What should homeowners know about hail storm insurance and claims?
Short answer. Hail protection starts before the storm: know your wind and hail deductible, how your roof settles and whether you have a cosmetic exclusion. On storm day, document hail size and dented metals. Afterward, get an inspection, report promptly with the storm date, attend the adjuster's visit and follow the claim through to the final depreciation payment.
Before hail season
- Read your declarations page. Note the wind and hail deductible, replacement cost or actual cash value on the roof, and any roof schedule or cosmetic damage endorsement.
- Photograph the roof and house once a year to show their condition before any storm.
- Keep records of your roof's age, product and installer.
- Consider impact-resistant shingles at your next replacement, and ask your agent whether they earn a credit.
Storm day
- Stay inside until it passes.
- Photograph hailstones with a ruler, then dented gutters, screens and the AC unit.
- Check ceilings and the attic for leaks and stop water where you can.
The claim
- Get a roof inspection with photos within days.
- Report the claim if damage is confirmed and likely above the deductible.
- Have your roofer meet the adjuster.
- Review the estimate line by line and request a supplement for anything missing.
- Replace the roof and submit the final invoice for withheld depreciation.
Red flags along the way
- Anyone offering to cover your deductible.
- Pressure to sign before the adjuster has inspected.
- A contractor promising to negotiate the claim for you.
For more detail, start with the after a hail storm checklist and the storm chaser red flags. Robust Roofing's Georgia hail claim walkthrough covers the same process from the roofer's side.