What to Do if Your Rental Car Gets Damaged by Hail

Last Updated on June 29, 2023 by Kristin

Photo credit: Shutterstock

Many drivers have experienced driving in strong winds, heavy rains and thunderstorms, but may never have encountered a severe hailstorm. This solid form of precipitation can cause costly damage to your rental car.

According to the U.S. National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), hail is a form of solid precipitation consisting of ice that forms inside thunderstorm updrafts. Hailstorms can occur during the spring, summer or fall months. The majority happen between May and September.

Hailstorms are most frequent in Midwest and mountain states in a region appropriately known as Hail Alley. Three states—Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming—tend to get more hail than other states. The city of Cheyenne, Wyoming, experiences more hailstorms than any other city, with upwards of 10 hailstorms a year.

A hailstone can be as small as a pea or as large as a grapefruit and a hailstorm can wreak havoc in a very short amount of time, potentially causing thousands of dollars in damage. When hail falls, it can crack a car’s windshield and dent the metal exterior.

What to Do if Hail Damages Your Rental Car

What should you do if a hailstorm causes damage to your rental car?

Evaluate the Damage & Call for Help if Needed

If your car is hit by hail while you’re driving, pull over as soon as you can do so safely. If the hailstorm is extreme, make sure that nobody in the car has been injured by any broken glass. When the storm has passed and you’re in a safe place, evaluate the damage to the rental vehicle.

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Next, document and measure any damages to the car that weren’t there when you picked it up—this could be windshield cracks, dents to the exterior or broken lights. Take photos of any damages, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem.

Get Roadside Assistance

If you’re not confident that the car is safe to drive, get roadside assistance. If the damage to the car after the hailstorm is minimal, you may be able to drive it back to the rental car center without issue. But if there are severe problems, such as huge cracks on the windshield that obstruct your vision, the safest option is to call for roadside assistance to pick up the car.
If you didn’t purchase the car rental company’s roadside assistance service, you may have access to this service through a membership such as AAA or AARP, or as a benefit of the credit card that you used to rent the car.

Other options include pay-per-use platforms like Urgent.ly or the Honk app, which are affordable and fast.

Buy Collision Insurance For Less Than What You’ll Pay at the Rental Counter

And as a last resort, you can try calling the rental car company’s roadside assistance number anyway. Even if you didn’t buy the roadside assistance plan, they can send help for a standalone fee.

File an Insurance Claim for Damages

If you bought the rental car company’s collision damage waiver (CDW), you’re covered for the costs to repair or replace the vehicle—unless the accident was due to reckless driving or another breach of your rental agreement. Remember, though, that the rental company’s damage waivers don’t cover liability for medical expenses or property for you or other people involved in the accident. You’ll have to rely on your personal insurance or the rental company’s supplemental liability coverage for that.

Let AutoSlash Track Your Car Rental for Price Drops

Most personal auto insurance policies cover rentals, but double check your coverage limit and deductible. For most car insurance policies, hail damage would be covered under a comprehensive package, and if your policy extends to car rentals, you are covered up to the limits of your coverage. Hail damage is typically covered like any other standard claim, with deductibles determined at the time you purchase auto insurance.

Related:

Should You Buy Car Rental Insurance?
What to Do if a Hurricane Impacts Your Car Rental
What to Do if You Hit a Deer in Your Rental Car

The post What to Do if Your Rental Car Gets Damaged by Hail appeared first on AutoSlash.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements to rent a car abroad?

You can find a cheap rental car in Europe by visiting several websites like Alamo, Sixt and Europcar. Book online to save money.

Before you rent a vehicle, it is important to have all necessary information.

Your full name including any middle names (if any)
The address where you're staying
Date, time and place of pickup
The vehicle to be rented must match the make and model.
Name of insurance company and policy number
Special requests for equipment
Details of the rental agreement (e.g., duration and rate, deposit, balance due by end of trip, excess fees, limits of liability, cancellation penalties etc.
Payment method(s), such as credit card, debit, cash, or personal check

Once you have all of the information above, you can book your vehicle at one of these companies.

