Hail can do a lot of damage to a car, and the price tag to bring it back to normal can put a major dent in your bank account.
In fact, a Plano woman got a huge bill after a spring hail storm, but the car wasn't even hers.
The sedan was clearly banged up after a huge thunderstorm dropped hail right over the Subaru of Plano dealership where Lori Bell returned her car at the end of her lease.
Bell says she handed over the keys, surrendering the car in good condition on April 8. The hail storm took place two week later, April 21.
Chase bank reportedly didn’t inspect until May, long after she returned the car.
When the inspector saw it all he sent the bill to Bell, thousands of dollars in damages and Lori couldn’t get the leasing company to say she was off the hook so she turned to us.
NBC 5 Responds has been investigating this issue for the last few weeks.
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A spokesperson for Chase gave us this statement.
“Leased cars that are returned are typically inspected in prompt fashion. In this situation, the car wasn't inspected for more than a week due to a miscommunication. During this delay, the hail storm took place, causing damage to the car. When the vehicle was inspected, the inspector did not know when the damage had taken place. We appreciate the situation being brought to our attention and we are glad to resolve it.”
Lori learned the hard way the importance of documenting the condition of a car before you return it.
This goes for leases or just a weekend rental. The company typically inspects a little later, so make sure you take several photos of the car when you return to a dealership or rental car lot.
