Report hail damage: How to secure your insurance claim
19.05.25
3
Minutes
Katrin Straub
Managing Director at nextsure
A hailstorm can cause costly damage to your car and home. Find out here how to report hail damage correctly and which steps are necessary to ensure you receive your full insurance benefits. A prompt and accurate report is often the first step towards successful claims handling.
The topic in brief and concise terms
Report hail damage to your insurance company immediately, usually within one week.
Document damage in detail with photos and notes on the location and time of the hailstorm.
Partial comprehensive insurance (for vehicles) and buildings insurance (for houses) are the primary points of contact.
Quick Facts: The key information on reporting hail damage at a glance
After a hailstorm, prompt action is required to secure your insurance claim. Most insurers expect notification within a week of the damage event. Immediate notification helps prove the direct link between the severe weather and the damage. For damage to your car, your partial comprehensive cover is generally responsible, and this is also included in fully comprehensive insurance. For damage to your home, buildings insurance comes into play. Document all damage immediately and in detail with photos and notes of the location and time of the hailstorm. These first steps are crucial for a smooth claims process.
Damage assessment and documentation: The basis for your claims
Careful documentation is essential when reporting hail damage. Photograph your vehicle or building immediately after the hailstorm from different angles and take close-up shots of each dent and area of damage. Note the exact date, time and location of the incident. Many insurers verify this information against weather data. Clean your car before an inspection so that even small dents are easier to see. Keep damaged parts for the time being in case the assessor wants to inspect them. These measures make the expert's work easier and speed up the handling of your claim. Good preparation can often shorten the settlement time by several days.
You should note the following points when documenting the damage:
Photos from a wide angle and of every damaged side of the vehicle/building.
Close-ups of individual dents, ideally with a size comparison (e.g. place a coin next to them).
Photos of damaged windows, lights or roller shutters.
Notes on the number and approximate size of the impacts per component.
Information about any pre-existing damage to the vehicle or building.
This detailed damage report to the insurer is essential. This ensures that all aspects of the damage are taken into account.
Deadlines and formalities: reporting hail damage correctly to the insurer
Compliance with deadlines is very important when reporting hail damage. As a rule, insurers set a one-week deadline for reporting the claim. Some policies also refer to “immediately”, meaning that you must act without culpable delay. A call to your insurer’s hotline is often the first step, but in most cases a written claim notification using a form is also required. You will often receive this form online on the insurer’s website or by post. If you miss the deadline for the written notification, the insurer may reduce the benefit or even refuse to pay it. Be sure to keep proof of sending your documents. Prompt and formally correct notification is an important building block for successful settlement and secures your claims under motor vehicle liability insurance or comprehensive insurance.
The assessor appointment: preparation and the process of damage assessment
After you have reported the hail damage, in most cases your insurer will appoint an expert (assessor) to determine the amount of the damage. This applies in particular to more extensive damage. You should only have repairs carried out after approval by the insurer or after the inspection, unless they are emergency measures to limit the damage (e.g. covering a broken pane). In the case of comprehensive insurance claims, the insurer usually has the right to instruct the assessor. So you cannot simply appoint your own assessor at the insurer’s expense. Prepare your vehicle for the appointment: it should be clean and dry so that all dents are clearly visible. Have your vehicle documents ready. The assessor documents the damage, calculates the repair costs and prepares an expert report for the insurer, of which you will receive a copy. This expert report forms the basis for any further settlement, whether that is the repair or a payment of the claim amount.
Repair or notional settlement: Your options after the expert report
Once the report is available, you have several options. You can have the damage repaired at a garage. If your policy requires you to use a particular repair shop, you must visit a partner garage of the insurer. Alternatively, you can opt for what is known as a cash settlement. This means the insurer pays you the net repair amount determined by the assessor (excluding VAT), and you decide for yourself whether and how you want the damage repaired. This option is often of interest for older vehicles or minor cosmetic defects. If you later decide to have the damage repaired and the costs are higher than the amount paid out, many insurers will reimburse the difference on presentation of the invoice. Please note that, in the case of a cash settlement, loss in value is generally not compensated. You can find the exact rules on this in your insurance conditions. A repair better preserves the value of your vehicle, especially for newer models.
Here are the steps after receiving the report:
Carefully review the report.
Decide between repair or cash settlement.
If repairing: obtain the insurer's approval if necessary or observe the repair shop requirement.
If settling in cash: inform your insurer of this.
Submit all necessary documents (e.g. repair invoice) to the insurer.
Knowing the difference between partial and fully comprehensive cover is also relevant here for processing.
