On April 14, 1999, Sydney was besieged by cricket-ball-sized hail that travelled at 200km/h, smashing 24,000 homes and 70,000 vehicles.1 More than half a million tonnes of ice fell during the storm, causing damage exceeding $9 billion in today’s money.1 The Sydney hailstorm still stands as the costliest natural disaster in Australian history.1
But it’s far from a one-off event. Between 1967 and 2023, hailstorms accounted for more than 20% of all insurance losses in Australia.2 And over a 16-day period at the end of 2025, storms across Queensland and NSW led to more than 39,000 car insurance claims for items such as smashed windscreens, body damage, and in some cases, complete car write offs.3
While hail can strike in any season, the biggest hailstones usually hit in spring and early summer.4 Sydney and Brisbane are particularly vulnerable to hailstorms,1 and research also shows that giant hail is becoming more frequent in other centres, including Melbourne, Perth and Canberra.2
With hailstones becoming more frequent and severe,2 knowing how to help protect your car from hail may help you to minimise costly damage to your car. Read on for some preventative steps you can take – from hail protection car covers to quick DIY options – and what to do if it starts hailing while you’re behind the wheel. We’ll also address when and how you can make a car insurance claim for hail damage.
Understanding hail warnings
Proper hail preparation ideally begins before the first ice hits the ground and that means paying attention to official hail warnings. Understanding warnings is key to knowing how to protect your car from hail.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issues a Severe Thunderstorm Warning when a storm is expected to produce large hail with a diameter of at least 2cm, wind gusts of at least 90km/h, very heavy rain and/or tornadoes.4 If hailstones larger than 5cm are expected, the BOM will add ‘Giant Hail’ to its warning.4
“National and international studies have shown that hail of that size increases associated damage by several orders of magnitude – mostly because roof tiles start to break,” explains the Bureau.
If you want to set up severe storm alerts directly to your phone, follow these simple steps from BOM.
What to do before a hailstorm
Unlike other severe weather events, such as flooding, it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact location of severe thunderstorms in advance, so you’ll typically have no more than three hours’ notice that hail may be on its way.4
There are steps you can take to give your car the best possible chance against falling hailstones, but before you do, expert commentator Geoff Evans, co-founder of Disaster Relief Australia, has a warning.
“Before you go rushing around with tarps and rope, remember that your safety – and that of your loved ones – always comes first,” says Evans.
“It’s natural to want to protect a high-value asset, but no vehicle is worth risking your life. Things are replaceable, but people are not.”
1. Plan ahead and be prepared
When weather conditions deteriorate, the safest option is to stay off the roads if possible.5 If you must travel, consider keeping your local ABC radio station on in the background and listen for updates.6
It can also be a good idea to monitor the storm cell itself on the BOM website as you may need to change your route, or delay travel plans, to avoid driving into danger.6,7
2. Park undercover if you can
A garage, carport or underground car park will provide the best protection for your car from large hailstones.
“Even if you have to pay for covered parking, such as at a shopping centre, it will be a lot less than your insurance excess, or worse, than if you don’t have comprehensive car insurance at all,” says Stephen Ottley, Australian motoring expert and Senior Contributor to CarsGuide.
If you do have to park outdoors, park away from trees, powerlines and waterways.6
3. Consider buying a car hail protector
Not everyone has access to a garage, carport or local car park. If you’re in this category and want to protect your outdoor car from hail, investing in a car hail protector cover can be one way of minimising damage.
“Some retailers offer specialty car hail protector covers,” says Ottley. “The cheaper hail protectors come with about 5mm of padding for the uppermost surfaces, and the pricier ones have padding for the side panels as well.
“If you don’t have any undercover options, hail car covers offer a bit of protection for a few hundred dollars and could save you from the hassle of getting your vehicle repaired.”
4. Cover your car in blankets
If no undercover shelter is available for your car, you could cover it in blankets, quilts, tarp, sleeping bags, towels, yoga mats – whatever is on hand, suggests Ottley.
“Anything that can cushion a falling hailstone is better than nothing,” says Ottley. “Just make sure you strap anything securely to the car with a ratchet strap or rope so it doesn’t blow off the first moment the wind starts picking up.”
What to do if it starts hailing while you’re driving
Hail can be unpredictable. If you’re caught out driving during a hailstorm, Dr Ingrid Johnston, Chief Executive Officer of the Australasian College of Road Safety, offers the following advice:
- Slow down immediately, and increase the gap between your vehicle and the one in front.
- Turn your headlights on to low-beam to enhance the visibility of your vehicle to others.
- Seek shelter in covered areas if they’re safe to reach. If that’s not an option, stop safely off the roadway with your hazard lights on, in a side road, emergency stopping lane or other, until safe to resume driving.
- Avoid stopping under powerlines or trees and remain in your vehicle if there’s lightning.
