Quick answer: After a hailstorm, check for hail damage on your roof from the ground and at eye level: dents on gutters, downspouts, vents and your car, cracked siding or window screens, and piles of shingle granules at downspout exits. Take dated photos, cover any active leak, and call your insurance company to start a claim. Have a local, insured roofer inspect the roof, and don’t climb up yourself.
Hail can ruin a roof in 10 minutes and leave almost nothing you can see from the street. A shingle that’s been bruised by hail may look fine today and start leaking two winters from now. That’s why the days right after a storm matter.
This guide covers how to spot hail damage on your roof without climbing up there, what to photograph, how the insurance process usually works and how to avoid the storm chasers who follow every big hail event.
Is your area in hail country?
Hail can hit almost anywhere, but some places see it far more often. According to NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming usually have the most hailstorms, and the area where they meet, known as hail alley, averages seven to nine hail days a year.
Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, the Dakotas and much of the central Plains also get frequent, damaging hail. If you live in these areas, it pays to know what to look for after every significant storm, not just the dramatic ones.
What size hail damages a roof?
Size matters, but so do wind, roof age and material.
- Pea to marble size (under 1 inch): Usually doesn’t damage a healthy roof, though it can damage older, brittle shingles, screens and soft metals.
- Quarter size (1 inch) and up: The threshold where asphalt shingle damage becomes common.
- Golf ball size (1.75 inches) and larger: Frequently damages shingles, gutters, siding, skylights and vehicles.
Wind-driven hail hits harder and at an angle, so the side of the house facing the storm usually takes the most damage.
How to check for hail damage from the ground
Don’t get on the roof. Wet, damaged shingles are slippery, and falls from roofs cause serious injuries. You can learn a lot from the ground.
Walk around the house and look for:
- Dents on metal surfaces: gutters, downspouts, roof vents, chimney caps, air conditioner fins and the top of your mailbox. If soft metal is dented, the roof probably took hits too.
- Granules at the downspouts: Asphalt shingles are coated with sand-like granules. A pile of them at the bottom of a downspout after a storm is a common sign of hail impact.
- Damaged siding and trim: cracks, holes or chips in vinyl, fiber cement or wood.
- Broken window screens and cracked glass.
- Dents or chipped paint on decks, fences and outdoor furniture.
- Damage on your car if it was parked outside.
Use binoculars or zoom in with your phone camera to look at the roof itself. You’re looking for dark spots where granules are missing, cracked or torn shingles, and shingles that look shiny or bruised.
What hail damage looks like on different roofs
- Asphalt shingles: Random dark spots where granules were knocked off, soft bruises that feel like a bruise on an apple, cracks, and exposed fiberglass mat. Hail damage is random, not in neat lines.
- Metal roofs: Dents, sometimes cosmetic and sometimes damaging to coatings and seams.
- Wood shakes: Splits with sharp edges and orange or brown color inside, indicating a fresh split.
- Tile and slate: Cracked, chipped or broken pieces.
Many hail-damaged roofs don’t leak right away. Damage that breaks the shingle’s surface can let water in over the following months as the shingles age and freeze-thaw cycles work into the cracks.
Document everything right away
If you suspect hail damage on your roof, create a record before any cleanup or repairs. Your insurer will ask for it.
- Take photos and video of every dent and damaged area, with something for scale, like a coin or ruler next to hailstones or dents.
- Photograph hailstones if any are still on the ground, next to a ruler or coin.
- Write down the date and time of the storm. Your phone’s weather app or local news can help confirm it.
- Photograph interior damage such as water stains, dripping or wet insulation in the attic.
- Keep receipts for any emergency repairs, such as tarps.
Stop any leaks (temporarily)
If water is coming in, put buckets under drips and move belongings. A roofer can put a tarp on the roof. Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, and emergency tarping costs are often part of the claim. Don’t make permanent repairs until your insurer has seen the damage.
How a hail damage claim usually works
Every insurer and policy is different, but the process usually looks like this:
- Call your insurance company and open a claim. Ask how long you have to file; many insurers allow about a year, and some extend it after major storms.
