If you carry car insurance, you might assume you’re covered for just about anything that happens to your vehicle. But storm damage, and hail damage especially, is one of those areas where a lot of drivers are surprised to learn their policy doesn’t cover as much as they thought. With summer storms rolling through northeastern Indiana on a regular basis, it’s worth understanding exactly what your policy does and doesn’t include before the next big one hits.
It Depends on the Coverage You Have
The short answer is: hail and storm damage are covered only if you carry comprehensive coverage. Liability-only policies, which simply meet Indiana’s minimum requirements, do not cover damage to your own vehicle from weather events. Neither does collision coverage on its own. Comprehensive is the piece of the puzzle that protects your car from things outside your control, including hail, falling tree branches, flooding, wind damage, and similar weather-related losses.
If you’re driving an older vehicle you own outright, you may have dropped comprehensive at some point to keep your premium down. That’s a reasonable decision in some situations, but it’s worth revisiting, particularly if you’ve noticed how severe summer storms have been getting across the Fort Wayne area and surrounding communities. A significant hail event can cause thousands of dollars in damage, even to a modest vehicle.
What Comprehensive Coverage Actually Pays For
Comprehensive coverage generally steps in after your deductible when your vehicle is damaged by something other than a collision. For storm-related claims, that typically includes dents and dings from hail, cracked windshields, water intrusion from flooding, and damage caused by falling objects like tree limbs.
One thing to keep in mind: your deductible matters a lot here. If your comprehensive deductible is $1,000 and the hail damage estimate comes in at $900, filing a claim may not make sense financially. Some drivers in Bluffton, New Haven, and other parts of the region choose a lower deductible specifically because of storm exposure. Others prefer a higher deductible in exchange for a lower monthly premium. Neither approach is wrong; it just depends on your comfort level and financial situation.
Windshield Damage Is Worth a Special Mention
Hail and storm debris are among the most common causes of windshield damage. Whether your glass is repaired or replaced after a storm typically depends on the extent of the damage and your policy details. Some policies include glass coverage with no deductible applied, while others treat it like any other comprehensive claim. If you drive frequently on highways around Portland, Woodburn, or Decatur and deal with road debris or storm exposure regularly, it’s worth asking specifically about your glass coverage when you review your policy.
Checking Your Policy Before Storm Season Peaks
July is right in the middle of Indiana’s most active stretch for severe weather, so now is a practical time to pull out your policy documents and take a look. A few things worth confirming:
- Do you have comprehensive coverage, or liability and collision only?
- What is your comprehensive deductible?
- Does your policy include any separate glass or windshield provisions?
- If you have multiple vehicles, are all of them covered the same way?
As an independent agency, we work with multiple carriers, which means we can compare options across the board rather than being limited to one company’s offerings. That flexibility often makes a real difference when we’re helping families in Fort Wayne, Decatur, and surrounding areas find coverage that actually fits how they use their vehicles and what risks they face locally.
When to Reconsider Your Current Coverage
If you financed or leased your vehicle, your lender almost certainly requires comprehensive coverage, so this may already be in place. But if you own your car free and clear, the choice is yours. A good rule of thumb is to weigh the cost of adding or keeping comprehensive against what you’d realistically pay out of pocket if a hailstorm left your hood and roof looking like a golf ball. For newer or mid-value vehicles, comprehensive coverage often makes a lot of sense.
We’ve been helping Indiana families think through these questions for over 70 years. Whether you’re in New Haven, Portland, or anywhere across northeastern Indiana, we’re happy to take a look at your current auto policy and make sure it lines up with what you actually need. Give us a call or drop us an email anytime; we’re always glad to