Hail damage is harm from hailstones to your roof, siding, gutters, windows, fences or car. Photograph everything first, call your insurance company to report it, and make only temporary repairs until the adjuster has seen the damage. Then get written bids from contractors you have checked, and keep every receipt.
The storm has passed. There are dents in the gutters, shingles in the yard, and a stranger at the door offering to check your roof for free. Take the steps below in order, and you stay in charge of the claim and the repair.
- Report damage to your insurer as soon as possible. The Texas Department of Insurance says to call your company to report damage.
- Take pictures and video before any permanent repair, and don’t throw anything away until the adjuster says so.
- Make temporary repairs only, and keep the receipts.
- For hail damage to your car, contact your auto insurer.
- Some insurers use a separate wind and hail deductible on top of your regular one.
- Some policies have a one-year deadline to file a claim.
- Don’t pay the whole repair bill up front. Be wary of any contractor who offers to waive your deductible.
- Just had a storm: start with Step 1.
- Checking for damage: Step 1, then the roof and siding section.
- Filing a claim: Steps 2, 3 and 4.
- Claim denied or low: see “Claim denied or paid too little?”
- Choosing a roofer: Step 6.
- Replacing the roof anyway: see “Replacing the roof anyway?”
What is hail, and how does size relate to damage?
The National Severe Storms Laboratory, part of NOAA, describes hail as solid ice that forms inside thunderstorm updrafts and says it can damage aircraft, homes and cars. Wind-driven hail can tear up siding, break windows and break side windows on cars.
Bigger stones fall faster, and that fall speed is what they hit your roof, siding or car with. NOAA gives these ranges for expected fall speed:
| Hailstone size (diameter) | Expected fall speed (NOAA) |
|---|---|
| Under 1 inch | 9 to 25 mph |
| 1 inch to 1.75 inches (typical in a severe thunderstorm) | 25 to 40 mph |
| 2 to 4 inches (strongest supercells) | 44 to 72 mph |
NOAA also notes that early research assumed hail fell like solid ice spheres, while newer research using 3-D printed casts of real hailstones found natural hail falls more slowly than that.
Step 1: Check the roof, siding, gutters and car
Walk the outside of the house and look hardest at the sides the storm hit. Check gutters guide material for dents, siding for cracks or tears, windows for chips or breaks, fences and sheds, and any shingle pieces in the yard. Check your car’s hood, roof and windows too.
NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory has an On-Demand tool that maps hail detected by radar on satellite images, and damage surveyors have used it. Use it to confirm the date and area of the storm, which helps you show when the damage happened: NOAA hail research and radar mapping.
Leave live electrical, gas, structural damage, and suspected asbestos or lead to licensed pros. For the first day’s order of tasks, the storm damage first 24 hours guide walks you through it.
Step 2: Photograph everything before anything changes
The Texas Department of Insurance tells homeowners to take pictures and video of the damage and not to throw anything away until the insurance adjuster tells you to. Photograph each room, closets and the garage, and open drawers to show what is inside.
| What to photograph | Where it shows up in your policy |
|---|---|
| Roof shingles, metal panels and hail dents | Dwelling coverage, which covers the house and structures attached to it. Any separate wind or hail deductible. |
| Gutters, siding and windows on the house | Dwelling coverage. Colorado’s regulator says insurers only have to repair or replace the actual damage, not matching undamaged sides. |
| Fences, sheds and detached garages | Other structures coverage, which covers structures not attached to the house. |
| Furniture, electronics, clothing and lawn equipment | Personal property coverage. Home policies usually pay a percentage of your dwelling limit for this. |
| Trees and shrubs | Most policies don’t cover wind or hail damage to trees and shrubs. |
| Your car | For hail damage to your car, look to your auto policy. |
| Your declarations page | Lists your coverages, dollar limits and deductibles. Read it before you call. |
Keep all of it in one place with the insurance repair claim log guide.