- Schedule the adjuster’s inspection. Having your roofer there to point out damage is often helpful.
- Get your own roofer’s inspection and estimate, so you can compare it to what the insurer approves.
- Review the settlement. Replacement cost value (RCV) policies pay to replace the roof minus your deductible, sometimes in two payments. Actual cash value (ACV) policies subtract depreciation for the roof’s age, which can leave you paying much more.
- Pick your roofer and schedule the work. You choose the contractor, not the insurance company and not the person who knocked on your door.
Check your policy for a separate wind and hail deductible. In hail-prone states, it’s often a percentage of your home’s insured value, not a flat dollar amount.
Watch out for storm chasers
After big hail, out-of-town crews flood neighborhoods. Some do fine work. Many don’t, and they’re gone when the warranty problems start.
Be wary of anyone who:
- Knocks on your door offering a free inspection and finds damage on every house on the street.
- Pressures you to sign a contract or insurance “authorization” on the spot.
- Offers to pay or waive your deductible. In many states, including Colorado and Texas, contractors are not allowed to do that.
- Has no local address, no verifiable insurance and no reviews in your area.
- Wants full payment or large cash deposits before any work.
The safest move is to choose a local roofer with a real office, proof of insurance and a track record in your community.
Should you replace or repair?
What to do about hail damage on your roof depends on how widespread it is. Minor hail damage on a newer roof may be repaired by replacing individual shingles. Widespread damage, older shingles or damage across multiple slopes often means a full replacement, and insurers commonly pay for replacement when damage is widespread. A good roofer will show you photos of the damage and explain their recommendation.
If you’re replacing anyway, ask about impact-resistant shingles. In some hail-prone states, insurers offer premium discounts for roofs with Class 4 impact-rated shingles.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have hail damage on my roof?
Look for dents on gutters, vents and downspouts, granules piled at downspout exits, cracked siding and broken screens. Then have a local roofer inspect the roof itself for bruised, cracked or granule-stripped shingles. Don’t climb up yourself.
What does hail damage look like on shingles?
Random dark spots where granules are missing, soft spots that feel bruised, cracks and exposed fiberglass mat. Hail marks are scattered randomly rather than in lines or patterns.
What size hail damages a roof?
Hail about 1 inch across (quarter size) and larger commonly damages asphalt shingles, and golf-ball-size hail often damages siding and gutters too. Older, brittle roofs can be damaged by smaller hail.
Can hail damage a roof without causing leaks?
Yes. Many hail-damaged roofs don’t leak right away. Bruised or cracked shingles can let water in months later, after more storms and freeze-thaw cycles, which is why prompt inspection matters.
How long do I have to file a hail damage claim?
It depends on your insurer and policy. Many allow about a year from the storm date, and some extend deadlines after large storms. Call your insurer promptly and ask for your exact deadline.
Will filing a hail claim raise my insurance rates?
It can, but weather claims are often treated differently than claims you cause. When a whole area is hit, many insurers don’t single out individual homeowners. Ask your agent how your insurer handles weather claims.
Does homeowners insurance cover hail damage?
Most standard homeowners policies cover hail damage, but your wind and hail deductible, roof age and whether you have replacement cost or actual cash value coverage affect how much you receive.
Should I get a roof inspection after every hailstorm?
After any storm with hail about 1 inch or larger, or if you notice dents on gutters, vents or cars, a professional inspection is a good idea. Choose a local roofer rather than a door-to-door company.
Can a roofer waive my insurance deductible?
In many states, including Colorado and Texas, it’s illegal for a contractor to waive, rebate or pay your deductible. Treat an offer to do so as a red flag.
Are impact-resistant shingles worth it?
In hail-prone areas, they often are. Class 4 impact-rated shingles resist hail better, and some insurers offer premium discounts for them. Ask your roofer and insurer before choosing.
Get a local roofer to check it out
If you’ve seen dents, granules or leaks after a storm, get the roof inspected before the next one. Find local roofers on We Got Your Guys, check their reviews and insurance, and call them directly. No door-knockers, no pressure.