Did your area just get hit by a hail storm? Are you concerned that it caused roof damage?
Hail is a huge reason insurance policies pay out on roof claims. However, it’s hard to spot hail damage on a roof if you don't know what to look for or the areas to check.
So, you can’t determine if you need to file an insurance claim if you don’t know what hail looks like on a roof. Let’s change that.
For over 30 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has helped homeowners navigate the complexities of filing a claim for roof damage. The first step is determining if filing a claim is worth it, so let’s look at how to identify hail damage.
This article answers the following questions:
- What does hail damage look like on a roof?
- Will insurance replace your roof due to hail damage?
- How much hail damage leads to a roof replacement?
- Will hail damage lead to a roof leak?
What does hail damage look like on a roof?
Hail damage on a roof is either really noticeable or hard to spot. If the hail was large enough, you’ll see dents/dings on your shingles.
However, an absence of noticeable dents doesn’t mean hail didn’t damage your roof. Other signs that hail damaged your roof are dings/dents/spatter marks to your roof vents, gutters, roof flashing, and other roof penetrations.
Now, I never recommend walking on a roof safely to check for the damage mentioned above. I understand wanting to do your due diligence before filing a claim, but you can make a decision by looking for collateral damage on the ground.
Below is a list of things to check for visible hail damage from the safety of the ground:
- Downspouts (Above 5 feet, so it can’t be blamed on a lawnmower)
- Dings or strikes to your garage door
- Holes in your window screens
- Dings to any painted wood or shutters
- Spatter marks or dings to your electric meter, AC unit, or grill
- Dents to your mailbox and other soft metals on your property
- Dents on the top of your car and the car’s hood
Keep in mind that finding any of the above doesn’t mean your roof has extensive hail damage. It just gives you an idea of whether you should contact your insurance company.
Will insurance replace your roof due to hail damage?
Now you know how to spot hail damage on your roof and from the safety of the ground. But will your insurance company pay for a full roof replacement if you have hail damage?
While it mostly depends on actually having damage, it also depends on the type of insurance policy (ACV or RCV). Both policies mean you’ll get a payout for hail damage, but the differences in the payouts are dramatic.
Actual Cash Value policy
An Actual Cash Value (ACV) policy gives the depreciated value of your hail-damaged roof, which means insurance only pays out what your roof is valued currently. While it’s still a payout, it obviously won’t be enough to cover the full cost of a roof replacement.
Instead, you’ll use the depreciated payout and pay for the rest out-of-pocket. It’s possible to find a low price or even a roof that costs the same as your ACV policy payout.
However, a roof’s final quality reflects how much you invested in it. Going for a low price that seems to be good too true equals cheaper quality and labor, which sets your roof up for problems down the road.
Replacement Cost Value policy
A Replacement Cost Value (RCV) policy provides a payout to replace your hail-damaged roof with a brand-new version of itself. You’ll get a scope of work and a check for the actual cost value of your roof while your insurance company holds back the recoverable depreciation.
After your roof is replaced and you provide photo evidence that it was done per the claim, you’ll get the depreciation check to cover the rest or most of the remaining cost.
Even though a Replacement Cost Value is supposed to give you enough to restore your roof to a brand-new version, insurance rarely gives enough to cover everything. However, you do have options when your insurance estimate is too low.
How much hail damage leads to a roof replacement?
While the amount does matter, it’s more about the size of the hail when it hits your roof, causing damage. Hail needs to be around 1” in diameter or bigger to cause clear and noticeable damage to asphalt shingles.
A lot of little hail impacts your roof and shortens its lifespan over time, especially in areas with frequent hail storms. You still have a claim if there’s widespread damage; it’s just a little harder to spot if you don’t know what you’re looking for.
But if hail is large enough to cause dents, there’s no question the shingles are compromised. So, this should always lead to an approved insurance claim if it’s covered in your policy.
Will hail damage lead to a roof leak?
Hail damage does not generally lead to a roof leak, so there’s no reason to panic right away. Will it shorten your roof’s life? Absolutely.
Does it still need to be addressed in a timely manner? Yes. But is there a immediate and urgent concern? No.
That’s why most policies allow up to 1 year from the day of the storm to file an insurance claim for hail damage. However, every policy is different, so look at your insurance paperwork for the exact timeline.
Just keep in mind that the insurance company can keep track of when the hail storm hits your roof. However, insurance companies have access to hail maps, which tell them exactly when and where the hail storm hit.
With these maps, they can look to see the impacted area, if your home was in it, and how long ago it happened.
What do you need to know before filing an insurance claim for hail damage?
After reading this article, you now know what hail damage looks like, if insurance will pay for a new roof because of it, and if hail causes roof leaks. There’s always the potential for damage when hail hits your roof.
But remember, hail needs to be around 1” in diameter to cause noticeable roof damage. There’s no question you should have a viable claim if this size of hail hits your roof, but it’s ultimately up to the adjuster and your specific policy.
Unfortunately, the insurance process is known to be a headache. However, a lot of the problems homeowners face simply come down to not knowing what to expect.
That’s why I wrote another article breaking down the things every homeowner needs to know before filing a claim for hail or other storm-related roof damage.
Check out 7 Things You Need to Know About the Insurance Process for Roof Damage to learn what to expect when filing a claim.
