Insurance Claims · 7 min read
Hail claims are mostly a sequencing problem. Do things in the right order and the process is straightforward. Do them backwards, such as booking a repair before you know what the damage is, and it becomes frustrating.
This guide sets out the order. Colorado Dent Solutions is independent and has no affiliation with Progressive.
Step 1: confirm what your policy covers
Hail is generally handled under comprehensive coverage. Find your declarations page and note whether comprehensive is in force and what the deductible is. Everything downstream depends on those two figures.
Step 2: photograph the damage properly
Daylight, low angle, one panel at a time, with the roof included. Add wide shots from each corner and note the storm date. Photographs cost nothing and they are the only record entirely under your control.
Step 3: get an independent read on the damage
Knowing whether you have light damage on two panels or moderate damage across eight changes the decision about filing. An independent assessment gives you that before you commit. Send photographs through our assessment form for a free read.
Step 4: decide whether to file
Compare the likely repair against your deductible. If the repair is comfortably above it, filing usually makes sense. If it is below, a claim will not pay out and direct payment is normally the better route. See should I file a hail claim in Colorado for the full decision framework.
Step 5: file, then schedule
Report the claim, complete whatever inspection the carrier arranges, and book your repair slot in parallel rather than afterwards. After a significant Front Range storm, shops across Denver, Aurora and the northern suburbs fill up quickly, and holding a slot costs nothing.
Step 6: repair, supplement, collect
Panels are read under a light board, which frequently reveals more dents than an initial estimate captured. Additional scope goes back to the carrier as a supplement and approval is their decision. Once the work is complete, the factory paint is still on your car, so there is no cure time before you drive it.
See our Progressive hail claim page for Denver metro details, or the hail damage repair service page for the repair itself.