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Hail-Damage

Hail damage

Hail Hits Fast. Insurers Move Slow— And Low.

Hail events put enormous pressure on insurance company resources — and that pressure flows directly to your claim. Insurers are incentivized to limit every hail settlement. We're incentivized to maximize it. Let's talk.

~$1B
Hail damage in the U.S. every year
100mi
Max width of a single hail swath
$0
Cost to have Miller review your claim
1 Team
Working only for you, never the insurance company
Beyond the obvious

Hail Damages More Than Just Your Roof

Insurers scope hail claims quickly and narrowly. A large divot on a shingle is obvious — but hail damages the underlayment, deck, gutters, siding, windows, AC units, and more. A thorough inspection by a qualified professional is the difference between a full and a partial settlement. 

  1. 01

    Roof — shingles, deck & underlayment

    Visible divots are just the start. Hail damages the granule layer that protects shingles from UV rays, shortening roof life even when damage looks minor. The underlayment and deck may also be compromised.

    Insurers often call this cosmetic
  2. 02

    Siding & exterior walls

    Hail dents and cracks vinyl, aluminum, and wood siding. Insurers frequently try to match and patch rather than replace — even when matching materials are unavailable or discontinued.

    Patch vs. replace is a common dispute
  3. 03

    Gutters & downspouts

    Gutters and downspouts take direct hits in a hail event and are often dented, cracked, or knocked loose. Replacement cost is frequently underestimated in insurer scopes.

    Often missed in initial inspections
  4. 04

    HVAC & AC units

    Outdoor AC condensers and heat pump units take direct hail hits, damaging fins and refrigerant coils. This reduces efficiency and lifespan — and represents a significant covered loss many adjusters overlook.

    Routinely skipped by insurers
  5. 05

    Windows, skylights & screens

    Window frames, sills, and screens take direct hail impact. Cracked or shattered glass is obvious, but damaged frames and seals cause long-term energy and water infiltration issues.

    Frame damage is often excluded by insurers
  6. 06

    Secondary water intrusion

    A compromised roof after a hail event often doesn't leak immediately — it may take weeks or months for water to work through. By then, insurers try to separate the water damage from the original hail claim.

    We connect the damage to the source
After a Hail Storm

What To Do — And What To Avoid

The actions you take in the hours and days after a hailstorm significantly shape your claim. Here's what Miller recommends.

Do This

  • Report your loss to your insurer immediately — even if you only suspect damage
  • Get a claim number right away
  • Photograph everything from multiple angles before any repairs
  • Have a qualified professional inspect your roof, siding, gutters, and AC
  • Get at least two or three independent contractor estimates
  • Get all contractor assessments in writing
  • Request that your adjuster and contractor inspect the site together if estimates conflict
  • Call Miller Public Adjusters before signing anything

Avoid These Mistakes

  • Don't accept a quick settlement without a full independent inspection
  • Don't sign a contractor's assignment of benefits before understanding the implications
  • Don't use a storm chaser contractor you didn't choose independently
  • Don't allow work to begin before your insurer has documented the damage
  • Don't accept "cosmetic only" without challenging it
  • Don't ignore delayed symptoms — leaks appearing weeks later are still claimable
  • Don't let your insurer choose your contractor
WHAT'S TYPICALLY COVERED

Hail Damage Coverage — Residential & Commercial

Coverage depends on your policy type, your property's condition, and how well the damage is documented. Here's how each component is typically treated.

  • Residential roof replacement

    Covered under most homeowner policies when hail causes functional damage. RCV policies pay full replacement cost; ACV policies depreciate based on age.

    Generally covered

  • Siding replacement

    Covered when functionally damaged. The key battle is whether insurers must match existing siding — in many states they must, requiring full replacement even for partial damage.

    State Matching Laws

  • AC & HVAC units

    Outdoor units damaged by hail are covered — but insurers frequently skip them during inspections. We ensure every component is documented and included.

    Covered — often missed

  • Commercial roof & property

    Commercial policies vary widely. We navigate the complexity of commercial policies to ensure roofing, equipment, inventory, and business interruption are all properly claimed.

    Policy-dependent

  • Secondary water damage

    Water damage resulting from a hail-compromised roof is a covered consequence of the hail event. Insurers try to treat it as a separate claim — we connect the dots.

    One Claim, One Cause

  • "Cosmetic" damage claims

    Some policies include cosmetic damage exclusions. We analyze your policy language to determine what actually qualifies as cosmetic vs. functional damage — and fight the designation when it's wrong.

    Most contested area
What We Do

How We Build Your Water Damage Claim

  • Conduct a full inspection — roof, siding, gutters, AC, windows

  • Document all damage with photos from multiple angles

  • Obtain multiple independent contractor estimates

  • Fight for full replacement when patching is inadequate

  • Establish replacement cost value — not depreciated ACV

  • Tie secondary water damage to the original hail event

  • Claim commercial property and business interruption losses

  • Negotiate directly with your insurer through final settlement

Watch Out For Traveling Storm Contractors

After major storm events, out-of-area contractors flood affected neighborhoods offering quick, cheap repairs. These "storm chasers" often do substandard work and can complicate your insurance claim. You are not required to use any contractor recommended by your insurance company — always choose your own trusted, licensed professionals.

Know Their Playbook

How Insurers Minimize Hail Claims

Hail claims are among the most systematically underpaid in the industry. Here are the tactics insurers use most — and how we counter each one.

  • "Cosmetic damage only" designation

    Calling damage cosmetic severely limits your settlement — even when hail has compromised the waterproofing and structural integrity of your roof. We document functional impairment to counter this.

  • Repair over replace

    Insurers push to patch damaged sections rather than replace. When matching materials don't exist or patching compromises performance, replacement is warranted — and we fight for it.

  • Excessive depreciation

    Roof age is used to depreciate claim values by 10–50% or more. Under a replacement cost value policy, you're entitled to 100% of replacement once repairs are complete — regardless of roof age.

  • Delay-based denial

    If you didn't report the damage immediately, insurers use that delay to question whether the damage is from the hail event or prior wear. We establish the causal connection and timeline.

  • Skipping gutters, AC & non-roof items

    Insurer inspections focus on the roof and miss gutters, AC units, screens, and siding. We inspect everything and ensure every hail-damaged component is included in your claim.

  • ACV instead of RCV

    Settling at actual cash value — depreciated — rather than full replacement cost is a common tactic that can reduce payouts by thousands of dollars.

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