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Hail damage and insurance claims...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by SW03ES, May 15, 2010.

  1. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    Hey gang,

    Well my wife was driving home on the GW Parkway yesterday evening and a monster storm blew up. Golf ball and baseball sized hail, she was in bumper to bumper traffic and trapped. I was still at my office in Bethesda and my car was safe in the garage...but it was an incredible storm...I've never seen hail like that. I was on the phone with her when it blew up and it sounded like she was being pelted with rocks...couldn't even hear her. She said it was terrifying, people with shattered windshields and rear glass. Somehow her glass all survived (which surprised me because of that huge and very flat windshield in the Prius and the nearly horizontal rear window) but the hood, roof, and top of the hatch weren't so lucky. 50-60 up to silver dollar sized dents. Really bad.

    I'm sure it can all be dealt with with PDR, but its going to be $1,500+ I'm sure even PDR...I mean it'll take all day to do. The biggest comprehensive claim I've ever filed has been for a windshield.

    Any tips?
     
  2. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

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    Some may place it under "act of nature" and cover the damage. I experienced some of that same storm system here in DE yesterday. Luckily, no damage for me, and I was still at work when it all took place. I would have to agree, that it was indeed a monster storm. I knew it was gonna be bad when the radar showed all the storm cells in RED as being the most severe.
     
  3. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    Oh it was wild. One of the worst storms I've ever seen, and it blew up so fast. I was talking to her telling her that she was going to be going through some bad weather I had just heard and she said the sun was out...then she said the sky just fell in...and then all I could hear were the hailstones hitting the car.

    We really got lucky, no damage on the roof framerails and one ding on the driver's front fender. I'm confident it can all be repaired with PDR...
     
  4. pdhenry

    pdhenry It's HEEERE!

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    IIRC comprehensive claims aren't counted against you the way a collision claim can be.

    Over the past 25 years I've had a couple of deer strikes and a stone in the windshield from a truck - none of them affected my premiums.
     
  5. BAllanJ

    BAllanJ Active Member

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    Those dents might improve your mileage like dimples on a golf ball... didn't the mythbusters do a show on this?

    Maybe the next generation prius will be dimpled :)
     
  6. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    I know, thats the first thing my wife said! LOL

    Talked to my insurance agent today, absolutely won't hurt my premiums and my comprehensive deductible is $50. Keep y'all posted!
     
  7. jelloslug

    jelloslug It buffed right out!

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    Depending on the number of panels and number of dents there is a good chance that it will be totaled. The hood and hatch will most likely have to be replace if they are severely dented as aluminum panels do not work well with PDR. If they do total it you can buy it back and drive it as is or have it fixed yourself.
     
  8. silentak1

    silentak1 Since 2005

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    That's funny, I was thinking the same thing... dimpled prius, now that will be challenging to wax.
     
  9. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

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    Definitely worth filing the claim, then IMO. It's been about a year since a storm like those rolled through here. I remember one last year sitting at work, and hail started pelting the windows about my desk.
     
  10. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    No chance of it being totalled...its not that severe.

    Took it in for some estimates today, had my body shop and PDR guy look at it, I have used both for many years.

    Body shop: $4,000-$5,000. This includes repairing and repainting the roof, repairing the top of the hatch but maybe replacing it, replacing and painting the hood. He feels as I do that the PDR on the hood won't turn out well, the PDR may be doable on the roof and would bring down the cost.

    PDR Tech: $2,000. He feels that he can get the hood repaired. He took a big dent out of the hood once a few years ago and it came out 100% despite him saying it was a PITA because its aluminum.

    Then the windshield does actually have a small crack so that will have to be replaced too.

    I am taking it to the insurance company on Thursday so we'll see what the adjuster days. I have a feeling we will wind up doing the roof and hatch top PDR and then replacing and repainting the hood.