Warm weather tornadoes, floods and hail storms are working their way across the nation, leaving wrecked, soaked, dinged up and damaged vehicles in their wake.The experts at CARSTAR Arnold are ready to help. During spring storms, they see countless vehicles damaged by falling trees, debris, wind, water, and hail. They provide the following advice to help car owners deal with spring storms – before and after.
Examine Your Coverage
The time to check out your car insurance policy is not when the weatherman is delivering bad news that storms are on the way. Check out your policy now to understand what is protected, what the insurance deductibles are, if you've got rental coverage and how to handle it when the storm hits.
Complete coverage shields against most damage from disasters. Two other choices to consider are gap coverage – which pays the difference between what you owe on your loan and what the vehicle is worth -- and rental reimbursement.
One warning – if you submitted an earlier damage claim and got a check from your insurance company, but didn’t have the car fixed – the insurance company will deduct this amount from your estimate for the weather damage, and charge an extra deductible, as well.
Protect Your Car
When you know that a storm is en route, get your motor vehicle to higher ground or under cover. For hail storms, cover the car in an old blanket and a car cover from your local automotive retailer – prior to when the storm hits. This will give you some protection for your hood, roof, and rear decklid. If a storm comes up quickly, try to find an awning at a gas station, the drive-through at the bank or self-serve car wash to get underneath for fast protection. On the freeway, seek out cover under a bridge or viaduct.
Should you fall victim to a hail storm, take a peek at these frequently asked questions about handling hail damage:
1. Exactly how much Time Must I allow for a Hail estimation?
A typical hail estimate necessitates 30-45 minutes. During this time, the estimator follows a systematic structure of distinguishing severity and quantity of dents on all panels. On top of that, the estimator communicates with you to answer all questions you have about the repair and obtains all accurate vehicle information.
2. Why is a clean car important?
A clean car allows the estimator to observe clearly the damage. Dust and dirt can often mask damage, creating incorrect estimates and delays in the repair process.
3. What goes on during the estimate process?
During the estimate process, your estimator will greet you and then will drive your vehicle into the estimating bay. Then, they evaluate the car, taking record of the scope of the hail damage as well as the extent and amount of dents. The estimate is then finished and examined with you, and you will be given a printed copy of the estimation.
4. So what does pre-loss condition indicate?
Throughout the hail estimation procedure, any non-hail damage will be noted. The condition of the vehicle, including this damage, is considered the pre-loss condition of the automobile. Any damage that isn't hail-related will not be covered on the repair.
During the time of the estimate, pictures will be taken of the vehicle and any of these conditions will be mentioned in the estimate.
5. How do I schedule my vehicle for repair?In the course of your estimation, you will be asked when you would like to schedule your automobile for repairs. During a typical hail storm, a huge number of cars sustain damages, thus, it may possibly be several weeks before your scheduled visit. CARSTAR Arnold of Arnold, MO will work with you to find out the ideal repair time following your estimate.
6. What is a supplement?
Supplements are added operations or parts required to complete the repair of the motor vehicle that exceed the primary estimate. In some circumstances, the original estimate is inadequate to perform the repairs. When a vehicle is dropped off for repairs, an additional inspection is done to determine if all the damage was documented for repair. If all the damage was found and written on the original estimate, no supplement is needed. However, if some damage was neglected on the original estimate a “supplement” is needed to document the necessary operations or parts needed to effectively repair the vehicle.
If a supplement is required, it may extend the period of time required to repair your vehicle. The supplement will be explained to you and an altered pick up date will be given.
7. What's Paintless Dent Repair (PDR)?
Paintless Dent Repair is a specialized and meticulous process for returning dents to their initial shape without having to paint any part of the automobile. The primary process for PDR necessitates the technician to push and massage every dent in an extremely technical and precise fashion. For this, each dent is worked back to its original shape with different metal rods ranging in shape and size. The dents are worked from the underside of the metal using access points on every panel. It's a extremely specialized and precise method that requires the finished metal to look like it came from the original factory.
8. What is conventional auto body repair?
Traditional body repair often replaces the panels on an automobile and needs painting to match the factory finish. In many cases, hail damage is so severe that conventional body shop methods are needed to repair specific panels. If there are too many dents or too many big dents, a panel might not be capable of being repaired with PDR.
9. What does R and I mean?
R and I is an phrase that is short for Remove and Install. Whenever a car begins the repair procedure, an R and I technician loosens, and often removes, the interior panels and parts to allow for access to the underside of the metal panel. When the PDR repairs get finished, this technician replaces the parts and re-installs the interior panels (such as the headliner and hood liner). CARSTAR Arnold has a quality assurance system to ensure that all parts are replaced properly so that your automobile is returned to you in the same condition that we received it, without dents, of course.
While the car is in the shop, it’s a great time to have other dents and dings fixed. It will be more affordable and your motor vehicle will ultimately benefit.
For even more tips on handling an accident or having your automobile fixed after a crash, visit www.auto-body-arnold-mo.com. CARSTAR Arnold, serving Arnold, Oakville, Imperial, and Jefferson County, MO offers high-quality, trustworthy repair service all over the USA and Canada.
