How Much Does Hail Damage Devalue a Car?

If you own one of the 276 million registered vehicles across the US, keeping your car in good shape is likely a top priority. Weather damage can make this challenging if you live in stormy areas, and hail damage is no exception.

Dents and scratches from hail can affect vehicle value drastically, making your insurance deductible higher and causing embarrassment while driving. But exactly how much does hail damage devalue a car? Read on to answer this question and to learn how you can prevent it from happening to you.

How Much Does Hail Damage Devalue a Car Initially?

Unresolved hail damage decreases your car's value by however much the repairs will cost. If your car is worth $30,000 but you have $7,000 worth of hail damage, you will only be able to resell the vehicle for $23,000. This makes sense when you consider that the seller would need to repair the damage on their own post-purchase.

You also will encounter the issue of your vehicle's overall curbside appeal. No matter how new your car is, if it has hail damage it’s going to look older and more worn-out. This may devalue your car even further since people will be turned off by its appearance.

But what about damage from smaller stones? How much does slight hail damage devalue a car?

Even the smallest hail that’s no bigger than a pea can cause dents and dings that decrease the automobile's value. While they won't devalue it as much as damage from larger hail, the value still decreases.

Hail Damage and Long-Term Value

The above damages detail the direct impact of hail on your car, but hail damage also has several long-term impacts that can decrease vehicle value.

The paint on your car protects its metal surface. Hail damage scratches, cracks, and chips that paint. This leaves the metal exposed so that moisture can seep into its cracks. This quickly causes rust and can decay the metal, further damaging it.

This is especially problematic because rust is corrosion that can lead to structural issues as well as an unappealing aesthetic. No one wants to invest in a car with corrosion-related issues because it costs more to repair them than it costs to buy the rusty car itself. Depending on how severe the corrosion is, buyers may even be better off investing in a brand-new car.

On average, a single half-centimeter patch of rust will decrease your car's value by 15%. This is the size of a single hail dent (or smaller). Imagine the damage to your car that would come with multiple patches of rust!

Prevention is the best way to prevent this rust, so make sure that you repair all hail damage ASAP to stop water from corroding your vehicle post-hailstorm.

Other Costs of Hail Damage

If you don't fix hail damage, you will also need to think about additional costs associated with an increase in your insurance premium. The increase will depend on your specific insurance plan, but it is essentially inevitable if you don't repair the damage.

Rust will also compromise the integrity of your vehicle and make it easier for leaks and weather damage to hit hard. This can cause safety issues from mold or even from your car roof caving in while you are driving it (yes - that actually happens!).

These safety issues can't just lead to a lot of pain and suffering but also to high medical bills and health insurance premium increases.

Unsafe cars are going to have the lowest value out there - no one wants to contend with a safety risk. They might as well be taken to a scrapyard. Luckily, there are ways that you can stop hail damage from getting to this point and restore your car's value to its original state.

How to Stop the Impacts of Hail Damage

You may fear being without your vehicle for weeks, paying too much for repairs, or poor-quality restoration. These are real concerns since many shops will take weeks to complete your repairs. Luckily, Express Auto Hail Repair can complete your repairs within 48 hours so that you can feel good about your vehicle again in no time.

These repairs are a simple 6-step process:

1. Get a free 3-Minute Express Estimate online 
2. Get a free 1-Hour Custom Estimate where experts look at and assess the damage for a more accurate quote ($580 value, 100% free)
3. Take your vehicle home until it is time for the repairs to be made
4. Bring the car back for repairs after we handle your insurance claim
5. Taking home a fully-restored car within 48 hours
6. Potentially pay nothing out of pocket if you have full coverage insurance

‍

Plus, if you're 1 of our first 200 customers after a storm, and you have full coverage insurance, your deductible will be fully paid by us. You will also have a lifetime warranty on all repairs so that you don't need to stress about your vehicle's value decreasing due to poor-quality repairs. You can trust that you’re in good hands with our experienced technicians. 

Fix Your Car's Hail Damage Today

So, how much does hail damage devalue a car?

It depends on how severe the damage is. In some cases, corrosion from hail-related rust can decrease your vehicle's value to nothing, so it's important that you get any damage looked at immediately.

Express Auto Hail Repair is committed to providing you with high-quality repairs in under 48 hours. Take your free 3-min Express Estimate online right now. You can also book a 1-Hour Custom Estimate at our shop. 

‍

‍