Is it possible to rent a car so that I can drive all over Europe.

Yes, you can. You'll need an organized tour booking and separate payment for each day. There are many companies that offer these tours.

You might consider hiring a car through a primary travel agent if you want more flexibility. These agencies provide a range of services, including car rental and city transfer.

They often partner with local suppliers that specialize in quality vehicles at competitive prices.

Do you need a car for Europe?

The best solution will depend on where you live and the things you love to do. A typical European urban area might have different priorities to a rural one.

Consider how long you intend to stay in each place. An economical car is not the best option if you plan on moving around often.

In most cases, buying used cars is more cost-effective than renting. You can find many reasons why renting a car in Europe is more affordable than buying a used one. You can save on fuel, parking fees as well as maintenance and insurance costs.

Another benefit is the fact that you can drive your car without any distractions.

There are many websites that provide useful information about European car rentals. You should check out the following recommendations.

Chase Sapphire provides car rental insurance for Ireland.

Yes, you can insure your vehicle for an extra EUR15 daily. You can also access a wide range of optional extras, including breakdown assistance, theft insurance, and personal accident insurance.

Is it possible for you to rent a car and drive between Europe's countries?

If you are planning on driving across Europe, I recommend renting from Hertz. It's cheaper than hiring private drivers. They offer great coverage.

You can also rent multiple cars if you need one car for a longer trip.

How can I rent an automobile in another country?

The best way to do this would be by using an international rental agency such as Hertz, Avis, or Europcar. These companies have offices in Europe and offer services both for long-term and short-term rental.

They provide customer support 24 hours a day, 7 nights a week.

They don't require any prior experience to rent from you. They provide insurance and breakdown protection. All you have to do is know where to find them and when they will be there.

Statistics

If you're a member of AAA, you might also be able to snag discounts of 10 percent at Thrifty, and 8 percent at Dollar. (afar.com)
In 2019, the most crucial factor is the cost and fees of the rental (accounting for 28% of overall satisfaction with the rental experience), followed by the rental car itself at 25% and the pick-up process at 23%. (cnet.com)
The perks vary from partner to partner, but you can expect discounts of up to 35 percent on some rentals and the ability to earn anywhere from 50 bonus American AAdvantage miles per day or 500 per rental. (afar.com)
For example, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns 3 percent cash back on purchases at U.S. gas stations (terms apply), and the Citi Premier® Card earns three points per dollar at gas stations, too. (afar.com)
For canceled trips two days or shorter, a guest is charged 50% of one day's trip cost. (insider.com)

External Links

jdpower.com

sixt.com

kayak.com

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How To

How can I ensure that my rental car is not charged for any pre-existing damage?

Consider, for example, what happens to the rental vehicle if you drive it for only a few minutes before returning it back to the rental agency. If there is a scratch on your rental car, do you get charged for this damage? This is a common issue among those who rent cars from different companies. Even if the customer did not cause any damage to their car while renting it, some agencies will charge them. In order to avoid these charges, it is important that you ask whether the rental car will be charged for any scratches and dents. These are ways to ensure that rental cars don't have pre-existing damage.

Request a copy of this agreement.
Check the description of the car thoroughly;
Take care to read all the fine print.
Ask for a free cleaning service
Careful about the car's condition.
Make sure you don't leave any items behind in your car
Renting a vehicle? Always have cash on you
Keep all payments in receipt.
Do not let anyone touch the car without your permission;
Never accept a gift offer from the company.
Use only a reputable rental agency;
Always bring your contract.
Return the car in good condition;
Provide your contact details to the agent
Avoid repeating the same company.
Notify the seller of any important details such as model, mileage, engine size, color and so on. ;
Take photos of the damage;
Wash the car by yourself
Request a third-party inspection of the car
Never agree to pay additional fees;

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