Step 3: Report to your insurer and make only temporary repairs
Call your insurance agent or company as soon as possible to report the damage. The Texas Department of Insurance advises you to keep a record of everyone you talk to at your company, be ready to answer questions about the damage, and ask about an advance payment if you need money quickly.
Ask about living expenses as well. Texas’s regulator notes that most policies cover some costs if you can’t live in your home because of covered damage, and you should keep those receipts.
Make temporary repairs only. Missouri’s Department of Insurance gives the example of a hole in the roof covered with a tarp or other material to keep out rain. Keep the receipts for materials, since you can be reimbursed for them. Don’t make permanent repairs until your insurer has inspected the damage. Missouri’s regulator says the company may not reimburse you if you do.
Step 4: Read your policy, deductible and deadlines
Your policy terms decide how much you get and what you pay first. Here is what each term means for a hail claim.
| Policy term | What it means for your claim |
|---|---|
| Replacement cost coverage | Pays to repair or replace at current prices. Texas’s example: a roof bought 10 years ago, with a current price of $10,000, would be paid at today’s price under a replacement cost policy. Texas says to be fully protected, make sure your policy has this coverage. |
| Actual cash value coverage | The other type of home policy. Compare it with replacement cost on your declarations page. |
| Wind and hail deductible | Virginia’s regulator says many insurers have a separate deductible for wind, hail or named storms. It can be a flat amount, such as $2,000, or a percentage of your dwelling coverage. The Virginia guide’s example: with a 2% deductible on a $200,000 dwelling and a $5,000 loss, you pay the first $4,000 and the company pays $1,000. |
| Claim filing deadline | Texas says most companies have deadlines, and some policies have a one-year deadline unless you can show good cause for the delay. |
| Matching undamaged siding | Colorado’s regulator says no law requires a company to match siding or paint on undamaged sides. |
| Non-renewal after hail | Colorado’s regulator says no law addresses non-renewal because of a storm, but an insurer may consider non-renewing after multiple losses, including hail. |
| Texas coast wind and hail | A home policy might not cover wind and hail on the Texas coast. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association sells that coverage. |
Policies and state rules vary, so read your declarations page with your agent before you assume what is covered.
Step 5: If hail hit your car
Hail can damage cars, and NOAA says wind-driven hail can break side windows on them. The Texas Department of Insurance provides a separate auto claims guide for damaged or totaled cars, so contact your auto insurer about a hail claim.
Can hail total a car, and will it get a salvage title?
The answer depends on the state. Colorado’s insurance regulator answers the question of whether an insurer can require a salvage title before paying a hail claim by pointing to state motor vehicle law. That law defines a salvage vehicle in § 42-6-102 (17) (a), C.R.S., and the definition specifically exempts a total loss as the result of hail.
Other states have their own title rules, so ask your auto insurer in writing whether the car is a total loss and what title it will carry. The Texas Department of Insurance recovery tips page includes an auto claims guide for cars that are totaled.
Getting hail dents repaired on a car
Missouri’s Department of Insurance advises getting estimates from auto repair shops known to you or recommended by someone you trust, and being suspicious of strangers who offer repairs.
Can hail damage a roof, a metal roof, solar panels or siding?
Yes, hail can damage homes, and NOAA says wind-driven hail can tear up siding. The Institute for Business and Home Safety, known as IBHS, tests how roofing holds up. Its Hail Lab fires lab-made hailstones at roofing materials with a pressurized cannon. The Texas Department of Insurance’s Texas roofing discounts page describes impact-resistance classes and insurer discounts.
IBHS lists studies on asphalt shingles, synthetic composite shingles, and low-slope metal roofing, including one titled “Hail Impact Performance of Low-Slope Metal Roofing.” Read that study for how the roofing was tested. Its list also includes “Water Leakage Vulnerabilities for Shingles with Hail Damage.”
