Wind Damage Claims vs Hail Claims: What Adjusters Look For

A roofing contractor who only understands hail claims will miss half the storm opportunities in a typical year. Wind damage is a separate claim type with separate evidence requirements, different payout patterns, and different timing. Knowing both doubles your addressable market in any given storm season.

What Qualifies as Wind Damage

Insurance carriers look for specific evidence of wind damage:

• Lifted or creased shingles (wind lifted them even if they fell back)
• Torn shingles (fully separated from the roof)
• Missing shingles (blown off entirely)
• Damaged flashing (especially at roof-to-wall transitions)
• Damaged ridge caps
• Debris impact (tree limbs, signs, fence pieces driven by wind)

The wind speed threshold for claimable damage varies by carrier and state. Generally, sustained winds of 55+ MPH or gusts of 70+ MPH are considered "catastrophic wind" eligible for claims.

What Qualifies as Hail Damage

Hail evidence looks different:

• Bruising on shingles (dark spots where granules were knocked loose)
• Exposed mat (the black substrate visible through missing granules)
• Soft spots (the shingle feels spongy where the bruise is)
• Random damage pattern (hail hits everything, not just one side)
• Damage on multiple slopes
• Collateral damage (dented gutters, dented soft metals, broken AC fins)

The hail size threshold for claimable damage is usually 1 inch diameter, though some carriers use 1.25 inches. Smaller hail causes cosmetic but often not structural damage.

Payout Differences

Claim typeTypical approval rateAvg payout (avg 30-sq home) Full roof replacement (hail)60 to 75% of submitted$14k to $24k Full roof replacement (wind)50 to 65% of submitted$13k to $22k Partial repair (wind, few shingles)80 to 90%$1.2k to $3.5k Partial repair (hail, cosmetic)20 to 40%$0.8k to $2.5k

Hail claims tend to go full replacement more often because hail damage is systemic (affects the whole roof). Wind claims more often end in partial repair because wind damage is localized.

Documentation Differences

Hail Documentation

Adjusters want:

1. NOAA confirmation of hail at the address (date, size)
2. Close-up photos of multiple bruises (15 to 30 photos)
3. Chalk test photos showing bruise patterns
4. Collateral damage photos (gutters, AC fins, car hoods if the homeowner has vehicles)
5. Test square photos (a measured 10x10 area with damage count)

Wind Documentation

Adjusters want:

1. NOAA confirmation of wind speeds at the address (date, peak gusts)
2. Photos of lifted or torn shingles
3. Shingle count by slope (which slopes were affected)
4. Photos of missing shingles with visible underlayment
5. Debris photos (what hit the roof)
6. Photos of flashing damage

Wind claims especially benefit from adjuster attendance at the property. Lifted shingles often look normal from the ground but flex when touched. Walking the roof with the adjuster lets them feel the damage.

Age and Condition

Roof age affects claim outcomes for both types. Actual Cash Value (ACV) vs Replacement Cost Value (RCV) is the critical difference.

RCV policies pay to replace the damaged roof at current prices. ACV policies pay the depreciated value, usually 30 to 70% of RCV for a roof 10 to 20 years old.

A 15-year-old roof on an RCV policy with hail damage pays out $18k. The same roof on an ACV policy pays $9k. Identical damage, identical claim, half the money.

Ask homeowners about their policy type before writing a contingency. ACV homeowners sometimes cannot afford the gap between ACV payout and full replacement cost, which leads to project cancellation.

Non-Recoverable Depreciation

On RCV policies, the insurance pays ACV upfront and the depreciation (RCV minus ACV) when the work is completed. Non-recoverable depreciation happens when the homeowner cancels or changes scope. That money is forfeit.

Contractors write contracts to ensure they complete the agreed scope so the recoverable depreciation is captured. If a homeowner wants to downgrade materials after signing, it might cost them the depreciation money.

Wind vs Hail Combinations

Some storms produce both wind and hail. A homeowner whose roof has both types of damage gets both types of evidence. Adjusters treat them as separate claims for accounting purposes but usually bundle them in a single payout.

Exception: some carriers have separate deductibles for wind and hail. The homeowner might pay two deductibles if the damage crosses both categories. Read the policy before claiming.

Ice and Snow

Ice dam damage and snow load damage are separate from wind and hail. Both require specific evidence:

• Ice dam: photos of the dam, interior water damage, evidence of freeze-thaw cycles
• Snow load: photos of accumulated snow, structural damage, crushed gutters

These claims are more common in Minnesota, Michigan, New England, and upper New York.

Adjuster Walk-Through Tips

When the adjuster arrives:

1. Meet them at the driveway (do not let them start without you)
2. Offer to walk the roof together
3. Bring your damage photos as a reference
4. Point out damage at roof level, not from the ground
5. Discuss scope before they start measuring
6. Take a photo of their final test square

A contractor who pre-builds the case and walks the adjuster gets 30 to 50% higher approval rates than one who sends homeowners in alone.

See also: storm chasing operations playbook.

FAQ

Can we file a claim for cosmetic hail damage without structural issues?

You can submit, but most carriers reject pure cosmetic claims under "cosmetic exclusion" clauses that are now common in hail-prone states (Texas, Colorado, Minnesota).

What if the adjuster denies the claim but we see damage?

Request a supplemental inspection. If still denied, the homeowner can request a different adjuster or file an appraisal (a formal dispute process). About 20 to 30% of denied claims succeed on appraisal.

How long after the storm can we file?

Most policies allow 12 to 24 months from the storm date. Practically, claims become harder to substantiate after 6 months because the roof is exposed to ongoing weather that can mask or mimic original damage.