Insurance Companies Gear Up For Big Claims In Wake Of Storms

PARKER, Colo (CBS4) - Insurance agents are already getting the calls from customers with heavy hail damage. Severe storms that moved through the Metro Area left a wide swath of property damage in their wake. Now residents are working on fixing the damage.

Tom Kruplak's truck got hammered by the hail.

"I was looking at all the dent, particularly in the hood. There's quite a few here," said Rex Horne, a claim agent for State Farm Insurance.

A claims agent will document the damage. In Kruplak's case the dents appear superficial and may be able to be fixed with paint-less dent repair, PDR. PDR is a method of repair where the dents can be gently massaged out. Most repair jobs can be done with PDR and take one to two days. Significant damage that requires refinishing and repainting can take one to two weeks.

If you have hail damage on your vehicle, you will want to check your insurance policy to verify 3 things:

-- What is your hail damage coverage?

-- What is your deductible for comprehensive claims?

-- Does your policy cover a rental car?

Tom Kruplak has a $250 deductible. Within 15 minutes he has an estimate for $2,140 for the damage.

"Have you decided how you want to be paid? Do you want a draft today or do you just want the repair shop to bill us direct?" Horne asked Kruplak.

PHOTO GALLERY: Severe Storms 6/6 & 6/7

"I think if you could just bill. There's no sense of me being in the middle of it," Kruplak replied.

An estimate is not a final word. Repair shops will typically work directly with the insurance companies to get the job done.

"What I do like is having the option of taking my estimate anywhere to get my truck fixed," Kruplak said.

Kruplak's next stop is the repair shop. And should he decide not to get the truck fixed, he can get a payout directly from the claims department. If he does pocket the money, the insurance company may reduce his next claim for hail damage by the amount it has already paid.

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- Written for the Web by CBS4 Special Projects Producer Libby Smith