Hail claim guide - auto (excluding Quebec)

Coverage

Based on your description of damage resulting from hail, your automobile policy may provide coverage subject to your deductible and the terms and conditions of your policy.

Estimate and repair process

Prior to repairs taking place, a repair estimate must be approved by our Wawanesa appraisal team. If you do not have an appointment scheduled for the estimate, please contact our office and we can assist in making the arrangements. Know How Systems (“KhS”) is a member of the Wawanesa Preferred Provider Network (PPN) who will complete the estimate on your vehicle. KhS simplifies your claim experience as they are able to manage the entire repair process, assist in rental vehicle arrangement, and offer a limited lifetime warranty. Once the estimate is approved, KhS will contact you to schedule your vehicle for repair.

You have the right to have your vehicle inspected or repaired by an alternative repair facility. If you prefer to have the estimate completed by another appraiser; or have the vehicle repaired at another repair facility, please contact us and we will provide you with further details.

Non-repairable vehicle

If the estimate indicates that it is not cost effective to proceed with repairs, it will be considered a non-repairable vehicle. The appraiser will complete a market evaluation for your vehicle based on current market selling price for other vehicles of similar year, make, model, and condition to your vehicle. Your claims representative will contact you to discuss the value and settlement details prior to issuing the settlement. Payment of the claim will include related taxes (unless you are GST/HST registered), less any applicable betterment and deductible. The payment will be issued co-payable to include the interest of any lienholder or lessor.

Rental coverage

If your automobile policy includes a Loss of Use endorsement, coverage will be available for a rental or alternative means of transportation. This coverage is available should your vehicle not be drivable, or during the period of repairs. The coverage is subject to the limit stated in the endorsement. The physical damage coverage you have on your vehicle will extend to the rental vehicle.

You may choose to purchase additional insurance coverage through the rental vendor at your own cost. The Loss of Use coverage will pay for a vehicle of similar size to your own and does not include the cost of fuel or additional insurance. The rental company may require a pre-authorized credit card or security deposit which will be your responsibility. For your convenience, we can assist in setting up a rental reservation on your behalf through Wawanesa’s preferred rental vendor, Enterprise Rent-A-Car. If you prefer to use another rental vendor or to use alternative means of transportation, please contact us to discuss the details.

Glass damage

If your vehicle is non-driveable due to glass damage resulting from the hail, we can assist you with having the vehicle towed. Alternatively, you can take immediate action to have the glass replaced to protect your vehicle from further damage. If you decide to have the glass replaced, please provide us pictures of the damage along with a copy of the receipt. The cost of replacement will be subject to any applicable betterment and deductible.

Cash settlement

If your vehicle is repairable and you decide not to proceed with repairs, you may choose to take a cash settlement. The settlement is based on the repair estimate. We will pay 100% of the estimate including taxes (unless you are GST/HST registered), less any betterment and less any applicable deductible. The payment will be issued copayable to include the interest of any lienholder or lessor. A cash settlement may result in changes to the coverage on your vehicle. We encourage you to discuss this with your insurance broker prior to proceeding with this option.

Payment options

We are happy to offer electronic funds transfer (EFT) as a payment option to expedite the settlement process. This option is available to you if you decide to take a cash settlement or if your vehicle is not repairable and there are no liens against the vehicle.

Please contact your Wawanesa claims representative with questions about your claim. Our goal is to be as responsive as possible, though claim volumes vary with severe weather which may affect our response times. In these cases, we appreciate your patience.