If you’ve ever watched your car take a beating in a hailstorm and thought, ‘Of course this happens today,’ you’re not alone. Hail seems to have a personal vendetta against South Africans. Especially on the days when you’ve just washed your car, packed the boot for a weekend away, or decided to park outside because you were ‘only popping in for 5 minutes’.
But here’s the good news. Once you understand how hail forms, why SA gets so much of it, and how it affects your belongings, you’re 1 step closer to protecting your stuff like the legend you are. And if you’re with King Price, you’ll know the king has your back when nature throws icy golf balls at your windscreen.
So grab a cuppa, settle in, and let’s chat about hail, the wild journey it takes before landing on your bonnet, and how you can stay covered when the skies start cooking up frozen trouble.
What exactly is hail
Hail is frozen rain, but not the gentle, festive snowflake kind. It’s more like the angry cousin who shows up without warning and makes a scene at the braai. Hailstones form inside massive thunderstorms in towering clouds called cumulonimbus clouds. These clouds are the overachievers of the weather world. Big, dramatic, noisy, and full of energy.
Inside these clouds, you’ll find powerful updrafts that push air upward at impressive speeds. Think of a giant vertical vacuum cleaner sucking everything into the sky. These updrafts keep water droplets suspended while temperatures drop well below freezing. Add a few rounds of bouncing, tossing, and layering, and voilà. You get hailstones.
Sounds simple enough, right? But the process gets spicy.
Step by step: How hail forms inside a storm
Let’s break it down into clear steps, so you can picture exactly what’s happening above your head while you’re trying to shelter your car under the nearest tree.
Step 1: Warm air rises and takes moisture with it
It starts on a hot day. The ground heats up, the air warms, and warm air rises. That rising air carries loads of moisture skyward. Thunderstorms thrive on heat and humidity, so this is like giving the atmosphere a 5-course meal and a double espresso.
Step 2: Moisture cools and turns into ice
As the moist air rises, temperatures drop. Water droplets freeze into tiny ice pellets. This is the beginning of hail. Not dramatic yet. This is the ‘baby hail’ stage.
Step 3: Strong updrafts act like a trampoline
If the thunderstorm is strong enough, it creates intense updrafts that toss these new ice pellets back up into the cloud again and again.
Every round of rising and falling makes the pellet collect more supercooled water. That water freezes on contact and adds a new icy layer. The stronger the updraft, the longer the hailstone stays airborne and the bigger it becomes.
This is why gigantic hailstones happen. The storm is basically a giant ice factory that refuses to switch off the conveyor belt.
Step 4: Gravity eventually wins
At some point, the hailstone becomes too heavy for the updraft to lift. When the updraft weakens or the hailstone reaches maximum weight capacity, it falls. And it falls fast.
Sometimes it melts slightly before hitting the ground. Other times, it stays rock-solid from cloud to car roof. And that’s when your heart rate goes up, and your insurance becomes your best friend.
Why hailstorms are common in South Africa
SA is famous for biltong, braais, boerewors, and brutal summer storms. But why?
1. Hot ground meets cold upper air
Our summer heat provides perfect fuel for massive thunderstorms. When hot ground air collides with cold air above, you get the perfect recipe for hail.
2. Highveld conditions encourage supercells
The Highveld, especially Gauteng, is 1 of the world’s hail hotspots. Thanks to altitude, temperature contrasts, and rapid storm development, hail thrives here.
3. Fast-moving storms create intense updrafts
The speed and strength of SA storms mean hail doesn’t just form. It forms quickly and aggressively. This gives very little warning. 1 minute you’re hanging out your washing, the next minute your dog is hiding behind the couch.
Types of hail and how they affect your belongings
Not all hailstones are created equal. Some are tiny and harmless. Others are the size of marbles. And then there are the monstrous 1s that make you phone your insurer before the storm even ends.
- Small hail (pea-sized)
Usually harmless. Mostly noisy. It can still damage plants or scratch your car’s paint if the storm is intense.
