How to read an auto hail damage repair hail chart – hail matrix
What is a hail matrix? How do you read a hail matrix? How do you read a matrix table for PDR? Find the answers below!
After you do, Be sure to check out our Paintless Dent Repair Hail Matrix only hail calculator, it incorporates all the information that one of the following hail matrixes have plus additional items like parts, paintwork costs, etc.
Click here: ONLINE HAIL CALCULATOR
The auto insurance industry uses what is known as a “hail chart” or matrix to provide pricing for paintless dent repair on auto hail damage repair estimates.
Be sure to check out our Paintless Dent Repair Hail Matrix only hail calculator, it incorporates all the information that one of the following hail matrixes have plus additional items like parts, paintwork costs, etc. Click here: ONLINE HAIL CALCULATOR
The chart lists vehicle’s panels (i.e. hood, roof, trunk) in a column on the left side of the chart.
Across the top of the chart are two different row identifiers.
1. Dent Count ranges. (i.e. 1-5, 6-15, etc.)
2. Size indicators. (i.e. Dime, Nickel, Quarter, Half Dollar.)
To find a price for repair.
Examine the panel of the vehicle in question and count the number of dents on said panel then identify the average size of the dents on the panel. (Typically, if there are MORE than half of all the dents on a panel that are one size and various other sizes, you use the dent size that counts for most of the damage.)
Once you have the dent count and size, you look for the panel in the left column along with the size and dent count fro the top row. Cross reference these two and you have the price the adjuster should pay to have the panel repaired.
Additionally, any dent that is larger than a fifty-cent piece (called OverSized, or OS) is multiplied by 50 dollars. (Some insurance companies only pay $40 per OS)
If there are 3 OS dents on a panel you add $150.00 to that panel.
Let’s pretend there are 17 Quarter sized dents and 2 OS on the right fender. According to our hail matrix, this equates to $225.00 plus $100.00. Or, $325.00 to repair the right fender with paintless dent repair.
On the paintless dent repair (PDR) hail matrix, or hail chart there are also cells that have the acronym “CR”. This means that the panel has too much damage for the typical paintless dent repair technician to repair properly with PDR. This pricing then becomes conventional repair (CR) and paintwork.
If you look at the bottom of the chart, there are several “ADD-ONS”. These account for the difficulty factors that come into play when using paintless dent repair on aluminum panels, high strength steel panels, if there is the need to glue pull, etc. Typically, this is a 25% bump up on the original price of the PDR. If we look back at our example of the right front fender and let’s say the panel was aluminum, you will multiply the $225.00 by 1.25 to find your bumped up price. Add in the OS price after.
How do techs find the proper number of dents to reference on a hail matrix?
Most PDR technicians, hail repair companies, or insurance adjusters will examine the panel with the best equipment they possess, mark the damage with circles and label the dent count and size along with other modifiers. PDR techs use special paintless dent repair or hail repair LED lighting. Adjusters use a pop-up tool (similar to the expanding dash protectors) that have lines on them.
If you would like to download a clean paintless dent repair hail matrix, please right click any of the following. We have several available.
We have a Geico Hail Matrix;
We have a State Farm Hail Matrix:
We have an American Family hail matrix:
We have Farmers hail matrix:
We have an Erie hail matrix:
Each of the insurance companies hail damage PDR Hail Matrix may change at any given time. But as of current, this is what we have on hand.
There are also PDR Hail Matrixes online like the subscription based hail matrix in mobile tech rx…. That will come in a completely different blog post about insurance company hail software.
You may reach out to us at any time to see if we have any additional resources.
Want to understand more about automotive hail repair? Check out our following blog posts:
Do I have enough damage to file a claim?
Does My Car Insurance Cover Hail Damage?
Understanding the Cost to Fix Hail Damage: A Simple Guide
Hail damage in the USA and our Mobile Estimating APP
