The Geelong Hail Storm Guide: Immediate Steps to Protect Your Car and Claim
A significant hail event has just moved through the Geelong region. Your car is outside, it has taken a hit, and you're looking at a dimpled roof and bonnet trying to work out what to do.
This guide is written for exactly this moment. Concrete steps, in order, for the next 24 hours.
Right Now: Assess and Document
Before you call anyone, document the damage. This matters for your insurance claim — the more thorough your documentation, the smoother the claim process.
Photograph everything:
- Full shots of each affected panel from a distance and close up
- A bird's-eye shot of the roof if you can get access to a higher vantage point (standing on a neighbour's fence, using an upstairs window, or a brief step onto a step stool)
- Close-ups that show dent depth and density
- Any areas where paint has cracked — this changes the repair options
- Any broken glass — windscreen, sunroof, side windows
- Your surroundings — show the storm aftermath to contextualise the event
Include a coin or ruler in some close-up shots to show scale. Insurance assessors find this useful.
Note the time. Insurance claims benefit from a documented timeline showing the damage occurred during the hail event, not from prior neglect.
Move the Vehicle to Cover If the Storm Is Ongoing
If hail is still falling, get the vehicle to cover if you safely can — a garage, a carport, under a petrol station awning, anywhere with overhead protection. Additional hail falling on already-damaged panels doesn't improve anything, and if paint has already cracked at dent sites, continued moisture exposure starts working on the exposed metal immediately.
Don't drive in dangerous conditions to find cover. A few more dents are not worth the risk.
Call Your Insurer Today — Not Tomorrow
Most comprehensive policies cover hail damage as an act of nature. Call your insurer on the day of the event to lodge the initial notification — not to commit to a repairer, not to approve anything, just to establish the claim timeline.
This matters because:
- Most policies require "prompt" notification of a loss event
- Establishing the notification date ties your claim to the event date
- You'll get a claim number which is needed for all subsequent steps
When you call, do not agree to a specific repairer yet. Tell them you'll nominate your repairer once you have an independent assessment. You have the right to do this.
Book Your Assessment Immediately
After a significant hail event affecting the Geelong region, every quality panel shop books up within 24–72 hours. The customers who wait a week find themselves in a queue that extends months into the future.
Call North Geelong Accident Repair Centre: 03 4244 8938.
We'll assess your vehicle, give you a written quote detailing which panels are affected and which repair method (PDR or conventional) is appropriate for each, and get you into the repair schedule.
PDR vs. Conventional Repair: The Quick Version
Most hail dents — round, smooth-edged, paint intact — are repairable with paintless dent removal (PDR). PDR is faster, cheaper, and preserves your original factory paint. See our full PDR guide here: What Is Paintless Dent Removal?
Areas where paint has cracked or where dents are very deep require conventional repair — filling, priming, painting, curing. We'll tell you at the assessment what mix of approaches your vehicle needs.
Beware the Post-Storm Operators
After every significant Geelong hail event, itinerant PDR operators appear — often setting up in car parks or doorknocking residential streets offering immediate, cash-only PDR repairs. Some are skilled technicians taking advantage of high demand. Others are not, and the work they produce is not always backed by any meaningful warranty.
Our recommendation: use a VACC-accredited, permanent workshop with a verifiable track record and a written lifetime workmanship guarantee. The additional patience required to get into a quality workshop's schedule is worth it.
Will This Affect My Premium?
Hail damage is typically treated as a not-at-fault weather event claim. Most insurers do not penalise your no-claims bonus for weather events. Confirm this specifically with your insurer before lodging — policy terms vary.
Call 03 4244 8938 to book your hail damage assessment. Don't wait — the queue fills fast.
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