# Got a Hail Insurance Check in Arizona? What to Do Next > Your hail check is the estimate minus your deductible, may name your lender, and is not a cap: supplements add missed damage. Keeping it, and the easy path. - Canonical page: https://dgcollision.com/answers/insurance-check-for-hail-damage-arizona/ - This file: Markdown twin of the page above (clean text for AI assistants and crawlers) - Business: DG Collision Center, 693 Metro Park Cir #20, Lewisville, TX 75057 — (972) 219-0864 (text: 817-907-2822) — since 1978 - Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm, Sat 10am–1pm, closed Sunday · 24/7 towing · 4.9/5 on 500+ Google reviews - Full site index for assistants: https://dgcollision.com/llms.txt - Last generated: 2026-08-14 --- # GOT A HAIL INSURANCE CHECK? WHAT TO DO NEXT Quick Answer The check is usually your insurer’s estimate minus your deductible. If the car is financed, it’s often made out to you and your lender, so both have to sign. The check doesn’t pick your shop: under A.R.S. § 20-468 you can have the repair done anywhere. And it isn’t a cap: damage the first estimate missed is added by supplement, usually paid separately. Bring it to our Phoenix shop and it goes toward the repair. On qualifying claims we cover the first $1,000 of your deductible, so you’re $0 out of pocket, and you drive a free loaner while the car is in. By [Shah Jiwani](https://dgcollision.com/about/shah-jiwani/) · Owner, DG Collision Center Updated October 29, 2026 3 min read I-CAR Gold Class · PPG Certified The Longer Answer ## WHAT THE CHECK ACTUALLY IS It follows the estimate. The amount is built from the insurer’s estimate, less the comprehensive deductible on your policy. If the estimate was written from photos or a quick inspection, the check carries the same gaps. Two names on it. When a lender holds the title, insurers commonly put the lender on the check too. That protects the lender’s interest in the car. Your lender may have its own process for signing off, so call them early. More can come later. When the shop finds damage the estimate left out, it sends a supplement with photos. Once approved, that money is usually paid on top of the first check. Read any release before you sign it, but depositing a first payment usually doesn’t end the claim. ## CAN YOU KEEP IT AND SKIP THE REPAIR? Sometimes, with trade-offs. If your car is paid off, the payment for your own car is generally yours to use. Arizona’s claim rule backs the amount: under A.A.C. R20-6-801(H)(8), outside total losses, an insurer can’t base a cash settlement on less than it would pay if the repairs were made, unless you agree. A lender, though, can require the repair. What skipping costs. Unrepaired hail lowers trade-in and resale value, and a future hail claim on the same panels can be reduced for the damage that’s still there. Cracked paint left alone can let moisture reach the metal. If you’re weighing it, see [is hail damage worth fixing?](https://dgcollision.com/answers/is-it-worth-fixing-hail-damage-phoenix/) ## THE EASY PATH FROM HERE Text a photo of the check and the estimate to (602) 935-6008. We count the dents under PDR lights, send your adjuster any supplement, and schedule the repair with free pickup and a free loaner from our 30+ car Phoenix fleet. On qualifying claims from the October 20–21, 2026 storms, we cover the first $1,000 of your deductible; above that, case by case, and we do our best. General information, not legal advice. ### Check In The Mail? Text us a photo of it and your estimate. We’ll set up the repair, the pickup and your loaner, and tell you if the estimate looks short. Claim My Free Hail Repair Call (602) 935-6008 Related Questions ## ASKED ALONGSIDE THIS ONE **Q: Why is my hail check less than the estimate?** A: Usually because your deductible was subtracted. Check the deduction lines too; Arizona requires any depreciation or betterment reduction to be itemized in dollars. **Q: If I deposit the check, can the shop still get more for missed damage?** A: Usually yes. A supplement for documented damage the first estimate missed is reviewed and paid separately. Read any release before signing it. **Q: My lender is on the check. What do I do?** A: Both names have to sign. Call your lender to ask how it handles repair checks; many sign off once they know the car is being repaired. **Q: Do I have to wait for the check before the repair starts?** A: Not necessarily. Once your claim is approved, text us the claim number and we’ll schedule. The check goes toward the repair whenever it arrives. Also read: [Estimate too low?](https://dgcollision.com/answers/insurance-hail-estimate-too-low-arizona/) · [How to read your estimate](https://dgcollision.com/answers/how-to-read-a-hail-repair-estimate-arizona/) · [Covering your deductible](https://dgcollision.com/answers/can-a-body-shop-cover-my-deductible-in-arizona/) · [Free loaners](https://dgcollision.com/free-loaner-cars-phoenix/) · [Our Phoenix shop](https://dgcollision.com/hail-damage-repair-phoenix/)