- Medium hail (marble-sized)
This is where things get spicy. Medium hail can dent metal, crack windshields, damage roof tiles, and turn your garden into a crunchy white wasteland.
- Large hail (golf-ball-sized and up)
This is the hail that makes headlines. It destroys roofs, punches holes through skylights, ruins solar panels, damages cars, and leaves you Googling ‘Is it safe to hide under the dining table?’
How hail affects cars, roofs, and home contents
You didn’t ask for a sneak attack from the sky, but hail doesn’t care. Here’s how it impacts your stuff.
Cars
Hail can cause:
• Dents in the bodywork.
• Cracked windscreens.
• Damaged paint.
• Broken mirrors.
• Wiper damage.
And yes, hail damage to cars is covered under comprehensive car insurance with King Price, unless you requested otherwise, as clearly stated in the policy wording.
If you’ve added scratch and dent cover, you also have a once-per-year hail damage repair benefit for smaller incidents.
Roofs
Hail can crack tiles, damage gutters, and weaken roofing materials. Buildings insurance exists for these wild weather moments, proving that prepared clients sleep better than those who are unprepared.
Home contents
If hail breaks a window and rainwater rushes in, your belongings might get soaked or damaged. Home contents insurance helps protect what’s inside your home. And yes, it covers everything that would fall out if you turned your home upside down.
How to protect yourself when hail is on the way
1. Park undercover whenever possible
Even a shopping centre’s basement parking is your best friend during storm season.
2. Secure outdoor items
Bring inside anything that could break, blow away, or cost you tears.
3. Trim overhanging branches
Falling branches plus hail equals double trouble.
4. Keep an eye on weather alerts
Apps and forecasts help you stay 1 step ahead. Mostly. Hail still loves a surprise entrance.
5. Make sure your insurance is up to date
Because hail doesn’t ask if you’re ready.
How King Price helps protect you from hail damage
When hail hits, you want 2 things. A roof over your head and insurance that actually makes sense.
King Price covers hail damage under:
• Comprehensive car insurance.
• Agreed value car insurance.
• Scratch and dent cover for minor hail dents (once per 12 months).
• Buildings insurance for roof and structural damage.
• Home contents insurance when hail leads to water entering the home.
And, of course, clients with comprehensive insurance also get roadside assist and accident assist, which is handy if the hailstorm leaves you stuck or unsafe.
The king keeps things simple, affordable, and honest. The only thing we can’t control is the weather. However, we can handle everything afterwards.
Summary
Hail forms when hot air rises, freezes, and cycles through strong updrafts inside massive thunderstorms. The longer a hailstone stays inside the storm, the bigger it becomes. Once it becomes too heavy, it falls, often leaving South Africans scrambling to protect their cars, roofs, and precious belongings.
But with the king on your side, hail becomes a worry you don’t have to carry alone. Whether it dents your car, damages your roof, or sends you running for cover, King Price offers simple, affordable, royally reliable protection.
Ready to get hail-ready with the king
If you want insurance that keeps you covered when nature goes full drama mode, chat to King Price. From comprehensive car cover to buildings and home contents insurance, the king protects what matters to you. Get a quote today and enjoy simple, cheap insurance fit for royalty.
FAQs about hail and hail insurance
1. Does King Price cover hail damage to cars
Yes. Comprehensive, agreed value, and chilli car cover include hail damage unless you asked for it to be excluded.
2. Does scratch and dent cover include hail dents
Yes. Scratch and dent includes 1 hail repair per 12-month period for minor damage.
3. Is my home covered if hail breaks my roof
Buildings insurance covers structural damage caused by hail. Home contents insurance covers belongings damaged inside the home.
4. What should I do if my car is hit by hail
Take photos, note the date and time, and contact King Price’s claims team. If the car is unsafe, call the emergency assist line.
5. Can hail damage be prevented
You can reduce the risk through undercover parking and weather alerts, but you can’t stop hail storms. Insurance exists for this reason.