Preparing for severe weather: How to protect your car from thousands of dollars in hail harm
Severe storms bring a myriad of hurting impacts, and hail can be one of the costliest.
A hailstorm in San Antonio, Texas, in two thousand sixteen proved to be the costliest in the city’s history. More than $1 billion in harm was reported, the Insurance Council of Texas reported. Hail as large as baseballs pelted over a hundred thousand cars, racking up harm claims.
Cars out in the elements are one of the most susceptible chunks of property, and for some, their most valuable.
“Look at what people are paying for cars these days,” Darren Huggins, National Collision director said. “If they don’t own a home, it’s the single largest investment they’ve made. And they want to protect it.”
Following severe storms that struck Texas and the southern Plains in mid-April, social media was littered with photos of mattresses, blankets, bubble wrap and other makeshift materials fastened onto all kinds of vehicles with the intention to prevent any severe hail harm.
Layers of blankets were enough to protect the sunroof of this car during a latest severe storm in San Antonio, Texas. (Instagram photo/josieorizaga)
While the unique methods of protection may have been inventive, there’s no telling how effective a blanket can truly be against a powerful storm, experts say.
The top surfaces of the car such as the spandex hood and roof are the most vulnerable in terms of potential hail harm, Huggins said. Most modern cars use tempered glass for the windshield, and “it’s going to take pretty severe hail to penetrate that,” he said.
Harm to the bod of a car can also be the most expensive to fix.
Sam Sarkisian, president of the Autobody Association, said repairs can run anywhere inbetween $1,500 to $Five,000, depending on the harm.
If hail hits the car but does not fracture the paint, the repair cost will be much lower, Huggins said. Technicians can work from under the panel to rubdown out the dent rather than needing to do any replacement work.
Taillights can also be a costly fix, he said.
A car proprietor in Texas used blankets to protect his already hail-damaged vehicle during a severe storm. (Instagram photo/thewhaley)
State Farm spokesperson Dave Phillips said the average hail claim in two thousand fifteen ran just under $Trio,500. Texas had the highest number of hail claims in the U.S. with more than 23,000.
For those wanting to get creative, Huggins said anything that could cushion the gargle from hail is worth attempting.
“Attempt using a tarp, blankets, even a sleeping bag might do the trick,” he said. “But it’s most significant to protect yourself very first.”
Huggins urged car owners not to go outside during severe storms. If already driving, seek a covered area to wait out the storm.
The windshield of this car belonging to an employee of the Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield, Mississippi, awaits towing Thursday, March 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)