Long wait for hail damage repairs
Big waiting lists at east coast caravan repairers as hail-related insurance claims pile upHail damage repairs are big business for caravan repairers, as insurance company figures point to a large number of claims made in recent years off the back of serious hailstorm events along the east coast.
CIL spokesperson James Spence told caravancampingsales that the caravan and RV insurance specialist had received approximately 4000 hail-related caravan claims over the 2017, 2018 and 2019 (year to date) period.
"During this period 2018 was the busiest year, with hail claims representing 14 per cent of total caravan claims,” Spence said.
Insurance claims continue rolling in up to 12 months after the vans are damaged during a hailstorm event, explained Spence, causing a logjam of vans awaiting repairs.
"As hail damage is often cosmetic, customers often continue to use their vehicle after completing any temporary repairs on critical areas, such as hatches," he said.
"Assessments are mostly completed within days, however repair time frames can be up to 8 to 10 months due to parts supply, location and repair industry demand.”
Dave Barnes from caravan repair and service business Barnes Caravans in Lansvale, NSW, said he had a long list of customers on a waiting list for repairs after the most recent hailstone events.
“We’ve got 21 hail-damaged vans on a waiting list for repairs and about another six still being quoted. We’ve done a dozen already,” he said.
“There are normally hundreds of vans damaged in a big storm. There are never enough repairers to go around.”
Barnes said that hail repairs represent a big slice of of the repairer's day-to-day work.
“At least 30 per cent of our work is hail damage repairs at normal times but when we have a big storm in our own area -- like the storms at Christmas -- it can be as much as 80 per cent of our work," he said.
“In 20-odd years, we have only once or twice run out of hail jobs.”
Barnes said that the majority of hail-damaged vans presenting for repair were of aluminium-clad ;stick n tin' construction.
“Most of the vans are aluminium, although we’ve had one or two fibreglass ones as well. While they don’t dent like aluminium, big hail will crack the gel coating and once damaged are often written off as they require new walls and roof.”
Spence agreed that fibreglass vans were stronger but were not immune to damage after a big hail event, and can be expensive to repair.
“Fibreglass vans are great for withstanding hail damage but can be more problematic to repair for large impact damage," he said. "Small areas of fibreglass panels can be repaired, but if large areas are damaged it may require full panel replacement which is costly for parts, labour and freight.”
Many insured vans are deemed a total loss after a hail storm has hit, according to CIL figures.
“A hail-damaged caravan will be written-off when the cost to repair is more than the total value of the vehicle. For hail, more than half of caravans are repaired, with the remaining either written-off or a cash payment made in-lieu of repairs," Spence said.
Barnes said another factor extending waiting lists for hail damage repairs is the complexity of the work involved.
“It takes a minimum of a week to repair a van. We have only one or two in at a time for repairs, and we also need to allow for service and other jobs”, he explained.
Barnes said the waiting list for hail damage repairs extends right across the east coast. “Not just Sydney got hit -- it went right from Queensland to the Victorian border.”
While hail damage can be extensive to outer panels and roof hatches, it doesn’t usually cause further damage to the vans in Barnes’ experience. “We see a bit of water damage, but not much. It’s usually into the shower [breaking through the shower hatch] and therefore a wet area. The other hatches usually withstand a fair bit of hail impact”.
Tips to avoid hail damage
- Be attentive to weather reports and take action to prevent your caravan getting damaged in a storm. It’s a good idea to look carefully around your campsite or parking spot at home for the potential for damage. Leaving the van under trees or too close to a creek or river can lead to damage or total loss in a storm.
- When parked at home, if there’s no undercover storage for the van a good caravan cover can serve as some protection.
- Water damage after a storm may not be something you can make an insurance claim on, so before you head off check the J-Moulds/ seals on your caravan. If they’re worn, have them serviced to prevent water ingress and major damage.
- After a storm or flood, check your caravan and contents for any damage, particularly around hatches, windows and behind curtains. If you find damage, call your insurance company to report it as soon as you can.
- To help with processing any possible claims, take photographs of damages particularly if it’s something that needs to be disposed of, and keep receipts of any emergency costs like tarpaulins, minor repairs or temporary accommodation.”
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