Hail storms can strike at any time, leaving your car with unwanted damage that is expensive to repair.
Often, it is the body of the car which is damaged the most in a severe hail storm, and it is this part of the vehicle that is frequently the most expensive to repair.
If you are prepared for a hail storm, you should always try and park your vehicle inside before the storm hits. However, sometimes we know this just isn’t possible, and if this is the case, there are some other ways you can add protection. For example, laying a mattress, blanket or even bubble wrap over the top of your vehicle, and tying it down for security, can sometimes add a buffer of protection from a bad storm. The hood and roof are normally the two areas most likely to suffer damage, so if you have limited materials, try covering these areas first.
Thankfully, if you have a newer car, the glass on the windows and windscreen will most likely be tempered, meaning it needs quite some force to shatter it. Even so, protecting it with a blanket, or even cardboard, shouldn’t be overlooked. Don’t forget the sunroof either – this can be especially vulnerable in a storm.
If you know a bad storm is coming, why not head to the shopping centre? Movie complexes and shopping areas normally have undercover parking and you can safely leave your car sheltered while you go out and do some shopping, waiting out the storm.
Covered parking can really be beneficial for your car, not just protecting it from hail damage but also protecting it from the sun and giving your vehicle added security. Although it might be an investment to build a garage at your home, it could end up saving you money and hassle if there’s a bad storm, especially if the storm brings hail with it.
When you take out your car’s insurance policy, make sure it covers you for any unexpected damage such as protection from hail storms. Of course, you hope you never have to use it, but there’s no doubting that hail protection can certainly come in handy if you have it listed under your insurance cover.
Hail can certainly damage your car, but driving during a storm can cause other damage to your vehicle, especially in the event of an accident. You are much more likely to have a car accident when the roads are wet and visibility is poor. So if you really want to avoid doing damage to your car, wait out the storm.
If you want to avoid hail damage while you’re away on holiday, make sure you seek out airport parking that is truly undercover. Forget shade sails – these won’t prevent storm damage – and instead get proper undercover parking at the airport like the kind of top quality parking we at Portside offer.