Hail damage? You’re in the right place after the storm.
Mid-Missouri gets hit most springs, and when it happens every shop in the county fills up in about a week. Call us before you call anyone else. We will tell you what to expect, and it costs nothing.
Call us first — before you open the claim
You choose the shop that repairs your vehicle — not your insurer — and it is worth knowing that before you open a claim. Call us on 573-644-6725 and we will walk you through what happens next and whether the damage is even worth claiming. No claim number needed, no obligation.
We cannot begin the repair until your carrier has written their estimate. But we can make sure nobody talks you out of the shop you wanted before you get there. After a widespread storm we run estimates by appointment only.
What to do after a hailstorm
Call us, and photograph it while it is fresh
Phone the shop on 573-644-6725 and ask us anything. You do not need a claim number to talk to us. Then take pictures in daylight from a low angle: hail dents show up in reflections far better than in a flat overhead shot. Get the roof, hood, trunk lid and any cracked glass or broken lamps.
Open the claim with your carrier
Comprehensive coverage is what pays for hail, and in most cases it does not affect your rates the way an at-fault collision does. Your carrier will give you a claim number and an estimate. If they steer you toward a particular shop, you are not obliged to use it. Tell them the vehicle is coming to Rusty Drewing Collision Center.
Bring us the estimate and we will schedule
Once the carrier has written it, call 573-644-6725 again and we will get you on the calendar. Parts and paint capacity are the constraint after a big storm, so booking early genuinely matters.
We repair it, and deal with the carrier
If we find damage the adjuster missed — and on hail we usually do — we photograph it and submit a supplement directly, rather than stopping the job while you make phone calls. You can read and sign the repair authorization ahead of your drop-off.
Most hail damage never needs paint
Hail dents the metal without usually breaking the finish, which makes most of it a candidate for paintless dent repair. A technician works each dent from behind the panel until it is back where it started. There is no filler and no repaint, so the factory finish stays on the car, which is better for the vehicle and considerably faster than conventional body work.
Where PDR does not work is on creased metal, dents right on a panel edge, aluminum panels in some cases, and anywhere the paint actually cracked. Roofs with severe, dense damage sometimes come out cheaper as a panel replacement. A bad hailstorm usually produces a repair plan with some of each, and your estimator will walk you through which panels fall where.
We also handle the things people forget to mention: cracked windshields, broken side mirrors, damaged lamps and trim. Windshield work goes through Rusty Drewing Auto Glass, in the same building.
Start with a phone call
You do not need a claim number to talk to us. Call the shop, ask your questions, and decide afterwards.