QuestionQUESTION: I have a 2007 Santa Fe and the other day driving on INterestate a rock hit the roof and made two small dents and lost paint. Will this r ust and am I looking alot of money to fix this ?
ANSWER: If the paint has come off down to bare metal, then you'll eventually get rust. If primer is still covering all the bare metal, then there is no rust hazard.
Unfortunately, anything involving straightening and painting will require a significant amount of money to repair to a like new state. On the other hand, if you can just put some touch-up paint on the spots and not worry about the dents, then you could do that, too.
Since this is a new vehicle, I'm figuring it's very likely you have insurance to cover this. If so, let the size of your deductible and your willingness to pay it be your guide. If your deductible is more than $500, it's probably wise to get an estimate or two from a body shop to determine whether the deductible exceeds the cost to repair.
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QUESTION: 250 is my insurance deductible. How would I know if im looking at Metal or Primer
ANSWER: Metal will typically be shiny, primer dull. If you're in doubt, have a body shop look at it. Almost certainly, repairs will be more than $250, so consider that to be your portion of the repair.
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QUESTION: one last thing, if you do not mind. Can my insurance raise my rates because of this.
AnswerIn most states, the insurance companies are not allowed to raise your rates for comprehensive claims, but I'm not sure of the laws in all states.
Someone in the Insurance Law category (http://www.allexperts.com/browse.cgi?catLvl=3&catID=923) may be able to provide a more definite answer regarding whether your rates may increase.
