Side Question: Hail Just Destroyed Our Car

[MississippiMule]

Wife and daughter and two friends are out of town on gulf coast. Bad storm last night, 2021 Kia Telluride, with 13k miles, destroyed. Entire body badly damaged, windows busted out. Standing water inside what was a pristine, gorgeous new car I spent months finding.

I filed a claim online but still trying to get a human being to call back and send adjuster and set up rental car.

My question is has anyone ever had this happen, and, if so, did the insurer declare the car totaled? If they don’t, I know you can’t fix hail damage on a body, and that won’t be acceptable at all.

Any insight from anyone who has had this kind of damage is appreciated. Thanks.

Not only does the prospect of it not being declared a total loss, and continuing to pay the note on a ruined car, sicken me, it could also affect my ability to buy the Bronco.

Wife is in tears. I’m at home trying to contain my frustration with the insurance company not calling me back.

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[2Jeeps&PatriotX1]

Regarding the body panels...they most certainly can repair body panels. Had my wife’s grand cherokee and my truck hit couple years back. Can’t speak on the other part of being flooded or if it’ll be totalled.

 

[MississippiMule]

I don’t want a brand new car “fixed” which will always be janky and not right and vastly lose value because of this. I want a new car.

 

[chtucker]

It's all repairable--- just matters how much...

Just be thankful they weren't out driving in the storm- everyone is healthy/OK

 

[guerro]

You will need to file a comprehensive claim since this is "other than collision" and get a repair estimate. I am guessing this won't rise to the level of total loss.

 

[Poman]

I had something very similar happen with my 2016 Mustang GT Performance Pack. It had 700 miles on it when it was destroyed(I thought) by hail. The only difference being there wasn't standing water in it. It spent a lot of time in the body shop. After I got it back, the paint still wasn't right. About a month later, I see all kinds of imperfections bubbling up in the paint. Turned out, the body shop had left my car outside when it was primered during a rainstorm. Rust was bubbling up. Took a new body shop a month to get it back, though I'm still not completely pleased with the paint. Other than the standing water, my car was beat up much worse than your Telluride, and they wouldn't declare it a total loss. Hopefully you have better luck. At the very least, hope you have a better body shop. Certainly not a fun situation to go through.

 

[7.3ltr bronco]

Glass and body can be repaired it's the water inside if be worried about. It will smell forever if it isn't dried properly.

 

[cowinsawdents]

If it's anything like the hail storms in CO, the insurance company is going to do whatever they can to fix it...I never heard of anyone getting a brand new car totaled from hail...but maybe? If they fix it you can ask for diminished value on top of it. That you can negotiate, I just wouldn't go in asking for a brand new car. Keep your expectations low is all. I don't know if gap is going to play a role either if you financed a chunk of it...either way crappy situation, sorry bud.

 

[DeltaBravo]

This is why you get car insurance boys and girls

 

[Beachin 74]

It happened to my wife's 2001 Expedition but not quite that bad, they were able to fix it as good as new, $100 deductible. I guess I got lucky, when I called the insurance company they had me take it to the dealership body shop where I bought it.

 

[Drex]

I don’t want a brand new car “fixed” which will always be janky and not right and vastly lose value because of this. I want a new car.

Get your mind right about it. You'll be less sad if you temper your hope with reality sooner rather than later. My dad had a brand new Buick in 1979 ('80 LaSabre wagon, top of the line.), got rear ended by a semi, amazingly dad was mostly okay and recovered in short order. Downside was the insurance adjuster came out, immediately said totaled, then started doing paperwork. When he saw it was like 1500 miles old, he changed his mind and said we can fix it. They ended up spending like 95% of the depreciated value to 'fix' it with shit parts that didn't last. pulled glass shards out of it for the next 8 years until it rusted away, started in the repainted areas that never matched. Never drove right again, was fine, but not right, if you get me. Your Kia will drive perfectly well, but the roof damage is a rough fix on a unibody, the really expensive parts are untouched it looks like. I just don't see them totalling it. Even if they did, your depreciated value would not let you get another one. Just drive it until it dies, it is a good vehicle. Life sometimes screws you, adapt and move on the best you can.

 

[Efthreeoh]

Sorry to hear this happened. You'd be amazed at how Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) can make all of those hail dents disappear. The glass is easily replaced and most insurance companies will use original equipment glass if the car is under two years old (insist on OE glass). Standing water in the passenger compartment if removed within a few days and the interior dried with a dehumidifier will not damage anything; at worst, the carpet will be replaced. It is almost certain your insurance company will repair it rather than total it, because the value is too high. And by law, you will have up to two years post repair to have any unforeseen damage repaired if it becomes an issue (i.e. mold or electronics failures). It will be covered under your comprehensive coverage and will have zero effect on your insurance rates.

 

[BroncoGator]

I had the same unfortunate situation happen to me a few years ago in Colorado. My 2013 GMC Terrain was covered in hail damage about the same level as yours. I didn't have window damage but the windshield was.

I highly expected the car to be totaled because of the value of the car and what it would cost to repair it. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.

This was a major storm in Denver and it was weeks of wait for most people to get their cars evaluated. My insurance partnered with a dealership and they had their collision people evaluate it. They determined the roof, hood, and almost every panel needed to be replaced. They offered to take care of it all there and pay the dealership directly, or cut me a check for the same amount, which was about $8k. I decided to take the check and weigh my options.

I checked the kbb value of the car and had a Carmax type place give me an offer on the car. The amount they offered me plus the $8k check was quite a bit higher than the kbb value of the car if it were in excellent condition. I was going to sell it to them and get a new car, but in the end I decided to keep the car, deal with the car looking dented, and pocket the money.

I'm not sure which level Telluride you have, but it was likely much more expensive than my Terrain was. My hopes for you is that for some reason the Kia panels are more expensive to replace, but likely that won't be enough to total it. I had paid cash so I had options, but you will likely have to get it fixed since you have a loan.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. My Terrain was my first new car and I was really bummed to have it get trashed so early into ownership. I still drive it today and intend to trade it in for my Bronco unless the dealership gives me nothing for it.

 

[Bronco21fan]

Wife and daughter and two friends are out of town on gulf coast. Bad storm last night, 2021 Kia Telluride, with 13k miles, destroyed. Entire body badly damaged, windows busted out. Standing water inside what was a pristine, gorgeous new car I spent months finding.

I filed a claim online but still trying to get a human being to call back and send adjuster and set up rental car.

My question is has anyone ever had this happen, and, if so, did the insurer declare the car totaled? If they don’t, I know you can’t fix hail damage on a body, and that won’t be acceptable at all.

Any insight from anyone who has had this kind of damage is appreciated. Thanks.

Not only does the prospect of it not being declared a total loss, and continuing to pay the note on a ruined car, sicken me, it could also affect my ability to buy the Bronco.

Wife is in tears. I’m at home trying to contain my frustration with the insurance company not calling me back.

There not going to total that out only way is if there was a lot of water damage on the inside you will be suprised what they fix nowadays and that hail damage can be easily fixed at any decent body shop that knows what there doing since you have such low mileage factory Orem parts will be used if anything needs replaced

 

[Efthreeoh]

This is why you get car insurance boys and girls

And it's why the bank MAKES you get car insurance...

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