Roof Hail Damage: How Adjusters Inspect Asphalt and Metal Roofs
Roof hail damage claims are the bread and butter of property field adjusting. They're also where a lot of files go wrong. Miss the damage and the insured is shorted. Count look-alikes as hail and the carrier pays for damage that isn't there. Either way, the file comes back.
The fix is a consistent inspection process you follow on every roof, every time. Here's how experienced field adjusters inspect roof hail damage on asphalt shingle and metal roofs, from the driveway to the last photo.
Before You Climb: Know the Storm and the Roof
Good hail inspections start before you set up the ladder.
Confirm the date of loss and check weather data for hail in the area on that date.
Ask the insured when they noticed damage and whether any repairs were made.
Ask about the roof's age and any prior claims or replacements.
Note the roof covering type, number of stories, and pitch from the ground.
Read the policy and endorsements for anything that affects roofs, like a roof payment schedule or a cosmetic damage exclusion.
That last point matters most on metal roofs, where a cosmetic damage exclusion can change the whole claim.
Start With the Collateral
Before you look at the roof covering, walk the property and read the collateral. Soft metals and other surfaces around the house tell you a lot about the storm before you ever climb.
Check:
Gutters and downspouts
Roof vents, turtle vents, and pipe jacks
Air conditioning condenser fins
Window screens, wraps, and sills
Painted wood like fences, trim, and decks
Mailboxes, light fixtures, and outdoor furniture
Spatter marks on oxidized or dirty surfaces
Collateral helps you answer three questions: Did hail fall here? About how big was it? Which direction did it come from? The direction tells you which slopes will likely take the most damage.
One caution: collateral damage alone doesn't prove roof damage. Dented gutters mean hail fell. They don't mean the shingles are damaged. You still have to inspect the roof.
Safety First
No photo is worth a fall. Before you climb, check the pitch, the surface, and the weather. Wet, frosty, or steep roofs may call for roof boots, a harness, a drone, or a return visit. Follow your carrier's or firm's safety rules every time.
Inspecting Asphalt Shingle Roofs for Hail Damage
Most residential hail claims involve asphalt shingles. Here's what functional hail damage on shingles usually looks like:
A bruise or soft spot that gives when you press it, showing a fractured mat underneath
Granule loss in a round pattern that exposes dark, fresh asphalt
Sharp-edged impact marks, not worn or rounded edges
A random pattern across the slope, not clusters or lines
Work the roof slope by slope. Start with the slopes facing the storm direction you found on the collateral, then inspect every remaining slope so your file shows the whole roof.
Use Test Squares
On asphalt roofs, adjusters typically lay out a 10 x 10 foot test square on each directional slope, mark the hail hits with chalk, and count them. Many carriers use a threshold of 8 to 10 hits per test square to support replacing a slope, but thresholds vary, so always follow the carrier's own guideline.
For a step-by-step walkthrough, read our guide: How to Count Hail Hits in a Test Square.
Watch for Look-Alikes
Plenty of marks look like hail at first glance. Blisters, granule loss from age, foot traffic scuffs, nail pops, tree limb marks, and manufacturing flaws can all fool a new adjuster. Rule them out before you count a hit.
Learn how to tell the difference in our guide: Hail Damage vs. Blistering, Wear, and Nail Pops on Shingles.
Inspecting Metal Roofs for Hail Damage
Metal roofs are the second most common roof you'll see, and they're handled differently.
Hail on metal usually leaves round dents. The key question isn't whether there are dents. It's whether the damage is functional or cosmetic.
Functional damage affects how the roof works:
Punctures, cracks, or tears in the panels
Damaged or separated seams
Loosened or damaged fasteners and washers on exposed-fastener panels
Cracked or missing coating that exposes the metal
Damage to flashing, trim, or ridge caps that lets water in
Cosmetic damage is dents that change how the roof looks but don't affect its ability to keep water out.
This is where the policy matters. Many policies, especially in hail-prone areas, include a cosmetic damage exclusion for metal roofs. If that endorsement applies, cosmetic dents may not be covered, while functional damage may still be. Read the endorsement carefully and document both kinds of damage clearly.
On metal roofs, photograph dents with a light source at a low angle or use chalk outlines so they show up on camera. Note the panel type, gauge if known, and whether fasteners are exposed or concealed.
Document Everything
A hail claim is only as strong as its photos and notes. For every roof:
Start with the address, front of the risk, and all four elevations
Photograph the collateral that shows hail size and direction
Shoot every slope wide, then each test square wide and close
Photograph look-alikes and pre-existing damage too, with notes
Label every photo by slope and what it shows
Clear labels like "Rear slope, test square, 9 hail hits, chalk marked" save reviewers time and keep your file from coming back. The Adjuster Prep Claim Photo Labeler app helps you label a full set of hail photos in minutes, and it comes with a free 7-day trial.
Measure the Roof
You'll need accurate roof measurements for the estimate, whether you measure by hand or verify a report. Check your numbers with our free roof calculator at adjusterprep.com/roof-calculator, and read our guide on how to measure a roof.
Repair or Replace?
Your findings drive the recommendation, but the decision follows the carrier's guidelines. Things that usually come into play:
Hit counts in each test square compared to the carrier threshold
Which slopes are damaged and which aren't
Whether replacement shingles are still available and can match
The roof's age and condition before the storm
Policy endorsements like a roof payment schedule or cosmetic exclusion
Matching requirements vary by state and carrier, so know the rules where you're working.
Common Hail Inspection Mistakes
Counting look-alikes as hail hits
Skipping slopes that faced away from the storm
Calling collateral damage proof of roof damage
Treating cosmetic metal dents as functional damage, or the reverse
Forgetting to read the roof-related endorsements first
Leaving photos unlabeled or out of order
Rushing a steep or wet roof instead of coming back
The Bottom Line
Hail inspections reward consistency. Read the storm, read the collateral, work every slope, rule out look-alikes, and document it so anyone can follow your file. Do that on every roof and your hail claims will hold up.
Ready to Master Hail Claims?
Adjuster Prep's Hail Claims course takes you through real hail inspections on asphalt and metal roofs, from collateral to test squares to the final estimate. Pair it with our Roofing Materials course to identify any roof you climb. Explore both at AdjusterPrep.com, and try the Claim Photo Labeler free for 7 days.
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