How to Protect Your Car From Hail

In the worst-case scenario, a hailstorm can total your car.

Ronan Glon | 

Oct 7, 2024 | 3 min read

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You can't prevent hail, but you can mitigate the damage it causes to your car. From finding a covered parking spot to using specialized car covers to setting up weather alerts, there are many options when it comes to protecting your car from hailstorms.

The Risks of Hail Damage

While small, pea-sized hailstones normally don't cause major damage, bigger hailstones can wreak havoc on a car. Even smaller stones can scatter dings across your car's top-facing surfaces.

Repairing severe hail damage on a body panel that can be removed and replaced with relative ease, like the hood, is usually fairly straightforward. Repairing hail damage on a body panel that's welded on, such as the roof, can cost several thousand dollars, however. Hailstones can also crack — or smash through — glass, like the windshield and the sunroof.

Many comprehensive insurance plans cover hail damage, though you'll likely need to pay the deductible. Depending on the car's value and the extent of the hail damage, the insurance company might write off the total value of your car.

Austin Lott | Capital One

Ways to Prevent Hail Damage

The simplest way to prevent hail damage is to park your car in a garage or a carport. If you don't have either at home, consider leaving your car in a public parking garage, a car wash stall, or under a gas station's canopy until the storm passes.

Alternatively, some blankets and covers can protect your car from hail damage. One of the more affordable solutions is to cover your car's top-facing surfaces with thick, padded moving blankets that are designed to absorb impacts, though you'll also need to find a way to secure them so they don't blow away. Many companies offer covers specifically designed to protect against hail.

Inflatable covers designed to protect a car from hail damage normally cost more. They're shaped like a standard car cover, but they feature a built-in blower motor that pumps outside air into the space between the cover and your car to create what's essentially a giant airbag. Pricing varies widely, but you should expect to pay at least several hundred dollars for an inflatable car cover.

Thinking Ahead Can Prevent Headaches

Hailstorms are more common in the middle of the United States than on the coasts; Nebraska, Colorado, and Texas are among the hardest-hit states. If you live in what's sometimes called Hail Alley, it's wise to keep an eye on local weather reports to know when a storm is approaching.

Setting up a weather alert on your phone may give you enough time to protect your car from costly damage, and there are even specific smartphone apps designed to warn about hail. Even if you live outside Hail Alley, the simple step of setting up an automated alert can save you time and money.

Ronan Glon

Ronan Glon is an American journalist and automotive historian based in France. He enjoys working on old cars and spending time outdoors seeking out his next project car.