In Colorado, hail season usually strikes between April and September. These frozen water pellets cause one billion dollars in annual damage throughout the U.S., including serious destruction to vehicles. Take a moment to learn about the weather phenomenon and auto hail damage to better protect your investment.  

What Is Hail?

Most common in summer, hail storms typically precede severe thunderstorms. The ice stones form in cumulonimbus clouds up to 50,000 feet in the air. Updrafts from summer storms place rain droplets in these clouds, causing them to freeze and fall to the ground. The more updraft cycles the droplets undergo, the larger the hailstones become.

While hail storms rarely last long, the frozen ice pellets can fall from the sky at alarming speeds. Those the size of pennies and dimes fall at up to 43 miles an hour, while quarter and golf ball-sized stones hit Earth at 50 and 66 miles per hour, respectively. Baseball-sized hail reaches speeds of 85 miles an hour, while grapefruit-like stones slam the ground going 106 miles an hour.

How Can It Damage Your Car?

Since hail travels so quickly, even small stones can be destructive. Smaller stones can cause auto hail damage, easily denting vehicle hoods, trunks, and roofs to reduce resale value without dent removal services. Larger pieces have the power to crack or shatter auto glass, most notably windshields and rear windows. Comprehensive auto insurance policies cover hail damage; however, agencies still require that drivers pay their deductibles. Since most hail repairs cost less than deductibles, it is usually not worth filing a damage claim. 

What Can You Do to Protect Your Vehicle?

Protect your investment from auto hail damage by keeping the vehicle in a garage or carport when you are not using it. Use protective materials, such as car blankets and cardboard, to shield your vehicle from hail storms if neither option is available, and use covered public parking garages. If you get caught in a hail storm while driving, find cover as quickly as possible and wait until the bad weather passes.

If your car sustained auto hail damage despite your best efforts, schedule repairs at Hail Repair Pro Colorado. Based in Brighton, CO, and serving drivers within a 50-mile radius, this car hail damage shop provides free rentals while they fix your vehicle and restore your original factory paint. They also offer deductible assistance of up to $1,000. Call (720) 818-6300 today to schedule your appointment or visit the auto hail damage center online for more about deductible help. Get additional maintenance tips on Facebook.