Can Nickel Size Hail Damage A Car: What You Need to Know

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Can Nickel Size Hail Damage A Car: What You Need to Know

Yes, even nickel-size hail can damage a car. While smaller than major hailstones, pieces of ice the size of a nickel (about 0.88 inches across) can cause dents, chip paint, and lead to costly repairs. The amount of damage depends on many things, like how fast the hail is falling, the angle it hits, and the material of your car’s body.

What is Hail and How Does It Form?

Hail is frozen water that falls from thunderstorm clouds. It starts as small ice pellets. Strong winds inside the cloud push these pellets up and down. More water freezes onto the pellet each time it goes up into the cold part of the cloud. This makes the hailstone bigger. It keeps growing until it is too heavy for the wind to hold it up. Then, it falls to the ground.

Hailstones can be small, like peas, or very large, like grapefruits. The size depends on how strong the storm’s winds are and how long the hailstone stays in the cloud.

How Hail Size Affects Car Damage

The size of a hailstone is a key factor in how much damage it can do to your car. Bigger hail usually causes more damage. But even smaller sizes, like a nickel, can cause problems.

Comparing Hail Sizes and Impact

Let’s look at different hail sizes and the kind of damage they often cause. This gives you an idea of the risk.

• Pea size hail (about 0.25 inches): Can pea size hail damage car? Usually, pea-size hail does not cause much damage to cars. It might cause tiny dings or scratches, especially on older paint or plastic parts.
• Dime size hail (about 0.70 inches): How much damage dime size hail cause car? Dime-size hail is more likely to cause damage than pea size. It can leave small dents, especially on flat surfaces like the roof and hood. It might also chip paint.
• Nickel size hail (about 0.88 inches): Can nickel size hail damage a car? Yes, absolutely. Nickel-size hail is big enough and heavy enough to cause noticeable dents. Nickel hail size comparison damage shows it is a significant step up in risk from dime size hail.
• Quarter size hail (about 1 inch): This size almost always causes damage. Dents are common and can be larger than with nickel size hail.
• Golf ball size hail (about 1.75 inches): This causes severe damage. Large, deep dents are likely. Windows can be broken.
• Larger than golf ball: Baseball size or larger causes extreme damage. Cars can be destroyed. Windows will break. Body panels can be severely bent.

Here is a simple hail size chart impact cars often face:

Hail Size (Approx.)	Common Comparison	Likely Impact on Car
0.25 inches	Pea	Little to no damage, maybe tiny dings/scratches
0.70 inches	Dime	Small dents possible, especially on flat surfaces
0.88 inches	Nickel	Noticeable dents likely, risk of paint chipping
1 inch	Quarter	Dents almost certain, can be larger
1.75 inches	Golf Ball	Significant dents, possible broken windows
2+ inches	Baseball+	Severe damage, large dents, broken glass, body damage

The Hail Damage Severity Scale

Experts and insurance companies use a scale to measure how bad hail damage is. This helps them decide how to fix the car and how much it will cost. The scale considers the size of the hail and the number of dents per section of the car.

A storm with nickel-size hail falls into a lower severity category than one with golf ball-size hail. However, even a lower severity storm can cause significant damage spread across many cars in an area.

For example, a storm with widespread nickel-size hail might be rated moderate. But if thousands of cars are hit, the total cost of repairs in that area can be very high.

The density of the hailfall matters too. Many small dents from nickel-size hail can add up to severe damage overall, even if each individual dent is small.

Types of Damage From Nickel Size Hail

When nickel-size hail hits a car, it can cause a few types of damage.

Hail Dents on Car

The most common damage is dents. Hailstones are ice, but they are hard and fall at speed. When they hit the metal panels of your car (hood, roof, trunk, fenders), they push the metal inward, making a dent.

Nickel-size hail typically causes small dents. These dents are often round and shallow. They might be hard to see unless you look closely, especially in certain lighting conditions. However, there can be many of them across the car’s surfaces. A car hit by nickel-size hail might have dozens or even hundreds of these small dents.

Paint Damage from Hail

Paint damage from hail is also a risk, even with nickel-size hail.

