When most people think about major natural catastrophes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes come to mind. But when talking about your vehicle, one of the most expensive weather events can be a hail storm. When preparing your home and property from hail, you’ll also want to prepare your vehicle.

However, there's one other type of storm that, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, causes $1 billion in damage to property and crops each year - hail.

So, how can you avoid being part of that large sum of money, and how can you make sure your coverage is ready in case your car is damaged?

• Get covered parking - Storing your car in a garage, carport, or other covered area is the easiest way to save money and hassle associated with hail damage. If hail is common in your area, covered parking may become a higher priority.
• Ride out the storm - If you don’t have a garage or covered parking and you have enough warning, you may be able to utilize some public parking areas like a mall.
• Use blankets or car covers - If you live in an area where hail is common, you may consider getting a car cover. Blankets will also work in a pinch, as you can tape them to the car, so they don’t blow away.
• Check your insurance coverage - With auto insurance, you probably have collision and comprehensive. But comprehensive may not cover everything, so double check to see if it will cover hail damage.
• Make sure you have Rental coverage - Rental coverage is something that budget-conscious shoppers may remove from their policy to save. But if your car should sustain hail damage and requires repairs, you will be grateful you have it. If looking to save money, consider adding it to your primary vehicle.

Preparing in advance for hailstorms will help you to minimize the damage and save some money in the repairs.

Source: ©2014 Progressive http:progressive.com