The hail lasted maybe ten minutes. Your neighbor’s car looks like a golf ball, the patio table has a few new dings, and your roof seems fine from the driveway.
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So is it fine? Maybe. Hail has a habit of hiding its work, and the decisions you make in the next few days can shape how smoothly everything goes with your insurance company.
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Here’s a sensible order of operations.
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Start on the Ground
Do not get on the roof. They could be wet and slippery, and the damaged shingles might break. You can find everything you need to know without ever getting out of your yard.
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Take a walk around your house, and check for:
- Gutters and downspouts that are dented, and the fins on your air conditioning unit
- Dings on the grill, mailbox, or garage door
- Bits of shingle grit piled where the downspouts empty
- Stripped or shredded leaves on the trees, a sign the stones were big
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Soft metal records hail better than shingles do. If your gutters look like they’ve been hit with tiny hammers, the roof above them probably took the same beating.
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Why a Roof Could Appear Good but Actually Be Damaged?
If there is hail damage to the roof, the shingles could be damaged by the hail even without holes on the surface. The mat will have cracks, and the protective grit will have been removed from the surface. Weeks or even months later, the shingles leak, and the storm was forgotten.
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That delay is why people sometimes skip the check and regret it. Which brings us to the first thing worth writing down.
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Pin Down the Date
Make a note of when the storm hit. Check the weather history for Raleigh if you’re not sure. Insurance claims are tied to a specific date, and if more than one storm has rolled through this season, you’ll want to be clear about which one caused the damage.
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Read Your Policy Before You Call Anyone
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This part isn’t exciting, but it saves headaches. Find your homeowner’s policy and look for three things:
- Your deductible for wind and hail, which may be a flat amount or a percentage of your home’s value
- How long you have to file after a storm
- Whether your roof is covered at full replacement cost or at a depreciated value
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A quick phone call to your agent will help resolve any ambiguities that you have.
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Deal with Active Leaks
If there is water leaking in, cover the leak point. The roofer can put tarpaulins there, or alternatively, place a bucket and plastic sheeting within the house. Insurance policies usually require you to do your part to minimize any additional damage, so keep all receipts of costs incurred.
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Get the Roof Inspected
You can do this before or after you contact your insurer. Either way, an inspection gives you something concrete to point to. A good one should include photos of the damage, notes on where it is on the roof, and a plain explanation of what the inspector thinks happened.
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Hail damage inspections are a common request after a storm, and local roofers tend to get busy fast, so it’s worth booking sooner rather than later.
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Filing the Claim
When you call your insurance company, give them the date, a short description of what you’ve seen, and any photos you have. They’ll usually send an adjuster to look at the roof.
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It helps to be there when the adjuster visits. If there was a previous inspection, then you can provide those pictures and notes. If you are not satisfied with the observations made by the insurance adjuster, then you can pose questions and give him your own evidence. Nothing about that is rude. It’s how claims work.
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Keep in mind that a claim isn’t guaranteed to be approved, and whether you get a repair or a full replacement depends on the damage and your policy.
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Be Careful with Door-Knockers
After a big storm, people go door to door offering to “handle everything with your insurance.” Some are legitimate local roofers. Others are out-of-town crews who disappear after collecting a deposit.
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Before you sign anything, read it all the way through. Some contracts give the contractor control over your insurance claim, and that’s a big thing to hand over. Look up the company, check how long it’s been in the area, and ask for references from nearby neighbors.
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Your Claim Folder
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All these things must be in one place. An ordinary folder in your cell phone is enough for this.
- Photos of the damage, with dates
- The inspection report
- Receipts for any emergency repairs
- A log of every call: who you talked to, when, and what was said
- Copies of estimates from roofers
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If something gets confusing a month from now, this folder will be your best friend.
One Last Thing
Hail claims move faster when the evidence is organized, and the questions are answered early. You don’t have to figure everything out in the first hour. Check the yard, find your policy, get the roof looked at, and take it one step at a time.
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If you’d like someone to inspect your roof after a storm, A&M Premium Roofing can check for hail damage, photograph what we find, and walk you through the next steps. Call (919) 219-0422 or request an inspection through our website.
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