What hail damage looks like, by material
Hail damage is easy to miss from the ground and easy to confuse with age. These are the marks adjusters and roofers look for.
| Material | What hail does | Easy to confuse with |
|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingles | Round bruises where granules are knocked off, exposing black asphalt; the mat underneath feels soft when pressed. Fresh hits look dark and shiny. | Blistering (raised, with granules still attached), foot traffic scuffs, normal granule loss in gutters |
| Metal roofing and vents | Dents the size and shape of the stones; soft metals (vents, flashing, gutters, downspouts) dent before the roof does. | Installation dings, which are usually in a line or at fasteners |
| Wood shakes | Splits with sharp edges and orange or brown fresh wood inside; impact marks along the split. | Weathered splits, which are gray inside and rounded |
| Tile and slate | Cracked or broken corners, star-pattern fractures, pieces in the gutter. | Freeze cracks, old breakage |
| Everything else outside | Dents on AC fins, grill lids, mailboxes, window screens with holes, splatter marks on fences and decks. | These are the best proof hail was here at all — photograph them even if the roof looks fine |
Collateral damage (the last row) matters because it dates and sizes the storm. A roof with bruises and no dented gutters invites an argument about age.
How to document it so the adjuster can approve it
The adjuster writes an estimate from what they can see and what you can show. Good documentation shortens the claim; missing documentation is the most common reason a hail claim comes back short.
- Note the date and time of the storm. Write it down and save any weather alert or local news item. Hail is a dated event and the carrier will check the storm records for your address.
- Photograph the ground-level evidence first. Dented gutters, downspouts, AC fins, grill, mailbox, splatter on the deck. Take wide shots that show which house it is, then close-ups with a coin or tape measure for scale.
- Photograph each roof slope. From the ladder at the eave or from a contractor's photos: a wide shot of the slope, then close-ups of hits. Adjusters count hits inside a 10-by-10-foot test square per slope; a contractor can chalk the hits so they show in photos.
- Check inside. Ceiling stains, wet attic insulation, daylight through the deck. Photograph with a date visible.
- Get a written inspection. A roofing or restoration contractor's inspection report with photos, slope-by-slope hit counts and a repair scope is what the claim runs on. Keep a copy; everything else is a photo.
- Cover what's open. Tarp or temporary repair, and keep the receipt. Most policies expect you to prevent further damage, and the cost of doing so is normally part of the claim.
How the claim goes, step by step
- Report the loss to the carrier (online, app or phone). Give the storm date. You get a claim number and an adjuster assignment.
- Adjuster inspection. The adjuster walks the roof or uses drone or satellite imagery, and writes an estimate in Xactimate, the pricing software most carriers use. Have your contractor present if possible; it's common and avoids a second trip.
- The estimate arrives. It lists line items (tear-off, shingles, felt, flashing, disposal) and shows the replacement cost, the depreciation held back, and your deductible. Read it line by line against your contractor's scope.
- Repair or replace. Your contractor does the work from the approved scope. Items the adjuster missed or under-counted go back as a supplement, with photos and a written reason for each.
- Final invoice and the holdback. When the work is done, the contractor's final invoice goes to the carrier to release the recoverable depreciation. Here's how that works.
Timing
Carolina hail season runs March through June and peaks in April and May; Texas and the Plains start earlier, the Front Range runs May to June. Storm-chasing crews arrive within days and leave within weeks. A local certified company will still be here when the supplement comes back.
For contractors reading this
The adjuster's estimate is the starting point. An independent Xactimate estimate written from your inspection, slope by slope, gives you the document to compare it against. restoration.claims writes them flat-rate, first one free, and prices supplements on what they recover.
Questions people ask
How big does hail have to be to damage a roof?
Roofers generally look for one-inch hail (quarter size) and up to damage asphalt shingles, though wind-driven smaller hail and older shingles lower that bar. Soft metals dent at smaller sizes, which is why gutters and vents are checked first.
How long after a hailstorm can I file a claim?
Policies set a window for reporting, and some states set one in law; it is commonly a year or two but it varies. Report promptly either way, because damage that sits through a season gets harder to tie to one storm.
Will my premium go up if I file a hail claim?
That depends on the carrier and the state. Weather claims are often treated differently from other claims, but the only accurate answer comes from your carrier or agent.
Should the contractor meet the adjuster?
Yes, where the carrier allows it. The contractor can point out damage, chalk test squares and agree the scope on the roof, which is the fastest way to a matching estimate.
What if the adjuster says it's wear and tear, not hail?
Ask for the inspection report and photos, and have your contractor's photos and hit counts ready. You can request a re-inspection. If the two sides still disagree, a licensed public adjuster or the policy's appraisal process are the next steps.