A Florida driver experiences a rite of passage when a brutal hailstorm damages the car. According to State Farm, the insurance company Joe Then had, paid $3.5 billion for hail claims in 2022. Then was caught in a storm this July and contacted his insurance company after hail caused several external damages to his Ford Mustang.

A claims department representative told him to take it to a shop listed on a preapproved list.

“‘You have the option to take it to a shop of your choice, but if any of the repairs are not done right then that’s between you and that repair shop,'” Then recalled to WFTS reporters.

Then chose a shop local to him and waited five months to get his car back. He felt gutted when he saw his Mustang for the first time.

“Look here, look how cheap,” he told said. He pointed to the uneven paint on the hood, poor fitting, and missing paint all over the body. Then was furious about the botched bondo.

“For me, it’s garbage,” said Then. To him, the Mustang didn’t feel like the same car. Especially at freeway speeds. “When you’re going more than 65 to 75 miles an hour, it shakes a little bit.”

Then was offered an additional $2,600 by his insurance, but he’s worried it’ll happen to someone else.

An expert says people need to be pesky

Mark Friedlander worked with the Insurance Information Insititute, a non-profit that helps people understand how insurance works, their rights, and what they can do in situations like Then’s.

Mark said Florida drivers are protected under laws that pressure companies to be transparent. Florida laws state drivers are allowed to choose their repair shops, too.

“You have a right to get a written summarized estimate; you have a right to inspect all parts that have been replaced,” he explained over video. Any time there’s an issue with the fix, like the quality, a phone call is the next step.

“You need to contact your assigned insurance adjuster as quickly as possible because your insurer is responsible for getting your car back to its original condition,” he said.