• Chipping: When the hailstone hits, it can chip away the paint. This happens more often if the paint is old, already has small cracks, or the impact is strong.
• Cracking: The impact can also cause tiny cracks in the paint, even if a chip doesn’t come off.
• Weakening: Even without visible chips or cracks, the impact can weaken the paint. This makes it more likely to chip or peel later.

Paint damage is more serious than just dents because it can lead to rust. If the paint is chipped down to the metal, water and air can reach the metal, causing rust to form.

Factors That Influence How Much Damage Occurs

The size of the hail is important, but it’s not the only thing that matters. Several other factors affect whether nickel-size hail will damage your car and how bad that damage will be.

• Wind Speed and Direction: Strong winds can make hail fall at an angle. This increases the force of impact on the sides of the car, not just the top. Higher wind speed also means the hail is hitting the car with more force.
• Car Material: The material of your car’s body panels makes a difference. Aluminum panels, often found on hoods or trunks of newer cars, can dent more easily than steel panels. Plastic parts, like bumpers or side mirrors, might crack or break.
• Angle of Impact: Hail hitting a flat surface (like the roof or hood) directly can cause dents. Hail hitting a sloped surface (like the windshield or side panels) at a sharp angle might glance off, causing less damage, or potentially break glass if the angle and force are just right.
• Condition of the Car: A car with older paint might be more likely to suffer paint chipping. A car with existing minor damage might react differently to hail impacts.
• Protective Coverings: If your car has a protective coating, or was recently waxed, this might offer a tiny bit of protection, but it’s usually not enough to stop dents from nickel-size hail. A physical cover, like a car cover designed for hail protection, would prevent damage.

What To Do After Your Car Is Hit by Hail

If your car is caught in a hail storm, especially one with nickel-size hail or larger, here’s what you should do.

1. Find Shelter: As soon as it is safe, move your car under cover. A garage, carport, or even a gas station awning can help prevent further damage.
2. Check for Damage: Once the storm passes and it’s safe, look at your car. Check the roof, hood, trunk, fenders, and side panels for dents. Look closely at the paint for chips or cracks. Also, check the glass (windshield, windows, mirrors) for cracks or breaks.
3. Document the Damage: Take pictures and videos of all the damage you find. Get close-up shots of individual dents and wider shots showing the affected areas. This documentation is important for your insurance claim.
4. Contact Your Insurance Company: Report the damage as soon as possible. Tell them what happened and that your car was hit by hail.
5. Get Repair Estimates: Your insurance company will guide you on getting estimates. They may have preferred repair shops, or you might choose your own. Get estimates from reputable auto body or paintless dent repair shops.

Repairing Small Hail Dents

Repairing small hail dents, like those caused by nickel-size hail, is often possible. The method used depends on the size and location of the dents and whether the paint is damaged.

Paintless Dent Repair (PDR)

This is a common method for repairing small hail dents where the paint is not damaged. PDR technicians use special tools to gently push the dents out from the inside of the panel. They work slowly and carefully to restore the metal to its original shape without harming the paint.

PDR is often preferred because:
* It saves the original factory paint.
* It’s usually faster than traditional repair.
* It can be less expensive.
* It doesn’t involve sanding, filling, or repainting.

PDR is ideal for the types of dents caused by nickel-size hail, as these dents are often small, shallow, and don’t have paint damage.

Traditional Dent Repair

If the dents are very deep, on the edge of a panel, or if the paint is chipped or cracked, traditional repair methods might be needed. This involves:

• Sanding the damaged area.
• Using body filler to smooth the dent.
• Sanding the filler.
• Repainting the area.
• Matching the new paint to the rest of the car.

Traditional repair is more involved and takes longer than PDR. It is typically needed when Paint damage from hail is significant or the metal is stretched too much for PDR.

Deciding on Repair Method

Repairing small hail dents with PDR is usually the first choice if possible. If the damage is more severe, or the paint is broken, traditional methods become necessary. A qualified repair shop can assess the damage and recommend the best approach.

