Insurance claim after hail

A hail claim is mostly paperwork, and most of the money lost on hail claims is lost in the paperwork: filing when it wasn’t worth it, missing items that were covered, or never collecting depreciation that was owed. Here is how to avoid each one.

1Measure it against your deductible first

Find your deductible on the declarations page. Many policies carry a separate wind and hail deductible, sometimes a flat dollar figure and sometimes a percentage of the insured value. Then get a repair estimate before you call the insurer.

Damage that might be under the deductible

2Establish the date of loss

Most policies have a filing window that runs from the date of loss, not from when you noticed the damage. The NOAA storm events record shows when hail fell in your county and at what size, and it is free to search. Note the date and keep a copy with your claim file.

3Document it properly

1. Photos from the groundTake your own date-stamped photos of dented metal and visible damage on each side of the house.
2. A chalked test squareAsk the roofer to chalk a test square on each slope, mark the hits, and photograph them with something for scale.
3. A written estimateLine by line, so you can compare it with the adjuster’s figures.
4. Soft metalPhotograph dented vents, flashing, gutters and downspouts. They show hail fell and which way it came from.
5. Keep everything togetherPhotos, estimates, the NOAA record, and notes of every call with the insurer and its date.

4Include everything the hail hit

These items are all claimable, and all routinely omitted when only the roof is inspected:

Garage doorsGuttersSidingWindows

5What the adjuster will do

The adjuster chalks a test square, usually ten feet by ten, and counts strikes within it. The count per square decides whether each slope is approved. Hail damage reads as a soft bruise under the granules, not a hole, so a damaged roof can look fine from the ground. Having your roofer present for the inspection helps make sure the same hits are counted.

Hail damage roof repairHail damage signs on shingles

6ACV or RCV: know which you have

On RCV, the second check is not automatic. Submit the final invoice when the work is complete, and ask your insurer how long you have to do it.

7Choosing who does the work

After a big storm, out-of-state crews arrive in numbers. Ask for a local business address, proof of general liability and workers’ compensation, and a warranty from a company that will still exist in five years.

Storm chaser knocking after a hail event

8If the claim is denied or underpaid

Ask for the adjuster’s report and request a re-inspection, and have your own contractor there. Items found once work starts, such as damaged decking, are normally handled as a supplement between the contractor and the carrier.

Some things an inspection finds aren’t storm damage and usually aren’t covered, such as old layers, plank decking or worn flashing. They can still change the scope of the job, so ask about them before work starts.

10More on this

Conditions a roof inspection often turns up alongside hail damage:

• Two or three layers of shingle already on the roof
• Plank decking with gaps between the boards
• Rust streaks below the chimney flashing
• Wood shingle under the asphalt
• No ridge vent and no soffit intake
• Valley metal rusted or missing
• Masonry chimney needs work
• Sagging visible along the ridge line

Storm claim, step by stepIs that hail damage?Wind damage vs hail damageAll roofing problems