After a Colorado Springs hailstorm, damage is not always obvious from the driver’s seat. Check the car in good light before you wash it or drive it across town.

Do this walk-around first

• Stand at the front and look down the hood toward the windshield. Hail dents show as shallow dimples in the reflection.
• Check the roof from both sides. The roof takes the most hits.
• Look at the trunk lid, tailgate, and the tops of the fenders.
• Inspect glass last. Chips and cracks are a different repair than paintless dent work.

What hail usually looks like

Most hail leaves round, dull spots in the paint reflection. The factory paint is often still intact. That is why paintless dent repair works on so many Colorado storms. If paint is cracked or a crease is sharp, tell the estimator. That panel may need a different approach.

Take photos before you move the car

Insurance claims go smoother with pictures from the same day. Shoot the whole vehicle, then close-ups of the roof, hood, and any glass damage. Include a photo of the street or parking lot if ice is still on the ground.

Then get a free estimate from a local shop that works hail every season. Certified Hail and Dent has been doing that work in Colorado Springs since 2006.