Comprehensive Coverage Needed To Protect Your Car During Hail Season
Miami Site Handles Entire Claims/Repair Process From Soup to Nuts, Providing One-Stop Convenience for Customers or Anyone in the Area Who Has a Claim with Progressive
MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio — March 15, 2004 —Imagine a baseball dropped from an airplane flying at 30,000 feet; now, imagine that baseball reaching speeds of 120 mph as it falls to the ground and lands on your car! For drivers in and around Hail Alley, a string of southern and central Plains states, the possibility of baseball-sized hail damaging their car is not unimaginable — it's a reality.
In many areas, springtime means hail season has arrived. Because hail causes more than $1 billion in damage to property in the United States each year, it's important for drivers to safeguard the investment they've made in their cars.
"There are cost effective coverage options and there are cost effective repair options — we want drivers to be informed," said Tom Minnick, claims manager with the Progressive group of insurance companies.
Repair of hail damage is paid for under comprehensive coverage, a component of physical damage insurance that pays for damage from weather-related events or if the vehicle is stolen or vandalized. Physical damage insurance also includes collision coverage, which pays for damage caused in the event a car collides with another car or object, other than an animal. Physical damage insurance is optional in Kansas, though collision coverage is usually required for leased or financed vehicles. Buyers of physical damage insurance must choose a deductible, which represents the amount the policyholder will pay first in the event of a claim. To keep the cost of physical damage insurance down, drivers should consider higher deductible amounts. According to Progressive, physical damage insurance adds about 40 percent to the cost of a six-month policy.
"In many states, about 50 to 60 percent of the vehicles insured by Progressive are protected by comprehensive coverage," said Minnick. "When considering whether to purchase this coverage, d rivers who live in Hail Alley should keep in mind that the cost to repair a hail-damaged vehicle."
Reviewing the repair options available can help drivers save money and keep the cost of auto insurance down for everyone. Repair technicians often recommend a repair process called paintless dent removal to restore hail-damaged vehicles to their pre-accident condition.
"Paintless dent removal is convenient, quick, less expensive and maintains the factory finish on the car," said Paige Gould, catastrophe claims manager, Progressive. "We know the importance of providing fast, quality repairs — our driving goal is to settle each claim as accurately, quickly and fairly as possible."
Progressive recommends that drivers follow these seven simple steps to get their hail-damaged car repaired:
-
Prevent further damage. Cover any broken windows to protect the car's interior from rain damage. Carefully remove the glass to prevent cuts and damage to the upholstery and carpets.
-
Discuss the repair with your insurance company and body shop. Hail damage to sheet metal may need to be hammered and painted. However, technicians may recommend paintless dent removal (PDR) instead. PDR involves using specially molded metal tools on the underside of a damaged part to repair dents without disturbing the car's factory finish. In fact, this method is often used by car manufacturers and dealers to repair new vehicles and will not invalidate paint warranties.
PDR cannot be performed if dents are too large or frequent or if the paint finish is damaged. Prior body damage that required plastic fillers or bonding may also make PDR difficult. Your insurance company may be able to determine the severity of the damage and advise you and the body shop on which repair method makes the most sense.
-
Find a reputable facility. Save time and money by asking your insurance company to recommend a PDR provider. If you choose a repair shop on your own, contact the Better Business Bureau or get referrals from friends. Ask the shop to explain how PDR works and how they plan to repair hard to reach places. The preferred method is to pull a dent from the outside rather than drilling holes to access it from beneath the panel.
-
Find out how long the repair will take. Because it is so efficient and effective, PDR repairs may be completed within a day. However, repairs may take longer if a large number of cars were damaged in the same hailstorm.
-
Ask the repair shop if it guarantees its work. Know how your body shop will handle any problems you might have with your vehicle after the repair. If you notice a flaw in your vehicle's repair, you should be able to have it fixed at no additional charge. Get guarantee and contact information in writing. Ask your insurance company if it guarantees the work of its preferred body shops.
-
Make sure you are satisfied with the repair. Before accepting your vehicle, look at the surface under fluorescent lighting and from several angles so that you can see all the details. Check for any remaining dents before you take the vehicle home.
The Progressive group of insurance companies, in business since 1937, ranks third in the nation for auto insurance based on premiums written and provides drivers with competitive rates and 24/7, in-person and online service. The companies offer insurance by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, online at progressive.com and through more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies in the U.S.
Providing stakeholders the information they need to make more informed decisions is a key company strategy. In 1994, Progressive became the first auto insurance company to provide its rates alongside the rates of other companies so consumers could easily compare and decide. In 2001, Progressive became the first Fortune 500 company to report operating results monthly and in August 2003 the Company began reporting earnings per share monthly.
The Common Shares of the Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, are publicly traded at NYSE: PGR. More information about the company can be found at progressive.com.
###
