Do insurance companies pay for hail damage, and what do they do?
Short answer. Yes, standard homeowners policies cover hail damage to roofs, siding, gutters and windows, subject to your deductible and how the policy values the roof. After you report it, the insurer sends an adjuster to inspect, writes an estimate, and pays in one or two installments depending on whether you have replacement cost or actual cash value coverage.
What happens after you report
- Claim number and acknowledgment. Georgia's claim rules generally require the insurer to acknowledge the claim within 15 days.
- Weather check. The insurer confirms hail was reported or detected near your address on your date of loss.
- Inspection. An adjuster, staff or independent, inspects the roof. Many mark a 10 by 10 foot test square on each slope and count hail hits inside it.
- Collateral damage. The adjuster checks gutters, downspouts, vents, window wraps and air conditioner fins for dents that show hail size and direction.
- Decision and estimate. The insurer approves a repair, a slope replacement or a full roof, usually in an estimating program with line items. Georgia's rules generally call for a decision within 60 days of notice unless the insurer is waiting on information from you.
- Payment. The first check is usually actual cash value minus your deductible. On a replacement cost policy, withheld depreciation is paid after the work is done.
What adjusters count as hail damage
Fractures or bruises in the shingle mat, punctures, and granule loss that exposes the asphalt in round marks. Scuffs, blistering and general granule wear are treated as age. Dents in metal may fall under a cosmetic exclusion.
What insurers do not do
They do not choose your roofer, and in most cases they do not do the work. You hire the contractor; the insurer pays for the covered scope.
More: what adjusters look for, test squares and preparing for the inspection.