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Hail and parking damage

Every year, hail causes millions of euros in insurance claims in Switzerland. Hail damage is an environmental event and is classed as natural hazard damage for insurance purposes.

• Hail damage and third-party car insurance: Have you only taken out third-party insurance for your car? Then you will have to cover the costs of repairing the hail damage yourself. This is because liability insurance does not pay out in the event of natural hazards such as hailstorms.

• Hail damage and partial accidentaldamage insurance: Good news for policyholders with partial accidental damage insurance: the insurance pays out in the event of hail damage. As a rule of thumb: Partially comprehensive insurance is worthwhile for cars up to eight years old.

• Hail damage and fully comprehensive insurance: Partially comprehensive insurance is part of fully comprehensive insurance. This means that even with fully comprehensive insurance, you do not have to bear the costs of repairing hail damage yourself.

Have you not taken out partial or fully comprehensive insurance for your car ? If so, hail damage can be expensive. Partially comprehensive insurance is particularly advisable if you park your car uncovered outdoors.

Repairing hail damage to a car can quickly cost several thousand francs. The actual costs depend heavily on the vehicle and the severity of the damage. In the case of older cars in particular, hail can also lead to a total loss under certain circumstances. The repair costs may then exceed the current value of the car.

Comprehensive and partial accidental damage insurance compensates for the actual financial loss incurred – less any deductible. The maximum amount of cover is usually limited to the purchase price of the insured vehicle plus accessories.

Report hail damage to your insurance company as quickly as possible. Under no circumstances should you order a repair yourself. This is because the insurance company has the right to inspect the dents before repairing them. They will give you instructions according to the circumstances and refer you to a garage or an expert.

In the event of extensive hail damage, car insurers sometimes set up a service center . Experts inspect the damaged vehicles there. In this way, the insurance companies counteract delays that can occur due to the large number of claims.

Good to know: Hail generally “only” leaves dents in the paintwork or cracks in the windshield. Paint damage such as scratches is generally not caused by hail.

Are you not bothered by the dents caused by the hail? Then, in addition to a repair, you also have the option of having the damage amount paid out.

Please note, however, that the insurance company will not cover the full damage in the event of further hail damage. After all, it is then no longer possible to clearly determine which dent was caused by which hailstorm. In practice, the insurance company deducts the amount paid out for the last hailstorm from the new total damage. This is how it determines the actual amount of damage.

Important: In the case of leased vehicles, you will be charged for any unrepaired hail damage when you return the vehicle.