How to Protect Your Car From Hail Damage

Hailstones – one of nature's most destructive products - and cars really don’t mix. While really small hail generally won't do much harm, bigger hail can cause enough damage to actually write off a car.

It's a simple case of physics; a hailstorm with stones measuring 25mm or more is considered a severe event. Those stones can easily weigh 15g (about the same as three Australian 50-cent pieces) and will be travelling at something like 60km/h when they pepper your car in their thousands.

If you're really unlucky and the hailstones are even bigger, say 60mm, they can weigh 100g and travel at closer to 145km/h, which is roughly the speed of a cricket fast bowler's best delivery. The biggest ever recorded in Australia? Try 16cm across, recorded in north QLD in 2021.

Not even the strongest car ever built will come through that unscathed. Typically, hail damage to cars includes the exterior panels, paint and the glass. Experts reckon that once the 25mm hailstone-size threshold has been crossed, vehicle damage is all but a certainty.

Sometimes, there's simply nothing you can do about being caught in a hail event. But other times, you might be able to seek shelter either during or before the hailstones start falling. And if you really want to be proactive, a specifically designed hail cover for your car might just save the day.

What does hail actually do to a car?

You've probably seen cars on the road that have been attacked by hailstones. Their panels will be covered in small (and not so small) dents, with much of the damage on the horizontal surfaces.

But a wind-assisted hailstone can also damage vertical panels, even on their strongest sections. Hail dents are not just small depressions, either; they are often deep enough to have physically stretched the metal, requiring much more intensive repairs. Horizontal panels are often the flattest on a car, too, making accurate repairs even more difficult and expensive.

Paint can also be destroyed by hail and, like metal, the painted surface can be stretched beyond its elastic limit. Clear-coat finishes are easily ruined by such impacts, and a hailstone can also chip or scratch paint.

Glass is also a frequent victim of hailstone attack. Damage ranges from major and minor cracks in the glass to complete perforation by the ice. At that point, the car's interior is then also vulnerable to impact and water damage.

Can parking under cover protect my car from hail?

Any solid structure that forms a barrier between the hailstones and your car has the ability to protect the vehicle. A carport with any open sides, however, leaves the exposed side of the car exposed, particularly if the wind is pushing the hail sideways. But even a proper garage can let you down if it has skylights made from glass, polycarbonate, or acrylic materials. All of these can be smashed through by the hail, leaving the contents of the garage exposed. Even a ricocheting hailstone can cause damage.

Should I move my car if hail is forecast?

Getting a car under cover before a hailstorm (or any storm) hits is without a doubt the best way to avoid damage. An underground car park, home garage, above-ground parking station, or any secure, covered space will make a difference. Even a service station awning or (if you can do so safely and legally) stopping under a freeway flyover will help reduce or eliminate hail damage.

If that is, you can reach those places in time. Storms can often brew up and arrive quickly. Even the daily weather forecast can't be 100 percent accurate in knowing whether a storm will occur or when it will strike. Learning local weather patterns and understanding when hailstorms are seasonally most likely will help. And if you live in NSW or south-east Queensland, you're in the thick of this country's hailstorm activity. The worst periods are from October to late summer.

Getting your car under cover in time is the trick.

Does insurance cover hail damage?

Most comprehensive insurance companies will cover the cost of repairing the damage to a car caused by hail. But there can be variations between insurers in terms of whether you are entitled to a replacement car, and how any claim will affect your next premium. Some policies also have specific exclusions, including insisting on their own repair network, rather than a hail damage specialist.

So check your policy to see whether you're covered for the full cost of repairs and what excess you'll be required to pay. These are things to know before the next hail storm threat.

Does a car cover stop hail damage?

A hail cover is a car cover with more built-in protection for the car under it. The secret is a padded layer that absorbs some of the force out of the impact, reducing the potential for damage. Think of it like a baseball catcher's mitt or a cricketer's leg pads for your car.

Even if the padded cover doesn't completely prevent hailstone damage, it can reduce it to the point where repairs are much easier and cheaper (say, a paintless dent removal versus a complete respray). A hail cover is also no guarantee against glass damage from hail attack.

A properly designed, quality hail cover is, however, the best physical protection against hail damage for cars that are parked outdoors.

Australian specialist, Coverworld and Custom Covers offer car owners several hail-cover options depending on how much coverage you need, and how fast you need it.

What types of hail car covers are available?

Coverworld offers three main hail cover solutions. They start with the ready-made padded cover and extend to a custom-made Stormcover with full-body, triple-layer protection. There's also a product called the StormBlanket which covers a car's horizontal surfaces as well as partial cover of the sides.

The ready-made cover can be shipped quickly, yet still offers double-stitched, padded protection including elastic hems and sturdy fitting straps. The ready-made cover is available in different sizes and for different body styles, including full-sized SUVs and utes.

Stormcover is the custom-made product for specific makes and models, taking into account the contours and shapes of individual vehicles. Made to order, they can also be upgraded to a triple-zipper design for easier installation.

The StormBlanket offers a different kind of protection and is the choice for use on a variety of vehicle shapes and sizes. These one-piece covers don't extend to the ground, but offer a great solution to a sudden storm forecast. They will fit in the back of a boot and allow you to quickly cover your car when not at home or able to find a covered location.

How quickly can I get a hail cover before a storm?

It's not always possible to be prepared for an event like a hailstorm, which is why Coverworld can dispatch orders for its ready-made car covers in one to two business days; a handy time frame as storm season approaches.

Custom-made covers usually take two to three weeks to dispatch, while StormBlankets are stocked items in standard lengths or can be made to order within one or two weeks to ship.

For more information on materials, features, and available options, visit the full range of hail protection car covers available at Coverworld.