For solar panels, IBHS lists a pilot impact testing study of photovoltaic panels. Ask your installer and your insurer how panels are covered before a storm, and photograph them after one like everything else.
For siding, the siding options guide covers materials and maintenance. Colorado’s regulator says a company is only required to repair or replace the actual damage, not undamaged sides.
If you want to know your roof’s condition before the next storm, the roof inspection guide lists warning signs.
Step 6: Choose a contractor carefully
After a hailstorm, storm chasers show up fast. Illinois’ attorney general warns residents to be wary of contractors who go door to door offering repairs or “free” inspections. Georgia’s attorney general says storm victims are often vulnerable and that some scammers take up-front payments and then disappear. The Illinois attorney general repair scam alert and the Georgia attorney general storm fraud guide both list warning signs.
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Get written bids from at least three contractors. Georgia’s attorney general says be skeptical if a bid is too low. | Don’t assume the cheapest bid is best. Georgia’s attorney general says cheaper is not necessarily better. |
| Ask for three references from customers with similar projects, and check them. | Don’t hire someone who came to your door offering free inspections or repairs. |
| Get a written contract with start and completion dates. Illinois requires one for repair work over $1,000, signed by both you and the contractor. | Don’t accept an arrangement without a written contract. Georgia’s attorney general says to steer clear of contractors who refuse one. |
| Pay in stages tied to completed work. Georgia’s attorney general suggests no more than one-third as a down payment. | Don’t pay the whole project before work begins. Missouri’s regulator says pay in full only when the work is complete. |
| Talk to your insurer before committing to repairs or letting a roofer inspect. | Don’t accept an offer to pay or waive your deductible. Texas law makes it illegal for contractors or roofers to offer to waive a deductible or promise a rebate for it. |
| Let the insurer inspect before permanent repairs. | Don’t let a contractor inspect the property while you’re not watching. Missouri’s regulator warns that some companies cause damage to drive up the bill. |
Check licenses before you sign. Arizona’s attorney general says most contractors must be licensed through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. Illinois’ attorney general says roofers must be licensed by the state’s Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and a roofer or adjuster whose license name doesn’t match the business card or truck should raise a red flag. Pennsylvania’s attorney general says contractors doing more than $5,000 of home improvement work must be registered, and it runs a searchable contractor database. See the Pennsylvania attorney general storm scam warning. For the full screening process, use the hiring a contractor guide.
Step 7: Meet the adjuster, compare bids, and pay safely
The Texas Department of Insurance advises you to be there when the adjuster visits and point out all the damage. Get multiple bids and compare them with the adjuster’s report before you settle the claim. Save proof that you paid your deductible, since insurers can ask for a receipt or canceled check.
Georgia’s attorney general says the payment schedule should be in the contract: no more than one-third as a down payment, remaining payments tied to completed work, and the final payment due only when the job is finished. Pennsylvania’s attorney general mentions arranging with your bank for a Certificate of Completion, where the bank pays the contractor for each stage after it approves the work.
What does hail damage repair cost, and is it worth it?
Repair cost depends on what was hit and how badly, so the number that counts is each contractor’s written bid. Ask for the price, the scope of work and the start and finish dates in the contract.
| Cost item | How it works |
|---|---|
| Your deductible | The Virginia guide uses $500 as an example of a standard deductible you pay before the insurer pays on a property damage claim. A higher deductible lowers your premium, but you pay more each time you claim. |
| Wind and hail deductible | A flat amount, or a percentage of dwelling coverage. See the example in Step 4. |
| Replacement cost or actual cash value | Replacement cost pays at current prices. Check which one you have before you compare bids to the payment. |
| Living expenses | Most policies cover some costs if covered damage keeps you out of your home. Keep receipts. |
| Temporary repairs | Keep the receipts for materials. Missouri’s regulator says you can be reimbursed for them. |
To judge whether a repair is worth it, compare the insurer’s payment, your deductible and the written bids. Missouri’s regulator says further damage from an open hole in the roof will likely not be covered by your policy, so covering the opening quickly is part of the decision.
