The short answer
Before authorizing work, get the line-by-line estimate and confirm five things in writing: your comprehensive deductible and who the payment goes to, that the shop choice is yours, what panels and dent counts the estimate used, whether OEM or aftermarket parts and any ADAS calibration are included, and how supplements and rental days are handled. Coverage depends on the language of your policy; your insurer or licensed agent can confirm.
Written by the DentPicks Editorial Team
Technically reviewed by Vytas Kucinskas, Founder & Master PDR Technician
Published: Aug 19, 2026 · Last reviewed: Aug 19, 2026 · 8 min read
Authorizing repairs is the point where a hail claim stops being negotiable and starts being a work order. Most of the questions worth asking are much easier to ask before that moment than after it — once panels are being worked, the evidence of what was damaged is gone and the conversation shifts from "what should this include" to "why wasn't this included."
The list below is what to establish with your insurer first. Every answer depends on the language of your policy, so treat these as questions rather than as facts, and get the important ones in writing. Your insurer or licensed agent can confirm what applies to you; the Texas Department of Insurance's automobile insurance guide is a useful neutral reference for how the coverage parts fit together.
Coverage and money
- Is this loss being handled under comprehensive, and what is my comprehensive deductible? Hail normally falls under comprehensive rather than collision, and the deductible on that coverage is what applies.
- Who will the payment be issued to? If there is a lienholder, drafts are often issued jointly and the lender may need to endorse them. If the vehicle is leased, ask what the leasing company requires.
- Can payment be made directly to the repair facility? Direct payment removes a step and a delay.
- Is any part of this claim being paid on an actual cash value basis with a depreciation holdback? Ask whether anything is recoverable and what evidence releases it.
- Does my policy address diminished value? Treatment varies and is often limited. Ask rather than assume.
On the deductible specifically: on many approved hail claims DentPicks waives the deductible up to $1,000. That is a shop-side arrangement rather than an insurance term, and it is not automatic on every claim — our deductible guide explains how it works and where the limits are.
Shop choice
This one matters more than people expect, because the first call after a storm often includes a recommended facility.
- Am I required to use a shop from your network? In Texas, the choice of repair facility is generally the vehicle owner's — our guide on choosing your own hail repair shop covers this in detail.
- If I use a shop outside your network, does anything change? Ask specifically about rate differences, inspection requirements and any repair guarantee the insurer offers on network work.
- What labor rate are you using for this claim, and for paintless dent repair specifically? PDR is quoted differently from conventional body labor.
- Will you accept an estimate written by my chosen shop? And through which channel should it be submitted.
The estimate itself
Ask for the full line-by-line estimate rather than a total. Then work through it.
| Ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which panels are included, and what dent count and size class were used? | Hail estimates are built from counts. A count taken outdoors runs low. |
| Does the estimate include R&I of trim, headliner or glass where access requires it? | Roof work in particular often needs interior access, and it is a common omission. |
| Are any panels written for replacement rather than repair, and why? | Replacement can be the right call, but it changes cost, time and vehicle history. |
| Are OEM, aftermarket or reconditioned parts specified? | Your policy language governs this. Ask before parts are ordered, not after. |
| Is any refinishing or blending included? | Blending adjacent panels affects color match on a repaint. |
| Does the estimate include ADAS calibration if glass or sensors are involved? | Manufacturer procedures vary by model year and configuration, and calibration is frequently missed on a first estimate. |
| Is there any betterment or prior-damage deduction, and on which panels? | You cannot dispute a deduction you never saw. |
If the estimate reads as thin, that is not necessarily bad faith. The same damage gets written very differently depending on which repair method the estimator assumed, and a hail estimate built around paintless dent repair looks nothing like one built around refinishing.
Supplements
Assume there will be one. First estimates are written from what is visible, and hail damage is frequently written outdoors or in a catastrophe tent where a real share of the impacts do not show.
- What is your supplement process, and where do I send one?
- Do you require a re-inspection before approving added damage, and how quickly can that be scheduled?
- Can the shop submit the supplement on my behalf, with photographs?
- What happens to my rental days while a supplement is under review?
Our guide to how supplements work on hail repairs explains what makes one succeed: documented photographs, a written reason for each added operation, and reference to manufacturer procedures where they apply.
Transportation and timing
- Do I have rental reimbursement, and what are the daily and total limits? It is optional coverage, separate from comprehensive.
- Does the rental clock start at the storm date or when repairs begin? Usually the latter, which changes when you should collect a car.
- Is the rental direct-billed or reimbursed? Reimbursement means you carry the cost.
- How are extensions requested if the repair runs long?
