Start from the ground. Photograph visible damage and use measures you can perform safely from stable ground; have a contractor inspect areas requiring a closer look. NSSL classifies quarter-size hail (1 inch across) or larger as severe; record the size you observed, if you can do so safely. Photograph and date everything before you make any repair, and tell your insurer as soon as possible.
For the full order of steps after a storm, read the hail damage step-by-step guide.
What to look for from the ground
Use only measures you can perform safely from stable ground. Use only measures you can perform safely from stable ground; have a professional inspect areas requiring a closer look. Start with these spots.
| Where to look | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Siding | Look for visible siding damage |
Check every side of the house, not only the side facing the sky. The NOAA hail basics page says that when surface winds are strong, hail can fall at an angle or even nearly sideways, and that wind-driven hail can tear up siding and break windows.
For the roof surface itself, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) publishes hail research on asphalt shingles, synthetic composite shingles and low-slope metal roofing; see its IBHS hail research pages. IBHS publishes hail research on several roofing materials. If you hire a contractor to inspect, Missouri’s Department of Insurance advises not letting the contractor inspect while you are not watching.
How big does hail have to be to matter?
NSSL says hail of quarter size or larger is considered severe. To judge size, compare the stones to a known object, or use a ruler if you can. NSSL lists these comparisons:
| Object | Diameter |
|---|---|
| Pea | 1/4 inch |
| Mothball | 1/2 inch |
| Penny | 3/4 inch |
| Nickel | 7/8 inch |
| Quarter (severe) | 1 inch |
| Ping-pong ball | 1 1/2 inches |
| Golf ball | 1 3/4 inches |
| Tennis ball | 2 1/2 inches |
| Baseball | 2 3/4 inches |
| Softball | 4 inches |
NSSL also says hail alley, where Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming meet, averages seven to nine hail days per year, and that those three states usually have the most hailstorms. If you live there, make the ground check a routine after every storm.
When should you check your roof?
Check from stable ground only when it is safe to do so and local authorities have not restricted the area; then document damage and contact your insurer as soon as possible. The Missouri Department of Insurance hail tips say that after hail damage “the time to act is now,” and that consumers should move quickly to protect their property and file claims. For the safety steps in the first day, see the first 24 hours after a storm checklist.
After a hail storm, check from stable ground when it is safe to do so.
Who should check the roof up close?
If you hire a contractor to inspect, be there while the inspection happens. Missouri’s Department of Insurance says, “Don’t let contractors inspect your property if you’re not watching,” because some companies cause damage to drive up the repair cost, and your insurer will likely not cover that extra cost.
Stay clear of fallen power lines, broken utility lines, and dangerous debris, and follow local authorities’ instructions.
What should a roofing contractor do, and not do?
| Do | Do not |
|---|---|
| Get estimates from contractors you know, or ones someone you trust recommends | Be suspicious of strangers who offer to do repairs for you |
| Be there when the insurer’s adjuster looks, and bring your contractor | Let a contractor inspect your property while you are not watching |
| Keep receipts for materials you buy for repairs | Pay the whole repair bill in advance |
| Pay in full only when the work is completed as agreed | Make permanent repairs before the insurer has inspected the damage |
After a big hail event, contractors can come to your door. Colorado’s Division of Insurance points homeowners to its #NoRoofScams campaign for choosing one, in its Colorado after-hail insurance FAQs.
Does homeowners insurance cover hail damage to a roof?
The Texas Department of Insurance’s Texas home insurance consumer guide lists windstorm and hail among the risks home policies cover, with an exception for the Texas Gulf Coast. There, the guide says, your home policy might not cover wind and hail damage, and the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) sells that coverage. Coverage varies by insurer and by state, so read your own policy and its declarations page.