The Cost of Hail Damage Repair

The Average cost hail damage repair can vary greatly. It depends on many things:

• Severity of the Damage: How many dents are there? How big and deep are they? Is there paint damage or broken glass? Nickel-size hail damage might be less per dent, but if there are hundreds of dents, the total cost adds up.
• Size and Type of Car: Larger vehicles have more surface area to repair. Luxury or specialty vehicles might have higher repair costs.
• Repair Method: PDR is usually less expensive per dent than traditional repair.
• Labor Rates: Costs vary by location and the specific repair shop.

For minor hail damage with small dents fixed by PDR, the cost could be a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. For severe damage requiring panel replacement or extensive traditional repair and repainting, the cost can easily go into many thousands of dollars, potentially exceeding the car’s value (total loss).

Even for damage from nickel-size hail, if the entire car is covered in dents, the total repair bill using PDR could easily be $2,000 to $5,000 or more.

Here is a very rough idea of Average cost hail damage repair using PDR, based on severity (which relates to hail size and number of dents):

Severity Level (Rough)	Hail Size (Example)	Estimated PDR Cost (Range)
Minor	Pea / Few Dime	$500 – $1,500
Moderate	Dime / Nickel	$1,500 – $4,000
Significant	Nickel / Quarter	$4,000 – $8,000+
Severe	Golf Ball +	Often exceeds PDR limits

Note: These are rough estimates. Actual costs vary widely.

If traditional repair is needed due to Paint damage from hail or large dents, the costs are significantly higher.

Insurance Coverage for Hail Damage

Insurance coverage hail damage is typically covered under the comprehensive part of your auto insurance policy. Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your car from things other than collisions, like theft, vandalism, fire, and natural disasters like hail.

• Check Your Policy: Review your auto insurance policy documents or contact your insurance agent to confirm you have comprehensive coverage and to understand your deductible.
• Deductible: Your deductible is the amount you must pay out of pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in. If your deductible is $500 and the repair cost is $3,000, you pay $500, and the insurance company pays $2,500. If the damage is less than your deductible, it might not be worth filing a claim.
• Claim Process: Filing a claim usually involves reporting the incident, getting the damage assessed (an adjuster may look at your car), getting repair estimates, and then getting the repairs done.
• Premium Increases: Filing a comprehensive claim for hail damage is often considered an “act of nature” and may not increase your insurance premium as much as an at-fault accident would, or sometimes not at all. However, policies vary, so it’s best to ask your agent.
• Depreciation: Some people worry about their car losing value after hail damage, even if repaired. Insurance companies typically cover the cost of repair to restore the car to its pre-damage condition. There can be a separate “diminished value” claim in some cases, but this is complex and varies by state and policy.

Having comprehensive coverage is essential if you live in an area prone to hail storms. Without it, you would have to pay for all Hail dents on car repairs yourself.

Preventing Hail Damage

The best way to avoid dealing with Hail dents on car and repair costs is to prevent the damage in the first place.

• Park Under Cover: The most effective way is to park your car in a garage, carport, or covered parking structure when a hail storm is expected.
• Use a Car Cover: A padded car cover designed for hail protection can offer a good level of defense if covered parking isn’t available. Regular car covers offer very little protection against hail impacts.
• Stay Informed About Weather: Pay attention to weather forecasts and hail warnings in your area. If hail is likely, try to avoid driving and find safe shelter for your car.
• Avoid Parking Under Trees: While a tree might block some small hail, it also poses risks like falling branches, which can cause even worse damage.
• Pull Over Safely: If you are driving and a hail storm starts, find a safe place to pull over. Stay away from windows while the hail is falling. Do not try to drive through severe hail.

Taking steps to protect your car before a storm hits can save you significant money and hassle.

Deciphering Minor vs. Major Hail Damage

When nickel-size hail hits your car, the damage is often considered minor to moderate on the Hail damage severity scale depending on the number of dents.

• Minor Damage: A few scattered dents that are small and shallow, often fixable with PDR.
• Moderate Damage: More widespread dents, still mostly small and shallow, but covering a significant portion of the car. PDR is still the main repair method, but the cost is higher due to the number of dents.
• Major Damage: Large, deep dents, broken glass, significant Paint damage from hail, or damage to multiple body panels. This often requires traditional repair methods or even panel replacement.

