Some hail damage..(just on roof)

[GettinAway]

Not serious, and only limited to the roof (white panels only) that I can see.
We brought it out of storage to get ready for a trip to Florida. Worst storm we've had here (in intensity) in 30 years. Our brown deck was white from hail accumulation. I was out of town, asked my wife to check it out. No damage she reports. I climbed up on the rock wall to look at the roof and there are more dimples up there than rivets.
The question I have is. Do I even bother to claim it? Will they maybe come out on their own with summer heat?
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks
Jeff


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[woodfox45]

I don't think they will come out on their own . As far as claiming it thats up to you I would check it again in the sun I bet more is dented than just the roof . Like your end caps . You need to consider resale value if you don't fix it .

[GettinAway]

Just checked the end caps. All three upper panels on both ends have faint dings in them. So, it would be an entire new roof. I wonder if it's totaled?


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[Ron A]

I'm sorry and I certainly feel your pain.


Ron
16' Sport 2015
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[AWCHIEF]

Totaled for a few dings on the roof?

[Bill M.]

Depends on you and your insurance company, I guess. I know people who have had hail damage, totaled out the Airstream, and then bought it back from the insurance company. In a way you have to decide whether you would rather live with the damage or live with an Airstream that has had major panel replacements. We have a much older Airstream. A limb fell on it. The insurance company let us get an estimate and then gave us a check for the estimate. Was really not enough to fix it by replacing panels. I think you should contact your insurance company and go though the process.

[cwf]

our 'Airstream dimples' have minimized with many heat/cool cycles here in Texas... but still there...

The PO got some $ I think for 'depreciated value'... or similar...

[Cardinal283]

I deal with hail insurance claims for work. Use the flat side of a piece of sidewalk chalk to mark the panel. Any places that are dimpled won't have chalk on them. Like the pic below.



This last pic shows a piece of metal with no dimples.



You get the idea. Obviously with a curved surface it is a little different than a flat piece of metal roof flashing.

[Cardinal283]

Besides. All those dimples just make it more aerodynamic. Same principle as a golfball. ; )

[Lumatic]

This is what you pay insurance for. I had some damage and a State Farm agreed value policy. State Farm agent told me an RV claim would not affect my rates. I came out ahead.

And yes hail damage can work itself out to a certain extent.

My advice is to take the money and put it in your pocket. Look at the pings as character marks.

[GettinAway]

We have Gieco for the AS. I'll call them in the morning. Just shocked about it. I don't know about totaled, but the cost to replace all those panels would be huge. Oh well, as it has been said, that's why we have insurance. I'll let you know Gieco's reaction.


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[wasafari]

we had seven panels and the roof dinged up last year by hail. Did the end caps, left the roof as is. Figured I can't see it from ground level so why bother.

[GettinAway]

Well,, we have no insurance on it.. We had switched it from Gieco to AAA with my wife's SUV. Then I switched the SUV to Shelter Ins when I switched the farm and the house from State Farm to Shelter. When I switched the SUV from AAA to Shelter, they cancelled the trailer. It was all on me, because I said cancel the policy on the SUV. I did not know the AS was on the same policy!
Yikes.. Overall I'm saving a few thousand dollars with Shelter vs AAA and State Farm together, but I left the AS uncovered, pun intended..
Glad the damage isn't too bad. You literally have to get up on a ladder and look very closely to find a dimple. If it would have been a really large hail storm, we would have been in a pretty bad spot. Whew.
At least now I'll get it covered before we head to Florida with it. I would have just gone along thinking it was covered.
I guess there's a lesson to be learned in here somewhere, but I doubt anyone else would have made this mistake.


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[Wingeezer]

Sounds as though you don't have anything to be that concerned about - even without insurance.

But just a related comment .......

When we bought our AS and I went to our insurance broker to get insurance, I specifically mentioned that I wanted to be sure I had coverage against hail damage because of the type of trailer it was and the value.

She assured me I would have.

When I actually got the policy a few weeks later and read it over I found I did indeed have coverage - but only if the hail perforated the trailer!

How often will that ever happen??!! "Oh yes, it happens" she assured me! Yeah, Right!

I had her switch insurance companies and got one with proper hail damage coverage - of course it did cost more.

Even then, I don't think it would allow the trailer to be totaled if repair estimates were high enough, but rather they would compensate me for the "Diminished value of the trailer."


I'm not sure how they establish that - my guess would be by consulting an Airstream dealer, at east that is what I would hope!

So far I haven't had case to find out and I hope it stays that way!

Brian.

[treatise]

I'll defer to wiser minds regarding aluminum but they make small hail dents in steel cars pop out with dry ice held on the dent with a thermal proof glove.

[m.hony]

I got hail damage to my truck and trailer in April 2014. The consensus among myself, my wife, the insurance company, and Jackson Center is to do nothing, live with it and enjoy the truck and trailer.

[KJRitchie]

As long as you can't see the dimples from the ground you'll slowly forget they are up there and you'll start to enjoy your trailer like before. Sorry this happened.

I wonder if the Airstream dealer, Bill Thomas Camper near Wentzvile got hit.

Kelvin

[paiceman]

I am sort of anal about my stuff, so I would probably get the end caps replaced and leave the roof. Best of luck

[cwf]

Wait, don't the "dimples" improve airflow and make it more fuel efficient to tow? ;$

Glad you figured out the lack of "coverage" before you hit the road!!!

[J. Morgan]

Sometimes it is cool to have an old well used trailer..... and the wisdom of age where I can appreciate a "used but not abused" appearance...


1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow