Last Updated March 2026

Car insurance typically covers hail damage if your policy includes comprehensive coverage. A hailstorm can leave your car with dents, chipped paint and broken glass in a matter of minutes. Liability coverage, required by most states, doesn’t pay for hail damage. How much a hail claim will pay depends on your deductible, your comprehensive coverage limit and the details of your policy.

Understanding hail damage

Hail is ice that forms in thunderstorms — frozen pellets that can range in size from peas to grapefruit. Hailstones can dent your car’s metal surfaces, chip paint and crack or shatter plastic lights and the windshield, windows and mirrors. Sky-facing surfaces are the most vulnerable, but wind-driven hail can damage a vehicle’s sides as well.

Hailstorms can happen anywhere, but they’re most common in parts of the central Great Plains, so much so that a swath that includes parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado has been nicknamed “Hail Alley.” According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, hail damage tends to be more severe when hailstones are larger or driven by strong winds, because they strike with more force.

Source: Insurance Information Institute, storms with hailstones 1 inch in diameter or larger

How car insurance covers hail damage

Car insurance can cover hail damage if your policy includes comprehensive auto coverage. Comprehensive is optional coverage you can choose to add to an auto policy. It’s often called “other than collision” coverage, because it pays for damage caused by things other than a crash with another vehicle or object — including hail, animal strikes and theft. A policy that includes liability, collision and comprehensive coverages — commonly called full coverage — can cover hail damage because comprehensive coverage is included, but the term “full coverage” is not a consistent industry term and what’s included can vary. Neither liability coverage, required by most states, nor collision coverage typically covers hail damage to your car.

Details may vary by policy and state. Your insurer or agent can walk you through your coverage and help you learn whether you’re covered in case of hail. Find out more about what comprehensive car insurance is and what it can cover.

How to file a claim for hail damage

• Make safety your first priority. Wait until the storm has passed and it’s safe to inspect your vehicle. 
• Document the damage. Take photos from multiple angles, including the roof, hood, trunk and any glass damage. 
• Note the details. Record the date, approximate time and location of the storm. 
• Contact your insurer to start the claim. The next step is usually an inspection (virtual or in person) to confirm damage and generate a repair estimate. 

Repairing hail damage: What to expect

Hail repairs can range from minor cosmetic fixes to major repairs, depending on hail size, the number of impacts and where the hailstones hit. Repairs may include:

• Paintless dent repair (PDR). Often used when dents can be reshaped without repainting. 
• Bodywork and repainting. More likely if paint is cracked, panels are creased or edges are damaged. 
• Glass repair or replacement. If hail cracks or shatters a windshield or window, repair or replacement may be needed. 
• Sensor or camera recalibration. Cameras or sensors mounted on your vehicle’s exterior can be cracked or misaligned and may need repair or recalibration.

Depending on the cost of repairs and the amount of your deductible, you may have decisions to make about filing a claim. It can help to get a repair estimate and compare it with your deductible (the amount you pay out of pocket before your coverage starts paying). If repairs are only slightly higher than your deductible, paying out of pocket may make sense because your payout would be small and a claim could affect your premium down the road.

When hail damage is severe, your car may be deemed a total loss. That generally means repair costs would exceed a certain percentage of the vehicle’s actual cash value (ACV), though state rules can vary. Insurers typically evaluate the damage, repair costs and vehicle value under your policy terms and applicable state rules to determine whether it will be repaired or treated as a total loss. If it’s a total loss, payment depends on the coverage you selected, but is typically based on the vehicle’s ACV, minus your deductible and subject to your policy terms.

Minimizing hail damage: Steps you can take

You can reduce or avoid hail damage by:

• Making sure to park in a garage or under a covered structure when severe weather is in the forecast.  
• Using weather alerts to let you know when a sudden storm is blowing in.  
• Finding a nearby covered area where you can wait out the storm if hail starts when you’re driving.  

If you live in an area where hail is common, adding comprehensive coverage can’t prevent damage from happening but it can help you minimize your hail-related costs.

The information contained in this page is provided for general informational purposes only. The information is provided by Farmers^® and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to this article or the information, products, services, or related graphics, if any, contained in this article for any purpose. The information is not meant as professional or expert advice, and any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.  

Related articles