Can you claim from insurance if hail damages your car?
· The South African
A severe thunderstorm can leave your car covered in dents, crack its windscreen or even damage its windows.
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In South Africa, comprehensive car insurance generally covers hail damage, although the amount your insurer pays depends on your policy, excess and any exclusions
Drivers with limited cover may have to pay for repairs themselves unless their policy specifically includes hail damage.
Does car insurance cover hail damages?
Comprehensive car insurance usually covers damage caused by hail, storms and other weather-related incidents.
This may include dents to the bonnet, roof and doors, as well as broken windows and damaged windscreens.
However, third-party-only insurance generally covers damage you cause to other people’s vehicles or property, not hail damage to your own car.
Third-party, fire and theft insurance also does not automatically cover hail damage.
Drivers should check their policy documents or contact their insurer to confirm what protection they have.
What should you do after hail damages your car?
Once the storm has passed and it is safe to go outside, inspect your vehicle for damage.
Take clear photographs of any dents, cracked windows or broken lights.
Photograph the entire vehicle as well as individual damaged areas.
Record the date, time and location of the storm. These details can help your insurer assess what happened.
MiWay advises drivers to photograph damage and avoid authorising repairs before their insurer approves them.
If the windscreen is badly cracked or the vehicle is unsafe to drive, arrange assistance rather than driving it.
How do you submit a hail damage claim?
Most insurers allow customers to report damage by telephone, through an app or online.
Drivers should follow these steps:
- Contact your insurer or broker as soon as possible.
- Provide your policy number, vehicle details and the date and location of the storm.
- Submit photographs and any supporting documents the insurer requests.
- Arrange a vehicle inspection if the insurer requires one.
- Wait for approval before proceeding with repairs, unless urgent safety work has been authorised.
Momentum, for example, allows customers to submit hail damage claims through its mobile app.
The insurer then provides information about the vehicle assessment.
Insurers may ask for additional documents, and reporting deadlines differ between policies.
Will you have to pay for repairs?
Even if your insurer approves the claim, you may still have to pay an excess.
An excess is the amount you contribute towards an insurance claim before the insurer covers the remaining eligible costs.
For example, if hail causes R20,000 worth of covered damage and your excess is R3,000, you would generally pay R3,000 while the insurer covers R17,000.
The amount depends on your policy, and some insurers apply different excesses to different types of claims.
MiWay confirms that excesses vary according to policy terms and may be payable before repairs or deducted from a settlement.