Creative strategies to safeguard your car from hail damage

If you are somewhere in the American Heartland, you live with the risk of hail storms in the spring and summer months. A hailstorm, the size of a softball, is a threat to the lives of 250,000 vehicles throughout the United States. The presence of a car garage or covered park area is the best way to shield yourself from hailstorms. If you don't have one or you're driving and hail is threatening, what can you do to be sure to protect yourself?



• Insurance

Comprehensive insurance can cover hail damage. Consult with your agent. There will be a cost every month, but you'll have the money you've earned in your pocket, and you'll be able to rest assured. If you appreciate your car and it's more than just a vehicle for transportation, no amount of insurance can ever bring your car back to its original condition. You'll have to avoid any damage to your customized car and not fix it.

• Covers, Duct Tape

If you're really shocked and unprepared, take every blanket, towel, or sleeping bag and secure them with tape. Even the floor mats in your car can provide some security. The winter coats and pillows can aid as well. You'll definitely appear to be the crazy one walking around in the rain tapestrying a velvet Elvis tapestry to your vehicle's windshield. However, you can protect your car from the worst.

• GPS

Be aware of the places where protection is available in the vicinity. Keep the location of parking structures as well as covered gas stations, underpasses, and drive-through windows on your phone or GPS. If you're in town when a storm strikes, you'll know exactly which area to shelter in. If you're not in a familiar location, you can look for places like these on the internet. Are you planning to go to Tornado Alley this month? Learn more about the area and be aware of the best places to hide.

• Aftermarket Cover

Some innovative and creative minds are working on improving the blankets and duct tape method. Autotecnica sells a two-layer cover that features a soft bottom and a tough compressible polyester outer shell. HailBlankets designed a cover that has four different layers. Each is softer than the one before in order to reduce the impact of hail that is large. Hail Protector is an inflatable airbag that is placed on the outside of the vehicle. It is inflated in 5 minutes and provides protection for two. Once fully inflated, it covers your car with a bubble that can take on a hail of the size of a softball.

• Keep Up-to-Date

Utilize the latest tools and techniques to stay ahead of the weather. Numerous apps are available to alert you about tornadoes, hail, or other unpleasant meteorological events that are coming up. It's not necessary to protect yourself from the possibility of a storm, but you can stay clear. Be prepared for the season ahead, and you could be able to avoid an ice chunk that is the size of an egg that is slicing through the roof of your solar system.