Car hail damage may not seem like a priority repair, but you shouldn't delay it too much. Even a small amount of hail damage presents several threats to your car. The damage starts out small, but it will grow and present a serious threat to your car's integrity and value. Here are four reasons you need to move fast to fix the hail damage:

Paint Job Damage

A small to average hail damage is usually nothing more than a few dents on your car, but it won't stay that way for long. Due to the non-uniform expansion and contraction of paint and metal, the paints around the dents will start to crack, chip and peel away. The more you wait, the more the damage will be, and soon your car will be having patches of pointless metal on its body. If you wait too long, you will have to repaint the whole car instead of fixing the dents.

Widespread Rust

As explained above, hail damage starts out small but spreads with time. The more paint peels off your car's body, the greater the surface area exposed to air and moisture. These two things accelerate the rate of rusting. If the hails damage occurs in winter, then the rust will also be accelerated by chemicals used to clear roads.

Surface rust may be a cosmetic problem, but it also creates a bigger problem if left to fester. It may eat into the metal and weaken it or create holes. Ignore hail damage only if you don't mind driving a rust bucket.

Insurance Complications

If you have comprehensive insurance, then hail damage may be one of the covered risks. However, you shouldn't be tempted to pocket the insurance check and live with the "small" dents. If you do this and experience a car crash later on, then you may not receive the full claim for the subsequent repair. Paying for your car's full repair would be tantamount to settling your claim twice. According to msnewsnow.com, your insurer may deduct an amount equivalent to the hail damage check before settling your claim. This can be disastrous if you don't have the money to cover the shortfall.

Loss of Value

Lastly, the hail damage reduces the value of your car not only because of the cosmetic imperfections but also because your prospective customer may feel that you did not maintain your car perfectly. Painting the car just before selling it would also be tricky because people are naturally suspicious of fresh paint over a rusty car, and this will be your car's state if you delay hail damage repair. Visit an auto service, such as Foster's Auto Service Inc.