Frequently Asked Questions
Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) is a cutting-edge technique used to remove dents, dings, and body creases from the body of a vehicle, especially when damaged by hail. It is a technical and precise manner of gently massaging each dent from behind the panel until the original shape of the metal is restored. PDR is the preferred method of repair by all insurance carriers.
To make an initial claim simply contact your insurance carrier’s claim hotline. Your insurance provider will direct you to an estimate provider, a Cat-Team setup, or a local or independent adjuster to evaluate the damage to your vehicle. Once the insurance provides you with an estimate, it is your choice where you get your vehicle repaired. It is illegal for an insurance provider to demand where your vehicle is repaired. Insurance companies often have discounted rates with certain repair centers and try to filter work to these repair centers, but the choice is ultimately yours. AHS can handle the entire initial claims process speeding up the entire process, saving you time and money.
Hail damage is covered by comprehensive car insurance. Fortunately, since weather damage isn’t caused by your negligence, it is regarded as a not-at-fault accident and doesn’t raise your premium.
Hail damage causes depreciation of your vehicle’s value. If you own your car outright, you can choose to not repair your vehicle for financial reasons, or delay repairs with the money you receive from an auto insurance payout. However, insurance providers are aware of this, therefore they typically only payout 50% of the actual damage. Consult AHS Public Adjusters for more information regarding how to get the full amount.
The amount not covered by your insurance provider is the deductible. This portion of the repair is the responsibility of the insured. AHS offers deductible assistance to help eliminate out of pocket expense for our customers.
In the event AHS does not handle the initial claims process, but you are choosing us for the repair process, AHS will likely file a Supplement to your insurance provider. Supplements are additional operations or parts necessary to complete the repair of the vehicle that go beyond the original estimate. In some cases, the original estimate is insufficient to perform the repairs. If the insurance estimate does not match our damage assessment, we will petition your insurance provider for the rest of the funds needed to complete the repair. This petition will need authorization and possible re-inspection from your insurance provider. Note: The supplement process may add time to the repair process while we wait for authorization from your insurance provider.
If the damage is completely repairable with paintless dent repair, the repair process typically takes 2-3 days.
Conventional body repair often replaces the panels on a vehicle, requires the use of Bondo, fillers, and painting to match the factory finish. In some cases, hail damage is so severe that conventional body shop methods are necessary to repair certain panels. If there are too many dents or the dents are too large, a panel may need conventional repairs.
Pre-loss condition refers to the condition of a vehicle before it was damaged. Your car’s pre-loss condition is whatever it looked like the moment before the incident.
