Does my car insurance cover damage caused by a hailstorm or heavy rain?

Bad weather is becoming more frequent, and you may be dismayed that a bad storm has damaged your vehicle. So, you may want to know whether your car insurance coverage helps with damage caused by a hailstorm or heavy rain.

This article discusses the coverage you may need to help with hailstorms, heavy rain, and other incidents that could damage your vehicle.

Car Insurance for Heavy Rain or Hail

When you have comprehensive protection, your insurance company should pay for damage to your vehicle caused by heavy rain or hail stones, but you must pay the deductible.

If you are driving in heavy rain, lose control, and hit another vehicle, you will need collision insurance on your policy to pay for damages to your vehicle. Your standard liability cover will pay for the damage to the other vehicle.

Comprehensive Car Insurance is Optional but Important

While most states require you to carry third-party liability cover, they do not insist that you carry comprehensive or collision insurance. However, if you borrow money from a finance company to lease a vehicle, that company will insist on this coverage to protect its investment in the vehicle.

Comprehensive insurance becomes an increasingly good idea based on the vehicle’s value. Otherwise, you may have to pay for damage caused by a natural event (such as a hail or rainstorm) yourself. Unlike a hurricane, which may be easier to predict, you may never know when a hailstorm or rainstorm will hit.

You may want to read more about comprehensive car insurance.

Comprehensive Car Insurance vs. Collision Car Insurance For Storm Damage

Comprehensive and collision insurance are two separate things. While comprehensive insurance may pay for damage to your vehicle caused by natural events, it will not pay for such damage if you crash into another vehicle.

For this, you should investigate protection from the best collision coverage car insurance companies around. Remember, your liability insurance should pay for damage to the other vehicle if you were at fault, but not for damage to yours.

Gap Insurance for Hail or Heavy Rain Damage

Every lender will insist that you have comprehensive coverage before they allow you to lease a vehicle from them. So, if an insurance company deems your vehicle a total loss following the hailstorm or rain event, they will pay the vehicle’s depreciated value at the time. (For more information, read our “Does car insurance cover hail damage?“).

However, this may be less than the amount you owe to the leasing company, so you should consider GAP insurance coverage. This insurance should pay the difference between the two amounts.

Case Studies: Car Insurance Coverage for Hailstorm or Heavy Rain Damage

Case Study 1: Comprehensive Coverage Comes to the Rescue

Jessica’s car suffered extensive damage during a severe hailstorm. Fortunately, she had comprehensive car insurance coverage. She filed a claim with her insurance company, and they covered the repair costs, minus her deductible. Jessica was relieved that her insurance policy protected her against the financial burden of the hailstorm damage.

Case Study 2: No Comprehensive Coverage, No Assistance

Mark’s vehicle was also caught in a hailstorm, but he didn’t have comprehensive coverage on his car insurance policy. As a result, his insurance company couldn’t provide coverage for the hail damage. Mark had to bear the repair expenses out of his own pocket, highlighting the importance of having comprehensive coverage to protect against unpredictable weather events.

Case Study 3: Collision Coverage in Heavy Rain Incident

During heavy rain, Emily lost control of her vehicle and collided with another car. Thankfully, she had collision coverage as part of her car insurance policy. Her insurance company paid for the damages to both vehicles, reducing the financial burden on Emily. This case demonstrates the significance of collision coverage when accidents occur due to adverse weather conditions.

The Final Word on Insurance Coverage for Hailstorm or Heavy Rain Damage

Your car insurance will cover damage caused by a hailstorm or heavy rain if you have comprehensive coverage. However, in many cases, you must pay a deductible before receiving the funds.

You may also need collision insurance if you get into an accident with another car during bad weather, are at fault, and want to pay for the damage to your vehicle.

When you lease a car, you may also want to consider GAP insurance if the vehicle is written off, and you need to pay the difference between the depreciated value and the outstanding sum.