Claim denied or paid too little?
The Texas Department of Insurance says that if you believe your insurer didn’t pay enough or unfairly denied your claim, you have options. Its Help Line is open Monday to Friday at 800-252-3439. Missouri’s Department of Insurance takes complaints when it believes an insurer hasn’t followed Missouri law in processing a claim, at 800-726-7390 or insurance.mo.gov.
Pennsylvania’s homeowners insurance page says its Consumer Services Bureau can answer insurance questions. Visit the Pennsylvania homeowners insurance page to start.
| Who to contact | When to call | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Your insurer or agent | First, as soon as the damage is found | The claims number on your policy. Missouri’s regulator says to use the toll-free claims number. |
| Texas Department of Insurance | Insurer paid too little, denied the claim, or you need help with the process | 800-252-3439, Monday to Friday |
| Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel | Questions about insurance rights and complaints | 1-877-611-6742 |
| Missouri Department of Insurance | Insurer isn’t handling the claim properly, or you lost your insurer’s contact information | 800-726-7390 |
| State attorney general’s consumer line | Suspected repair scam or contractor fraud | Georgia: 1-800-869-1123 (toll-free in Georgia) or (404) 651-8600. Illinois: 1-800-243-0618 in Springfield. Pennsylvania: 1-800-441-2555. |
| Georgia Department of Insurance | Suspected contractor insurance fraud | 1-800-656-2298 |
Each state’s department of insurance and attorney general list their own numbers, so find yours on your state’s website if you are not in one of these states.
Replacing the roof anyway?
Some insurers give discounts for impact-resistant roofing. The Texas Department of Insurance says the material must be tested for impact resistance at a test laboratory under a recognized standard and classified as Class 1, 2, 3 or 4. Class 4 gets the highest premium credit, and each insurer sets the discount for each class.
For Texas Windstorm Insurance Association credits, the material must pass UL Standard 2218 and carry a label showing the manufacturer’s name, the year made and the brand name. After installation, the contractor fills out TDI form PC068, which goes to the policyholder and to TWIA.
Your next step
- Photograph and video the roof, siding, gutters, windows, fences, car and each room of your home.
- Call your insurer and write down the claim number, the date and the name of everyone you spoke to.
- Make temporary repairs only, and keep every receipt.
- Find your deductible, any wind and hail deductible, and your claim deadline on your declarations page.
- Get at least three written bids, and check the contractor’s license.
- Be there for the adjuster’s visit and compare the bids with the adjuster’s report.
- Pay your deductible, keep proof of it, and tie each payment to finished work.
Where to go next, stage by stage
Each guide below covers one stage of a hail claim, from the first walk-around to the next roof. The National Severe Storms Laboratory notes that wind-driven hail can tear up siding on houses and break side windows on cars, so check every exposed side of the house and your car.
Checking the damage
- how to check roof for hail damage walks you through what to look for on the roof before you call anyone.
- hail damage siding, gutters and windows checklist covers the parts of the house besides the roof that hail can hit.
The insurance claim
- does homeowners insurance cover hail damage answers whether a home policy pays for hail losses.
- how to file a hail damage claim is the page for the filing step itself, from reporting the loss onward.
- hail damage roof insurance claim denied is a checklist for a denied hail damage roof insurance claim.
Contractors and the repair
- storm chaser roofers warning signs lists the warning signs of roofers who show up right after a hailstorm.
Next roof
- impact resistant shingles insurance discount explains how impact-resistant roofing can affect your premium and what to ask before you buy.
Every guide on this topic
- storm damage first 24 hours guide
- roof inspection guide
- insurance repair claim log guide
- hiring a contractor guide
- gutters guide
- siding guide
By HomeRemodelingAndRepairs.net Home Research & Editorial Team