Most people seldom think of hail as a natural catastrophe, however hailstorms cause over $1 billion in damages to crops and property each year.
Below are some ideas you may want to consider to protect your car...
Covered parking can save you a lot of hassle and money, especially in the middle of the country or in the area called "Tornado Alley". DisasterSafety.org has a map highlighting states that typically receive the most hail. If you live in one of the bright blue states, you should evaluate your parking options.
If you don’t have access to covered parking, another option is to find a temporary shelter. Local malls, for example, sometimes have parking garages and service stations have canopies, where you could possibly park if you know a storm is brewing. If you don’t have a covered place to store your vehicle, find those options for the big storms. If you don’t have a shelter option, and you know a storm is coming, get something over your car if you can, but avoid bodily contact with falling hail.
Some companies sell car covers specific to this purpose, but you can use your own blankets, as well. Just make sure you duct tape them down—the winds can pick up pretty quickly during hail storms.
The tape can leave a sticky residue on your car, but most likely won’t cause any damage to the paint.
Prepare in advance for this. Opt for personal safety and don’t do this if the storm is happening within a matter of minutes.
With insurance, “Comprehensive” doesn’t mean always mean "all encompassing". Instead, it’s the specific coverage that helps pay for damage caused by things like weather or fire. In most cases, Comprehensive will cover hail damage, subject to your deductible. Also, make sure you have Rental Car coverage. It’s an option that helps pay for a rental car while your car is being fixed or replaced. Both Comprehensive and Rental are among the personalized coverage which can be added to most auto insurance policies.