Hail hit your roof, and now you’re wondering what happens next. Here’s each step in order, who does what, and where the insurance company’s first inspection can miss damage. I’ve been on hundreds of roofs across North Texas after storms, and this is how it usually goes.
Step 1: Can a roof have hail damage if it looks fine?
Hail damage can be hard to see from the ground. A roof with every shingle in place can still be damaged.
Most homeowners I meet in Colleyville, Grapevine and Keller expect a bad wind storm to cause leaks. They don’t expect leaks from hail. If the shingles are still on, nothing looks odd and nothing leaks, they figure there’s no damage, or not enough for a claim.
Hail doesn’t work like that. It can crack a shingle underneath while the top still looks fine. That crack is a soft spot, like a bruise on an apple, that a roofer or general contractor on the roof can feel by hand.
Hail can also knock granules off your shingles. Shingles that lose granules wear out faster, and cracked shingles can lead to leaks.
And it’s not only the roof. Hail can dent gutters and damage siding, windows and fences too.
Step 2: Get a roof inspection before you file a hail claim
Before you file, have a roofer or general contractor identify and photograph hail damage on your roof. Step 5 shows what an adjuster can miss.
Do it soon after the storm. If the inspection shows no hail damage, that’s good to know before you file.
When I inspect a roof, I take photos of what I identify. That means the shingles, plus the vents, gutters, window screens, fences and siding. You get a clear picture of what’s up there before anyone from the insurance company shows up. My inspections are free.
Please stay off the roof yourself. That’s a job for a contractor with the right gear.
Step 3: File the hail damage claim with your insurance company
You, the homeowner, file the claim with your insurance company and tell it the date of the storm.
I’m a general contractor, not a public adjuster or insurance agent, so the claim is yours to file. Here’s what helps at this step:
- File soon. The Texas Department of Insurance says to file as soon as you can. Some policies give you one year to file, so check your policy for your deadline.
- Ask your insurance company about your deductible. That’s the part you pay before insurance pays. Your deductible for wind and hail can be different from the one for other damage.
- Keep a list. Write down everyone you talk to at the insurance company and when.
- Get a leak covered, but hold off on big repairs. If water is getting in, your contractor can put a tarp on it. Your policy may pay for a temporary fix like that, so keep the receipts. Save permanent repairs for after the insurance company has seen the damage. The same department warns that your insurance company might deny your claim if you make permanent repairs first.
Step 4: The insurance adjuster inspects your roof
Your insurance company sends its own adjuster to inspect your roof and estimate the cost to fix the damage.
This is the insurance company’s first inspection. Sometimes the adjuster comes out in person, and sometimes the adjuster reviews photos of the damage instead.
The state’s insurance department says to try to be there for the visit. It also says it’s a good idea to have your contractor with you. When I’m working with a homeowner, I meet the adjuster at the house.
Step 5: Can an insurance adjuster miss hail damage?
An insurance adjuster can miss hail damage. Some of it, like a crack under a shingle, doesn’t show on top.
Two more things make it harder:
- Hail hits and normal wear can look alike. Old shingles, bubbles in shingles and factory flaws can all look a bit like hail hits. The adjuster has to tell them apart.
- Dents on metal are clues. Dents on roof vents, gutters and the metal fins of your A/C unit are signs that hail has hit your house at some point. Your contractor can point them out to the adjuster.
The Texas Department of Insurance says that if you disagree with the estimate, the insurance company “may have overlooked something.” This is where Step 2 pays off. When your contractor has already identified and photographed the damage, you’re not counting on one visit to catch it all.
Step 6: The insurance company approves or denies your claim
The insurance company makes a decision and tells you. If it says no, it has to tell you why in writing.
Texas law gives the insurance company 15 business days to decide, counting from when it has everything it needs from you. It can take up to 45 more days if it tells you why.
If the claim is approved, the money may come in two checks. With replacement cost coverage, the state’s insurance department says the first check is a partial payment. The rest comes after repairs start and you show proof.
If the claim is denied or the amount is too low, it’s not always the end. You tell your insurance company why you disagree, and the photos from Step 2 back you up. If no contractor inspected your roof before, one can do a second inspection now. When I’m the one who inspected, my photos go to IFC Roofing, the company I work for. IFC packages them in the format insurance companies work with and sends them to your insurance company.
If you still disagree on the amount, check whether your policy has an appraisal process. That’s where you and the insurance company each hire an appraiser to decide how much. If the two appraisers don’t agree, a third person called an umpire decides. It’s not for disagreements over whether something is covered.
What to do before the insurance adjuster inspects your roof
Before the adjuster comes, write down the storm date and take photos from the ground. Have a contractor inspect the roof.
- You: write down the storm date. Note the day and about what time the hail hit.
- You: take dated photos from the ground. Photograph dents in gutters and downspouts, damaged window screens, marks on the fence and the A/C unit, and hail dents on your car or patio furniture. Your phone saves the date for you.
- A roofer or general contractor: inspect the roof first. They identify the hail damage on the roof and photograph it.
- You: file the claim. Do it soon, and tell your insurance company the date of the storm.
- You: list damage inside the house and what you can see from the ground. That includes any water stains on your ceilings.
- You: keep damaged items. Hold on to things like broken window screens until your insurance company says you can throw them away.
- You: be home for the adjuster. Ask your contractor to be there too.
- You: keep the decision letter. If the answer is no, the letter has to say why.
If your claim was already denied, my post My Hail Damage Claim Was Denied. Now What? covers what comes next, and so does the denied claim section on my homepage. If a hail storm hit your neighborhood in Colleyville, Grapevine, Keller or nearby, call or text me at 817-674-2037.