HAIL DAMAGE RePAIR

Hail Damage Repair in Central Ohio

Hood and fender of a teal car covered in dozens of shallow round hail dents, with the paint finish unbroken

Dozens of shallow, round dents across horizontal panels — and the paint still intact. This is the case paintless removal exists for.

Hail damage does not look like collision damage and it does not get repaired like collision damage. A storm leaves dozens or hundreds of small, round, shallow dents spread across the horizontal panels — hood, roof, trunk lid, sometimes the upper fenders — and in most cases the paint is completely unbroken. That combination is the ideal case for paintless dent removal: the dents come out from behind the panels and your factory finish is never touched.

That matters more on a hail car than anywhere else. A hailstorm hits every horizontal surface at once, so the conventional alternative would mean refinishing most of the outside of your vehicle — every one of those panels carrying repainted areas from then on. Paintless removal avoids that entirely. Larger stones that crack paint or crease metal are the exception, and we handle those conventionally alongside the rest. Either way the assessment is free, and it is part of how we follow OEM repair standards.

Not Drivable? We’ll Come and Get It.

Free local towing is available to qualified customers based on location — just ask when you open your case. Rental vehicles are available as well, so you are not left arranging one on your own while we handle the repair.

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What Hail Damage Hides

Hail is easy to underestimate because most of it is invisible in flat light and none of it stops the car from driving. These are the things that get missed:

  • Dents you cannot see in overcast light or a dim garage — hail shows itself under raking light or a reflection, not head-on
  • The roof, which takes the worst of it and is the panel almost nobody thinks to check
  • Cracked or chipped paint at the deepest strikes, which changes the repair from paintless to conventional on those specific spots
  • Damaged trim, mouldings, mirror caps and cracked lamp lenses that go on the estimate separately from the dents
  • Chipped or cracked glass — hail takes windshields and sunroofs, and glass changes the claim (see auto glass)
  • Aluminium panels, which hold hail dents differently than steel and take longer to bring back
  • How many dents there actually are — a proper count per panel is what the estimate is built on, and eyeballing it always undercounts

Why Drivers Choose Excite for Hail Repair

  • We are here next year. Hail brings temporary operations into town for a few weeks. We have been in central Ohio for over twenty years, at a fixed address, and you can find us if something needs revisiting.
  • Counted properly, under proper light. The estimate is built from an actual dent count per panel, done where the damage is visible — not from a walk-around in a parking lot.
  • Paintless first, conventional where it is genuinely needed. Most hail comes out without paint. Where a strike cracked the finish, that spot gets conventional repair rather than the whole panel being refinished by default.
  • The whole claim, not just the dents. Glass, trim, lamps and mouldings go on the estimate too, and we deal with your carrier directly so you are not itemising storm damage yourself.
  • I-CAR, ASE, PPG and 3M certified technicians and estimators. Hail estimating is its own discipline — damage that never gets counted never gets paid for.
  • Free assessment, and detailed on delivery. You get the count and the number before anything starts, and the vehicle comes back cleaned inside and out.

Quick Hail Damage Questions

The questions we hear most in the week after a storm. If yours isn’t here, call the shop at (614) 930-6103 — we’re glad to walk you through it.

Is hail damage covered by insurance?

Usually under comprehensive coverage rather than collision, because it is weather rather than an accident. If you carry comprehensive, hail is typically covered subject to your deductible. If you carry liability only, it generally is not. Coverage varies by policy, so the only reliable answer is to check yours — and we are happy to look at it with you and handle the claim conversation from there.

Will filing a hail claim raise my rates?

Comprehensive claims are not at-fault claims, and insurers generally treat them differently from a collision you caused — a hailstorm is not something you did. That said, rating practices vary between companies and by claim history, so we will not promise you an outcome your carrier controls. Ask them directly before you decide. It is a fair question and they are used to it.

Can hail dents be fixed without repainting?

In most cases, yes — and it is a much better outcome. Hail dents are typically shallow, round and land on panels with good access behind them, with the paint unbroken. That is exactly what paintless dent removal is for. The alternative would mean refinishing most of the horizontal surfaces on your vehicle, leaving repainted areas across the whole car. Deeper strikes that cracked the finish are handled conventionally, spot by spot.

Should I use one of the hail repair companies that show up after a storm?

Some travelling crews do genuinely good work, and we are not going to tell you otherwise. But ask the same questions you would ask anyone: where is your permanent address, who honours the warranty in a year, who is doing the work and are they certified, and what happens if something needs revisiting after you have left town. Be careful with large deposits up front and with anyone offering to cover your deductible — that arrangement can create problems for you with your own carrier. Get it in writing either way.

My car looks fine. How do I check for hail damage?

Not head-on and not in flat light — that is how hail hides. Look along the panel at a shallow angle with a light source or a building reflecting off it, and check the roof, which takes the most and gets checked the least. If you can see distortion in a reflection, there are dents. A free inspection takes a few minutes and settles it either way.

How long does hail repair take?

Days rather than hours, depending on how many dents there are and how many panels are involved. Light damage on a couple of panels can turn around quickly; a heavily hit roof, hood and trunk takes longer. After a widespread storm, schedules across every shop in the area fill up fast — which is a reason to get assessed early even if you have not decided what to do yet.

Can a car be totaled by hail?

Yes, though it is less common than people fear. A vehicle is declared a total loss when the repair cost approaches its value — so severe hail on an older or lower-value car can reach that point even though the vehicle drives perfectly. That is a decision your insurer makes on the numbers. We will give you an accurate assessment either way, and a realistic view of where your vehicle sits.

How soon do I need to file after a storm?

Sooner is better. Policies carry time limits for reporting damage, and the longer you wait the harder it is to tie the damage to a specific storm — especially if another one comes through. Hail dents do not improve on their own, and unrepaired hail affects resale value and shows up on inspection. Even if you are undecided, getting it documented early keeps your options open.

Do I need an appointment?

An appointment gets you seen faster, and after a storm that matters. You can request one online or send photos from your phone — shoot along the panel at an angle with something reflecting in it, not straight down, or the dents will not show.

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