- Obey all road closure signs, and do not attempt to cross flooded roads.
- Be mindful of other road users and their lack of visibility.
- Do not speed up to reach cover or take risks that will endanger you, your passengers and other road users.
- Wait until the storm is finished and you have clear visibility to drive before proceeding.
Adds Ottley: “Your car will provide a reasonable level of protection during a hailstorm, although if you have a blanket, put it over you and get as close to the middle of the car as possible, away from the windows, until the hail has stopped.”
Does car insurance cover hail damage to your car?
While it helps to know how to protect your car from hail, it’s also good to know your car insurance has you covered, should hail damage occur.
Whether or not you’re covered will depend on your policy but, generally speaking, you’ll need comprehensive car insurance to be able to lodge a claim for hail damage.
“If you take out Comprehensive car insurance with Youi, storm, hail and flood damage is automatically included,”8 says Marni Jackson, Youi’s Head of Product – Vehicle and Lifestyle.
“Depending on your circumstances, where you’re located and how badly your car is damaged, we may arrange for you to take your vehicle to one of our hail assessment centres. Their specialised lighting and equipment can detect damage that may not be visible to the naked eye or in photos, helping us assess your vehicle accurately.”
What should you do if your car has been damaged by hail?
Once the storm has passed, it can be a shock to discover that your car has come off second-best to a barrage of hailstones – whether that’s shattered glass or dimpled panels. But there are some practical steps you can take to help you get back on the road:
- If you’re covered for hail damage, contact your insurer as soon as you can – hail events can lead to a large volume of claims that all need to be processed.
- Take clear photos of the damage – wide shots and close-up images can often assist insurers with their assessment.
- Your insurer will guide you through how to lodge your claim, what excess may apply, and next steps for assessment and repair.
- If you’re a Youi customer, you can lodge your claim online 24/7 or over the phone on 13 9684.
If the car is repairable:
- You’ll usually be directed to an approved repairer.
- They’ll provide a repair timeline and keep you updated.
- Some policies may offer a hire car depending on the type of cover you hold.9
If the car is declared a total loss (write-off):
- Your insurer will advise you of payout options based on your policy – the outcome will depend on whether you’re insured for Market Value or Agreed Value.
“Don’t drive the car if the windscreen is cracked or headlights or tail-lights are broken,” adds Ottley. “And don’t try to pop dents out yourself as DIY repairs can complicate your insurance claim or cause further damage.”
Real-life case study: How Youi handled Nicole’s hail damage claim
When a severe hailstorm came seemingly from nowhere for Youi customer Nicole, falling balls of ice pummelled her two cars. Afterwards, dents – large and small – covered almost every surface.
“The hail actually hit straight away, with no rain or anything,” said Nicole at the time. “The cars were parked out in front of the house, and we had no pre-warning to move them undercover.”
Shortly after the storm, Youi was in Nicole’s area setting up an assessment centre. Nicole was advised to bring her cars down. She was in and out in 10 minutes as assessors looked over her cars’ exteriors in a special drive-through light tunnel. Nicole didn’t even need to leave her car. Hail repairer Joel had organised a future date to start repairs and within a few weeks, both cars were fixed.
“It was all surprisingly easy,” said Nicole.
Another pleasant surprise was learning that because both cars were damaged in the same insured incident, at the same address and at the same time, she’d only need to pay the higher of the excess amounts noted on her policies, not an excess for both.
“From the very beginning, when we lodged our claims, all the way through to getting the cars repaired, Youi handled the whole process really well,” said Nicole.
“I wouldn’t change our policies at all – we’ll be sticking with Youi.”
If you want the same kind of cover for hail, consider starting a quote with Youi today for Comprehensive car insurance. If you’d like more tips on how to prepare for extreme weather events, visit our Severe Weather Hub.
1 Source: ABC News – The ‘mother of all storms’ surprised Sydney. Are we better prepared now?, March 2025
2 Source: ABC News – Giant hail threat increases for Australian cities as climate warms, July 2025
3 Source: ABC News – Tens of thousands of cars damaged after hailstorms lash Queensland and parts of New South Wales, December 2025
4 Source: Bureau of Meteorology – Explainer: How does hail form?, May 2018
5 Source: NSW Government – Driving in poor conditions
6 Source: ABC – What to do during a storm or severe weather, October 2025
7 Source: SES NSW – Know your storm risk
8 Exclusions and limits may apply. Where you have increased your cover or reduced your excess within 72 hours of a flood, storm, hail or bushfire occurring, cover will be limited to the amount that was effective prior to the change. Loss, damage or legal liability caused by, resulting or arising from flood, storm, hail or bushfire during the first 72 hours of your policy first being purchased is excluded unless certain conditions apply. For more details, see PDS, TMD and your policy schedule.
9 Limits and exclusions apply. See the PDS for full details.
