Straight answers about hail damage, insurance claims and paintless dent repair.

The questions we get asked every single day

Do I have to file a claim at all?

No. Plenty of people pay cash, especially on one or two dents — pick the no-claim option above and we quote it that way.

Will filing raise my rates?

The honest answer is no and yes. Hail is a comprehensive loss with no fault assigned, so one hail claim is generally not a surcharge event. Premiums still move for reasons that have nothing to do with your claim. Your insurer or a licensed agent can confirm how your policy is rated.

Who files it — me or you?

You do. It is your policy and your contract. We walk alongside it: photographs of every panel, meeting the adjuster at the vehicle, writing the supplement, handling the paperwork.

You have not filed yet

How long do I have?

Policies generally require prompt notice of a loss, and a hail claim gets harder to substantiate the further you are from the storm date. Sooner is better. The wording of your own policy governs the deadline.

Should I get an estimate before I call my insurer?

It helps, and it costs you nothing. We read every panel under reflection lighting, which routinely finds several times the dents a driveway look does, so you know what the damage actually is before the conversation starts.

What if I would rather not file?

That is a real option on light damage. We will price it as a cash job and tell you honestly how it compares to your deductible.

Filed, waiting on the adjuster

Do I have to wait for the adjuster to pick a shop?

No. In Texas you choose the repair facility. An insurer can recommend one, and there may be conveniences to using it, but the decision is yours.

Can you meet the adjuster?

Yes, and it is worth doing. We meet them at the vehicle with the panels already read and photographed, which is what keeps missed dents out of the first estimate.

Can I book a slot now?

Yes. We schedule around the adjuster date and hold the slot rather than making you start again once the estimate lands.

The adjuster has been out

The estimate looks low — is that final?

Not necessarily. First estimates are written quickly and outdoors, and missed dents are normal rather than unusual. That is exactly what a supplement is for.

Can I still choose my own shop?

Yes. The estimate belongs to your claim, not to a particular shop, and it should be written on the actual damage either way.

What do you need from me?

A copy of the estimate. We compare it against our own panel-by-panel read and tell you plainly where the two differ.

Approved — what happens now

What do I actually pay?

On approved hail claims we waive the deductible up to $1,000. Anything above that amount stays yours. Confirm your own deductible against that figure before you decide.

How long will the car be with you?

A full-vehicle hail repair typically runs about 5–10 business days in the shop. That is a normal range rather than a delivery promise — a supplement or a back-ordered clip can move it.

Does the check come to me?

Usually, but if there is a loan or a lease the lienholder is often named on it as well and may need to endorse it. Worth asking your carrier early rather than at the end.

Denied, delayed or underpaid

Can an underpaid claim be reopened?

Often, yes. An underpaid hail estimate is usually a documentation problem, and a supplement with a full dent map and photographs is the normal route back.

Will you re-document the damage?

Yes. Every panel is read under LED reflection lighting and photographed, and you get a dent map you can hand straight to your carrier.

Who else can I talk to?

The Texas Department of Insurance runs a consumer help line for complaints about how a claim was handled. That is your route if the conversation with the carrier stalls.

Paying for it yourself

How is a cash job priced?

Small work is priced per dent; hail is priced per panel by dent size and density. You get the number before anything starts, and quotes are usually verbal from photos in about 30 minutes.

Is it cheaper than my deductible?

Often on one or two dents. Rarely on full-vehicle hail, where the repair is normally well above any deductible. We will tell you honestly which side of that line you are on.

Does a cash repair show up anywhere?

Paintless dent repair leaves the factory finish alone and creates no paint record. With no claim there is no insurance trail either.

What people ask about a single dent

Can it be done without repainting?

Usually, if the paint over the dent is unbroken and the back of the panel can be reached. Cracked paint, a sharp crease or filler underneath change the answer, which is why we look before we promise.

Do I need to involve insurance?

For one dent, almost never. The repair is normally less than a comprehensive deductible, so this is a cash job and we quote it that way.

How fast is it?

A single door ding is often finished the same day once the vehicle is with us.