What's the Average Cost of Hail Damage Repair?

Every year, hail across America causes damage that leads to costs of over one billion dollars. It can be a lot for each individual, and one of the most expensive items to receive damage in every storm is a vehicle. So, what is the average cost of hail damage repair when it comes to these high-value assets?

Below, we dig into answering the question, "How much does it cost to repair hail dents?" by looking at three different repair methods. By the end, you should also understand why they cost what they do, as well as other things you might need to think about when looking for repairs.

Paintless Dent Repair (PDR)

This is a popular and advanced technique for repairing dents in a vehicle's body. It involves manipulating an indentation from behind so that it "pops" back into place without harming or detaching the paint. This method often has a fast turnaround and is not invasive or damaging to the vehicle.

What Affects the Cost?

The cost to repair a car after hail damage using PDR depends on several factors. These include:

Dent coverage. The simple number of depressions in your vehicle is likely to have a dramatic impact on the cost of this type of repair. The more dents there are, the more you will pay, although some shops may offer a discount for fixing several dents at the same time.

Size of dents. Deeper and more expansive depressions demand much more work from a technician due to the precision and effort repairs will take. As such, expect to pay more for severe impressions.

Dent location. Some marks might be in parts of the vehicle that are much more intricate. This takes a lot more time to get right and return the vehicle to its original shape, thus it costs more.

Accessibility of dents. Any craters in hard-to-reach locations, such as on the roof of larger vehicles, will need more effort. This increases their cost.

Nature of the vehicle. Newer or more expensive cars are likely to cost more to fix due to the potential expense of mistakes. At the same time, old or antique vehicles may have similar high costs.

The type of metal, or material, the vehicle's body comprises will also impact the amount of work needed. Thus, you can expect to pay more for unique vehicles.

How Much Can I Expect to Pay?

There is a wide range of prices you might expect to pay for PDR, although it is almost always on a per-dent basis.

The lowest prices you might discover will include costs of around $75 for much smaller indentations that are harder to see. At the other end of the scale, you can expect to pay up to $500 for some of the largest impact sites.

As mentioned above, though, if you have several dents, you may be able to negotiate a combined price less than the sum total of all damage. Talk to your repair specialist for more information on this option, although not all locations offer it.

Body Filler

This is a method of filling any damaged sections with putty or resin that then hardens, creating a solid "patch" for the vehicle. This is then sanded, treated, and painted to return the vehicle to its original shape and color.

What Affects the Cost?

The hail dent repair cost for using body filler might see you paying different prices depending on these factors:

The number of dents. A larger number of indentations will demand more work. You can often expect to pay more for each individual mark.

Paint coverage. The technicians will need to not only paint the panel. They also need to match paint colors and ensure the location has a smooth look to give you the best finish.

Panel removal. Some panels might need repair experts to remove them before enacting repairs. This is a labor-intensive process and thus increases costs further.

How Much Can I Expect to Pay?

Much like with PDR, you will find a large range of different prices depending on the nature of the damage. Although, on average, each dent will cost you much more than using PDR.

Even for the smallest repairs, you can expect to pay around $125, though this will extend up to $750 or more for some of the largest craters in your vehicle.

Glass Repair and Replacement

Hail damage may affect more than the body of your vehicle. Windows are another area that will demand attention after the fall of larger hailstones.

What Affects the Cost

The most obvious difference in cost will be whether your glass is either chipped or has shattered in its entirety. Though, even with chips, you can expect there to be a range of prices.

The scale of the damage. A single small chip will not take long to repair. Although, a long crack will demand extra work to ensure the safety of the pane.

Glass type. Depending on where the glass is, the technician will often need to take different steps. As such, windshields, sunroofs, mirrors, and headlights will often take very different costs to fix up.

Safety features. If the glass contains special features, such as an advanced driver assistance system, it may need recalibration. In some cases, it may only work with specific windows, which might need sourcing.

How Much Can I Expect to Pay?

A simple chip might only cost around $50 to $75 for a resin injection repair and a crack marginally more than that. Replacing a whole windscreen, on the other hand, can cost anywhere between $200 and $2,000, depending on the make and model.

Covering the Cost of Hail Damage Repair

With all the information above, you should have a better idea of how much you might need to budget to get your vehicle back as good as new. Your next step is to get your vehicle into the repair shop. Though, what if you cannot cover the cost of hail damage repair?

We can work with your insurance provider to set you on the path toward receiving full coverage. We will even cover your deductible, to ensure your costs are as low as possible. So, get in contact to book a repair cost estimate today.

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