Across DFW, DentPicks provides complimentary pickup and a loaner on insurance-approved hail claims, which sidesteps most of this. Austin is served by trailer pickup and delivery, and Austin customers use their own rental coverage. A typical full-vehicle hail repair runs about 5–10 business days in the shop.
Total loss
Worth asking early on an older or heavily damaged vehicle, because the answer changes everything downstream.
- Is this vehicle at risk of being declared a total loss?
- How is actual cash value being determined, and can I see the valuation report?
- What happens to my rental coverage if a total loss is declared?
- Can I retain the vehicle, and what does that do to the title?
Our guide on hail damage and total loss in Texas walks through how these determinations tend to work.
What we do on our side of the line
You file the claim and you remain the policyholder in every conversation with the insurer. DentPicks works alongside that. Inspections at the Plano shop are done under LED line boards rather than daylight, because a reflection-lit panel read is the only honest dent count. Quotes are usually verbal, often from photos, in about 30 minutes. We can attend the adjuster inspection, document panel by panel, and write and submit supplements with the supporting evidence. While the car is with us you get live updates, and whoever runs quality control signs the vehicle off before delivery — visible in your customer portal. Delivery includes a mini exterior detail, and the work carries a written lifetime warranty for as long as you own the vehicle, non-transferable.
Where a panel genuinely needs replacement and refinishing, we say so. We do what is best for the vehicle rather than what fits one method.
Common mistakes
- Authorizing repairs before reading the line-by-line estimate. The total tells you nothing about what was counted.
- Signing paperwork handed over in a parking lot. Know whether it is an authorization, an assignment or a direction to pay.
- Assuming a recommended shop is a required shop.
- Not asking about parts and calibration until the car is apart.
- Taking answers verbally. Email the adjuster a short summary of what you were told and ask them to confirm. That single habit resolves most later disputes.
What to do next
Request the full estimate, work down the questions above, and confirm the important answers in writing before any work starts. Then get the vehicle read under proper lighting so you know whether the estimate matches the damage on the car.
DentPicks inspects hail-damaged vehicles free of charge in Plano and walks alongside you through the claim. See how our hail repair process works, or contact us to arrange pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Does my insurer get to pick the repair shop?
In Texas the choice of repair facility is generally the vehicle owner's. Insurers may recommend a network shop, and there can be differences in rates or a network repair guarantee, so ask what specifically changes if you go elsewhere — but a recommendation is not a requirement.
What should I look for on the line-by-line estimate?
Which panels are included and what dent counts and size classes were used; whether removal and reinstallation of trim, headliner or glass is written where access requires it; whether any panel is set for replacement; the parts type specified; refinishing or blending; calibration; and any betterment or prior-damage deduction.
Is a supplement a sign something went wrong?
No. First estimates are written from what is visible, frequently outdoors, and hail hides in ambient light. Supplements are a routine part of hail claims. What matters is knowing your insurer's supplement channel and whether a re-inspection is required before added damage is approved.
What is the difference between a repair authorization and a direction to pay?
A repair authorization tells a shop to begin work. A direction to pay tells the insurer to send funds to the shop. Some forms handed out after storms also assign claim rights. Read what you are signing and ask exactly what is being authorized before you sign anything in a driveway.
Should I ask about ADAS calibration?
Yes, whenever glass, mirrors, or sensor-carrying panels are involved. Calibration is one of the most commonly missed items on a first estimate, and manufacturer procedures vary by model year and configuration, so it needs to be confirmed for your specific vehicle rather than assumed.
How do I keep a record of what I was told?
Email the adjuster a short summary of each conversation and ask them to confirm it. It takes a minute and it resolves most later disputes, because it converts a verbal answer into a document with a date on it.
Do I still pay a deductible if DentPicks waives it?
On many approved hail claims DentPicks waives the deductible up to $1,000. It is a shop-side arrangement rather than an insurance term, it is not automatic on every claim, and it has a ceiling — confirm it applies to your claim when you book rather than assuming.
Sources and methodology
- Automobile insurance guide — Texas Department of Insurance.
- After hail or windstorms: consumer tips — Texas Department of Insurance.
Repair, cost and timing statements that are not tied to a listed source come from DentPicks' own quoting and repair history at the Plano, TX shop. They are typical ranges and shop-floor observations, not industry statistics or promises — your vehicle, its condition, your policy language and your insurer determine your specific outcome.
Want a second read before you authorize repairs?
We inspect hail damage free of charge under LED lighting in Plano and give you a verbal quote, usually in about 30 minutes, so you can compare it against the estimate you were sent.