Hail Coverage for Your Car

If you've ever been caught in a hailstorm, you'll be familiar with its intensity and the potential dangers it can bring to your car and home. Hail can range in size from half a centimetre in diameter for small ice pellets, to up to 10 centimeters for larger hail, depending on the conditions.¹ Hail occurs throughout Canada from June to September² and is more prominent in areas such as Alberta, the southern Prairies and southern Ontario.³ With hail season lasting approximately four months -and the unpredictability around when it could strike - it's likely that you'll want to learn how you can prepare and protect your car from potential hail damage.

Hail is created when water droplets from thunderstorms are pushed into the cold upper atmosphere by strong updrafts. There, the water droplets freeze and form small ice pellets that increase in size as they collide with more water droplets. Eventually, the ice pellets become too heavy, and begin to fall from the sky as hailstones - some as large as tennis balls or grapefruits - with their size ultimately depending on the intensity of the storm.

Hail has the potential to create scratches, dents, and dings in your vehicle - and even leave you with cracked or broken windows following severe storms with larger hail. That's why it's crucial to pay attention to any special weather alerts and take the necessary precautions to protect your car from possible damage. TD Insurance customer? Get Severe Weather & Safety Alerts delivered right to your phone via the TD Insurance App.

If your car does happen to be exposed during a hailstorm, it may experience cosmetic damage, structural damage, or a combination of both – depending on the size of the hail and the direction and speed of the wind during the storm.

Depending on where you live, hailstorm damage can be extreme. If you live in a hail-prone area, it may be worth it to get optional insurance coverage to avoid paying out of pocket for damage caused by hail.

Coverage for hail damage isn't mandatory, and therefore isn't included in a basic car insurance policy. You'll need to have Specified Perils, Comprehensive, or All Perils coverage in order to be covered by your insurance for hail damage to your vehicle. By purchasing one of these optional coverages, you'll be protected from specific hazards, like theft, fire, and hail, etc., as outlined in your policy. Generally, with this optional coverage, your insurer would cover the cost to repair your vehicle (less your deductible) should it experience damage due to a hailstorm.

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Whether or not it's worth fixing hail damage to your vehicle can depend on a few different factors, including the extent of the damage, the value of the car, your insurance coverage, and your personal preference. If you're less concerned about the look of your vehicle, a few small dents in the hood may not be worth fixing. However, if you have more extensive damage from larger size hail - especially structural damage to your car – your vehicle shouldn't be driven until it has been fixed.

If you're a TD Insurance customer, you could visit a TD Insurance Auto Centre after submitting a claim to have the damage evaluated, and potentially repaired. Our TD Insurance Auto Centres have on-site Claims Advisors, certified repair technicians, and rentals under one roof, to efficiently guide you through the claims process and get you back behind the wheel. Best of all, if you choose a TD Insurance Auto Centre or a preferred vendor to repair your vehicle after a covered claim, you'll have a lifetime warranty on the repairs for as long as you own the car and are insured with us. 

While no one wants to find their car full of dents and dings after a hailstorm, the good news is that with the appropriate coverage, your insurance company will typically cover the cost to repair your vehicle.   Usually, if the cost to repair the hail damage exceeds the actual cash value (ACV) of your vehicle, it's likely that your insurer will declare it a total loss and offer a settlement based on the ACV of your vehicle, less your deductible.

Generally, a hail damage claim won't affect your premium. However, if you have unrepaired scratches, cracks, or dents on your vehicle from hailstones, your insurer may restrict coverage for loss or damage due to hail. Once your car has been repaired and you've sent evidence of the repairs to your insurance company, the coverage will likely be reinstated as outlined in your policy.

The easiest solution is to watch out for special weather alerts so you can avoid exposing your car to any damage, whether on the road or at home. If you're a TD Insurance customer, you can sign up for Severe Weather & Safety Alerts via the TD Insurance app which will help alert you of any possible weather-related events coming to your area that can put you in danger.

If you're alerted to a potential hailstorm in your area, park your car in the garage (if possible) and try to avoid driving. If you're caught in the middle of a hailstorm, try to find the nearest covered parking lot or gas station to shelter your car away from any possible hail damage. Then wait for the storm to pass before heading off to where you need to go.

If you don't have a garage at home, you're probably wondering what you can do to protect your car from hail, or any weather-related damage. Here are some options you can consider:

• If the space in your driveway allows, you can build or purchase a carport or portable shelter to shield your car from potential damage.
• Purchase a car cover that can protect your car from hail and other elements.

Don't wait for the next hailstorm to verify your coverage. If you're a TD Insurance customer, review your policy details via MyInsurance or through the TD Insurance app. Or, if you're not yet a TD Insurance customer, get a quote in minutes to find a car insurance policy that fits your needs.