After a hailstorm, you have three options: get the dents fixed and keep the vehicle, take the insurance settlement and keep the vehicle, or sell the vehicle as-is. The right answer depends on your deductible, the severity of damage, and what you actually want from the vehicle going forward. Here's how to think about it.
By Shaun O'Malley · Buying Center Director, Bud Clary Buys Cars · Updated May 2026
Tap your nearest location to get started
Powered by Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer
Paintless dent repair (PDR) for moderate hail damage runs $1,500–$5,000 depending on dent count and panel locations. Severe hail damage requiring panel replacement and repaint can run $5,000–$15,000+.
Insurance covers most of this minus your deductible (typically $500–$1,000). If you're keeping the vehicle long-term and the cosmetic appearance matters to you, this is often the right call.
Many insurance companies will pay you the cash value of the repair instead of fixing the vehicle. You pocket the money and continue driving the vehicle with cosmetic hail damage.
This works if: you don't care about the cosmetics, you're planning to keep the vehicle for several more years, and you want the cash. The downside: you'll have a "hail" notation on your vehicle history (Carfax, AutoCheck) which depresses future resale value.
Use the insurance settlement plus a sale offer to upgrade or downgrade your vehicle.
The math depends on which insurance settlement option you take and what we'd pay for the vehicle in its hail-damaged state.
If repair cost approaches the vehicle's value, the insurance company may declare it a total loss. In that case:
If you want to keep the totaled vehicle (because you don't want to deal with replacement, or because you can repair it cheaper than they assumed), you can usually buy it back from the insurance company. The vehicle then has a salvage or hail-branded title going forward.
Three categories:
No panel replacement needed
Small dents only, no broken glass, no panel rust risk. Repair cost typically $1,500–$3,500.
Our offer: Usually 5–15% below clean comparable. The vehicle still retails normally; we just discount for the cosmetic factor.
Some panels need replacement, glass intact
Multiple deeply dented panels, possibly hood and roof. Repair cost typically $4,000–$8,000.
Our offer: 15–25% below clean comparable. We have channels for retailing or wholesaling these.
Broken glass, multiple panels totaled, branded title
Severe damage that triggered insurance total loss. Vehicle has a hail or salvage brand. Our offer reflects branded-title market reality.
Our offer: 25–40% below clean comparable depending on severity and brand.
Written by
Buying Center Director, Bud Clary Buys Cars
Shaun oversees vehicle acquisition across Bud Clary's 14-store network. With over 10 years of experience in the automotive industry, he manages day-to-day operations at all five Buy Centers and ensures every seller receives a fair, transparent offer.
Select your nearest Buy Center