Special case residential building: how to properly manage hail damage to the house
Not only cars, but buildings can also be badly damaged by hail. Here, your buildings insurance is your point of contact for damage to roofs, façades, windows or shutters. Movable items in the home that are damaged by hail (e.g. hail entering through a broken window) fall under contents insurance. Report the damage to your insurer here as well without delay and document everything in detail. Only begin clean-up or repair work after consulting the insurer, unless it is to prevent further damage (duty to mitigate loss), such as covering a damaged roof. The insurer will assess whether natural hazards insurance is necessary or whether the damage is covered by the standard cover of the buildings insurance. In many cases, an assessor is also brought in to determine the extent of the necessary remedial work. The costs of restoration can be considerable, so close coordination with the insurer is essential.
In insurance law, there are several important points regarding hail damage. Timely notification is a so-called obligation of the policyholder. A breach of this duty can lead to a reduction in benefits. The duty to mitigate damage under Section 254, paragraph two of the German Civil Code (BGB) means that, as the injured party, you are obliged to keep the damage as small as possible. This means, for example, that you must temporarily cover broken windows to prevent consequential damage caused by rain. Our expert tip: Always clarify in advance with your insurer whether you may appoint your own expert; in comprehensive insurance claims, the right to issue instructions usually rests with the insurer. Another point is the distinction between old and new damage. Insurers generally pay only once for the same damage. If a previous hail damage claim was settled on an estimated basis and not repaired, this can lead to deductions in the event of a subsequent claim. When selling a vehicle, any known hail damage, even if it has been repaired, must be disclosed to the buyer in order to avoid the risk of being accused of fraudulent misrepresentation. Knowing these details helps you avoid pitfalls and assert your rights in the best possible way.
Prevention: How to protect your property from hail damage
Although you cannot influence the weather, there are measures to reduce the risk of hail damage. For your car, a garage or carport space offers the best protection, especially during the hail-prone months from May to August. If no permanent shelter is available, special hail protection mats can help reduce the force of the ice pellets. Keep an eye on weather warnings, for example via apps from the German Weather Service, so that you can get your vehicle to safety in good time. For buildings, regular maintenance of the roof and façade is important in order to identify weak points at an early stage. Sturdy shutters can protect windows. Our expert tip: Review your insurance cover regularly and adjust it if necessary, especially the sums insured and the inclusion of cover for natural hazards. Good preparation can save thousands of euros in an emergency and spare you a great deal of hassle. Bear in mind that comprehensive cover for car & mobility should also include preventive aspects.
Additional preventive measures include:
In the event of a severe weather warning, secure loose items in the garden (garden furniture, trampolines).
Regularly trim branches of trees near the house.
Keep gutters clean to prevent water build-up.
Obtain information on local hail risks.
These precautions can significantly reduce the likelihood and extent of damage.
Your next step towards optimal protection
Correctly reporting hail damage and knowing your rights and obligations are crucial for a stress-free claims process. Good preparation and comprehensive insurance cover offer the best protection. At nextsure, we help you find the right digital insurance cover for your needs. We hope this guide has helped you better understand the complexity of the subject of hail damage. Please do not hesitate to contact us for personalised advice.
Request an individual risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation checked free of charge and receive specific suggestions for optimisation.
More useful links
The German Weather Service (DWD) provides comprehensive information on hail and how it forms.
The German Insurance Association (GDV) provides up-to-date statistics on storm and hail damage in Germany.
The Federal Environment Agency provides information on extreme weather events and the effects of climate change on such phenomena.
The German Weather Service (DWD) offers up-to-date insights into various weather topics every day.
FAQ
What does partial comprehensive insurance cover in the event of hail damage?
Partial comprehensive cover usually pays for repairs to bodywork, paint and glass damage caused by hail. Consequential damage to the interior may also be covered. You must bear any agreed excess.
Will my no-claims discount be affected after hail damage?
No, hail damage is settled through partial comprehensive cover. This has no effect on your no-claims bonus in motor third-party liability or fully comprehensive insurance.
Do I have to pay for the assessment by an expert?
If the insurer commissions the assessor, it will usually also cover the costs. If you commission an assessor yourself without prior agreement, you may be left to cover the costs.
What is the duty to mitigate loss?
You are legally obliged, after damage has occurred, to take measures to prevent the damage from getting worse (e.g. cover a broken window pane).
Which insurance is responsible for hail damage to the house?
The buildings insurance is responsible for damage to fixed parts of the building such as the roof, façade or windows. Contents insurance covers damage to movable items in the home.
What should be considered in the event of hail damage to a leased vehicle?
In the event of hail damage to a leased vehicle, inform your leasing provider immediately. They will agree the next steps with you and the insurer.