The Texas guide says, “To be fully protected, make sure your policy has replacement cost coverage.” It uses a 10-year-old roof with a new roof priced at $10,000 and a $2,000 deductible as its example:
| Coverage | What the insurer pays in the Texas example | Your out-of-pocket cost |
|---|---|---|
| Replacement cost | $8,000 for a new roof at today’s prices, after the $2,000 deductible | $2,000 |
| Actual cash value | $5,000 after the deductible, when depreciation brings the roof’s value to $7,000 | $5,000 |
Colorado’s Division of Insurance says no law requires an insurer to match siding on undamaged sides, because the company must repair or replace only the actual damage. Its FAQ also says an insurer may consider non-renewing a policy after multiple losses, including hail.
In Texas, TWIA gives credits for impact-resistant roofing that passed UL Standard 2218 and is classed Class 1 to Class 4, with Class 4 earning the highest credit. Each insurer sets its own discount amount, as the Texas impact-resistant roofing discounts page explains.
What should you do with your insurer after hail?
- Tell your insurer as soon as possible. Some policies have a one-year deadline unless you can show good cause for the delay. A TWIA wind and hail policy gives you one year from the date of damage.
- Make a list of damaged property, and take photos or video before any repairs.
- Make only temporary repairs, such as a tarp over a damaged roof. Keep the receipts for materials.
- Be there when the adjuster looks at the damage, and bring your contractor, who can talk with the adjuster about estimates.
How long the insurer has to act
Texas law sets deadlines. The insurer must tell you within 15 days that it received your claim, accept or deny it within 15 business days after it gets what it needs, and send payment within five business days after it agrees to pay. A company that needs more time can take 45 days, and it must tell you why. These Texas deadlines have exceptions, including potentially longer deadlines after major disasters.
If you have replacement-cost coverage, most companies pay two checks: an initial payment after the adjuster’s inspection, less depreciation and the deductible, and the withheld depreciation after the insurer receives the finished-job bill.
If you owe money on the house, the repair check is made out to you and your mortgage company. If your mortgage company does not release the repair funds on time, complain to the Texas Attorney General’s Office at 800-252-8011.
If you disagree with the adjuster
Talk to the company first. If that does not settle it, you can ask for appraisal, which decides the amount of your loss, not whether the policy covers it. You can also file a written complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance.
A public adjuster works for you, not the insurer, and charges a fee. Public adjusters must hold a Texas Department of Insurance license, which you can check through its Help Line at 800-252-3439.
Who to call
| Problem | Who to call |
|---|---|
| Filing a claim or asking about damage | Your insurer’s toll-free claims number |
| In Texas, if you believe the insurer mishandled the claim | File a written complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance |
| In Texas, a mortgage company holding your repair money | Texas Attorney General’s Office, 800-252-8011 |
| In Missouri, an insurer not handling a claim properly | Missouri Department of Insurance Consumer Hotline, 800-726-7390 |
What should you check after a roof replacement?
- For a replacement-cost policy, keep the finished-job bill because most companies pay withheld depreciation after receiving it.
- Write down the install date and keep it with your receipts. Depreciation, which the Texas guide describes as a decrease in value from wear and age, is part of how an actual cash value claim is figured.
- For a TWIA credit, confirm that the roofing material carries TWIA-required labeling and that the contractor completes form PC068; other insurers may have different requirements.
- For how roof age affects performance in different climates, see the IBHS hail research pages.
Who can check your roof, and do you need a permit?
An insurance adjuster inspects the roof for a claim and writes the estimate the insurer pays on. A roofing contractor gives you a repair or replacement estimate. A public adjuster works for you on the claim. Ask your state or local licensing authority whether roofers are licensed where you live and how to verify a contractor. Before a full roof replacement, ask your city whether a permit is needed; what needs a permit when remodeling explains how to ask.
What does a roof check and repair cost?
The Texas guide uses a $10,000 new-roof example to illustrate how coverage and deductibles can affect out-of-pocket costs. Get estimates from contractors you know or who are recommended by someone you trust.
Before you call: a short checklist
- Photos and the date for each ground sign you found
- Your insurer’s claim number and the deadline on your policy
- Receipts for temporary repairs and materials
- Written estimates from contractors you know or who were recommended by someone you trust
- The name of your mortgage company, if you owe money on the house
By HomeRemodelingAndRepairs.net Home Research & Editorial Team