Document while everything is fresh
Note the date and the rough time of the storm and take photos the same day if you can. Shoot each panel from a low angle with something straight reflected in the surface — a doorframe, a light bar, a fence line. Straight-on photos in flat daylight hide hail dents almost completely.
Save local weather coverage or a screenshot of the radar for that day. It costs nothing and makes the storm date easy to establish later.
Check for anything urgent
Cracked glass, broken lamps, and damaged trim or seals are the parts that turn a cosmetic loss into water intrusion. Those get handled first. Sheet metal dents can wait a few weeks without getting worse; a leaking sunroof cannot.
Be careful who knocks
Storm season brings out-of-state crews who set up in parking lots, promise to cover your deductible, and want a signature that assigns your claim to them. Some are fine. Many are gone by August, along with any warranty.
- Don't sign anything that assigns your insurance benefits to a company you can't find on a map.
- Be skeptical of anyone promising to 'eat' or waive your deductible — that's a coverage problem, not a discount.
- Ask where the shop will be in six months if the panel needs a second look.
Get a real inspection before you file
Knowing roughly what the repair involves before you open the claim puts you in a much better position when the adjuster's estimate arrives. We inspect under shop lighting and give you a straight read — including telling you when filing isn't worth it against your deductible.
Then let the claim run its course
File, get the adjuster estimate, expect a supplement, and complete the repair. Our full walkthrough of that sequence is in the Texas hail claim guide. The pattern that costs people money is filing, taking the first check, and never finishing the work.
Want a straight read on your own vehicle? Send a photo or call 214-882-2102 — we'll tell you honestly whether it's a paintless repair, a body shop job, or not worth a claim.