Warm weather tornadoes, floods and hail storms are running their way across the nation, leaving totaled, drenched, dented and damaged motor vehicles in their wake.The experts at Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR are prepared to help. During spring storms, they see a huge number of automobiles harmed by falling trees, debris, wind, water, and hail. They offer this advice to help motorists deal with spring storms – before and after.
Check Your Coverage
The time to review your auto insurance is not when the weatherman is giving bad news that storms are on the way. Examine your policy now to understand what is protected, what the deductibles are, if you've got rental coverage and what to do when the storm hits.
Complete coverage shields against most damage from natural disasters. Two other available choices to consider are gap coverage – which will pay the difference between what you owe on your loan and what the vehicle is valued at -- and rental reimbursement.
One warning – if you submitted a previous damage claim and received a check from your insurance company, but didn’t have your vehicle repaired – the insurance company will deduct this amount from your estimate for the storm damage, and bill an extra deductible, too.
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 shelter for your hood, roof, and rear decklid. If a storm shows up quickly, look for an awning at a gas station, the drive-through at the bank or self serve car wash to get underneath for immediate protection. On the interstate, try to find cover under a bridge or viaduct.
If you do fall victim to a hail storm, take a peek at these common questions about coping with hail damage:
1. Exactly how much Time do I need to allow for a Hail Estimate?
A typical hail estimate necessitates 30-45 minutes. During this time, the estimator follows a deliberate format of identifying severity and amount of dents on all panels. On top of that, the estimator communicates with you to respond to all questions you have about the repair and obtains all accurate vehicle information.
2. Why is a clean automobile important?
A clean automobile allows the estimator to observe clearly the damage. Dust and dirt might mask damage, leading to erroneous estimates and delays in the repair process.
3. What takes place throughout the estimation process?
During the estimate process, your estimator will greet you and then will drive the vehicle into the estimating bay. Then, they evaluate the car, taking record of the scope of the hail damage and the extent and volume of dents. The estimate is then finalized and examined with you, and you'll be provided with a printed copy of the estimation.
4. What does pre-loss condition imply?
At the time of the estimate, photos will be taken of the automobile and any of these conditions will be noted in the estimate.
5. How do I schedule my automobile for repair?
During the time of your quote, you're going to be asked when you'd like to schedule your automobile for repairs. During an average hail storm, countless automobiles sustain damages, thus, it could be several weeks before your scheduled visit. Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR of Columbia, IL will work with you to determine the proper repair time following your quote.
6. Exactly what is a supplement?
Supplements are further operations or parts necessary to finish the restoration of the vehicle that go beyond the primary estimate. In some instances, the original estimate is inadequate to carry out the repairs. When a vehicle is dropped off for repairs, another inspection is done to determine if all the damage was documented for repair. If all the damage was found and written on the original quote, no supplement is required. If, however, some damage was neglected on the initial estimate a “supplement” is needed to document the required operations or parts required to properly repair the automobile.
If a supplement is required, it can extend the time period required to fix your car. The supplement will be explained to you and an altered pick up date will be provided.
7. What's Paintless Dent Repair (PDR)?
Paintless Dent Repair is a specialized and meticulous procedure for returning dents to their original shape without the need to paint any part of the vehicle. The main procedure for PDR necessitates the technician to push and massage each dent in an extremely technical and exact way. For this, each dent is worked back into its initial shape using different metal rods differing in shape and size. The dents and dings are worked from the underside of the metal using access points for each panel. It is a extremely specialized and precise method that necessitates the finished metal to look like it came from the original factory.
8. What's conventional auto body repair?
Conventional body repair often replaces the panels on an automobile and needs painting to match the factory finish. In some cases, hail damage is so severe that conventional body shop methods are necessary to fix specific panels. If there are too many dents or too many large dents, a panel may not be capable of being fixed with PDR.
9. What does R and I mean?
R and I is an acronym that is short for Remove and Install. Whenever a car begins the repair procedure, an R and I technician loosens, and sometimes removes, the interior panels and parts to allow 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 (like the headliner and hood liner). Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR features a quality control system to ensure all the parts are replaced correctly so that your motor vehicle is returned to you in the same condition that we received it, without dents, of course.
While your car is in the shop, it is a great time to have other dents and dings repaired. It'll be more cost-efficient and your car will ultimately benefit.
For additional tips on managing an accident or getting your car repaired following a crash, visit www.auto-body-columbia-il.com. Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR, serving Columbia, Waterloo, Southern Illinois, Millstadt, Freeburg, and Athens, IL gives high-quality, dependable repair service throughout the US and Canada.