Even hail the size of a nickel can cause damage that pushes into the moderate category if the storm is intense and covers the entire car with dents. The total number of impacts is a big part of the severity.

Will Nickel Size Hail Damage Total a Car?

It is very unlikely that nickel-size hail alone would cause enough damage to “total” a car. A car is usually considered totaled when the cost of repairs is more than a certain percentage of its value (this percentage varies by state and insurance company, often around 70-80%).

While nickel-size hail can cause many dents, the cost of Repairing small hail dents using PDR is usually less than the value of the car, unless the car is very old and has little value.

However, if nickel-size hail comes with high winds, or if the car is also damaged by other things during the storm (like falling branches, or if it hits another car because of poor visibility), the combined damage could potentially lead to a total loss. But strictly from nickel-size hail dents, a total loss is rare.

How Repairing Hail Dents Affects Car Value

Getting hail damage repaired properly, especially using PDR for small dents, helps maintain your car’s value. A car covered in dents is worth less than one with smooth body panels.

When Repairing small hail dents with PDR, the original paint is kept, which is better for the car’s value compared to repainting. If the car needs repainting due to Paint damage from hail, this can sometimes slightly decrease the car’s value compared to a car that has never been repainted, but it is still better than leaving the damage.

It’s important to use a reputable repair shop to ensure the work is done correctly. Shoddy repairs can further decrease the car’s value.

Considerations for Leaving Hail Damage

Some car owners might consider leaving small hail dents, especially from nickel-size hail, if they are minor and they don’t want to file an insurance claim or pay the deductible.

Things to think about if you consider leaving the damage:

• Appearance: Even small dents can be noticeable and make the car look less appealing.
• Future Issues: If there is any Paint damage from hail, leaving it could lead to rust over time.
• Resale Value: A car with unrepaired hail damage will have a lower resale or trade-in value. Buyers will see the damage and reduce their offer or might not want to buy the car at all.
• Future Claims: If your car is hit by hail again later, it can complicate a future insurance claim. The insurance company will need to figure out which dents are from the new storm and which were old.

For these reasons, it is generally recommended to get hail damage repaired, even if it seems minor. The cost of Repairing small hail dents with PDR is often manageable, especially with insurance coverage hail damage.

FAQ Section

Q: Will nickel-size hail always damage my car?

A: Not always, but it is very likely to cause dents. Factors like the speed of the hail, wind, and the car’s material play a role. It’s much riskier than pea-size hail.

Q: How many dents can nickel-size hail cause?

A: A car caught in a significant nickel-size hail storm can get dozens or even hundreds of dents across its surfaces. The number depends on the intensity and duration of the storm.

Q: Is PDR possible for nickel-size hail dents?

A: Yes, Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) is often the ideal method for repairing dents caused by nickel-size hail, as long as the paint is not chipped or cracked.

Q: Will my insurance go up if I file a hail damage claim?

A: Comprehensive claims for hail damage (an act of nature) are less likely to cause a significant premium increase compared to collision claims. However, policies vary, so check with your insurance agent.

Q: Can I just ignore small hail dents from nickel-size hail?

A: You can, but it will affect the car’s appearance and resale value. If the paint is damaged, it could also lead to rust over time. Repairing small hail dents is generally recommended.

Q: What is the Hail damage severity scale?

A: It’s a system used by experts and insurers to classify the level of damage based on hail size, number of impacts, and type of damage (dents, broken glass, etc.). It helps determine the repair needed and costs.

Q: How does nickel hail size comparison damage stack up against dime size?

A: Nickel-size hail (0.88 inches) is larger and falls with more force than dime-size hail (0.70 inches). Nickel size is much more likely to cause widespread, noticeable dents, while dime size might only cause small dents on flat areas.

Q: How much does it cost on average to repair hail damage from nickel size hail?

A: The Average cost hail damage repair for nickel-size hail can range from $1,500 to $5,000 or more, depending on the number of dents and whether PDR is possible for all of them. Severe cases with many dents might cost more.