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According to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), hail can cause serious financial loss due to property and crop damage, sometimes to the tune of $1 billion dollars or more each year. Hail the size of a tennis ball or larger can beat rooftops, break windows and cause severe damage to homes. It can even cause total loss to automobiles. In 2001, a series of hail storms over six days through 13 states caused $1.9 billion in damage. Similar storms in 2003 lasted for three days, traveled through 10 states, and resulted in $1.6 billion in damage. Damage from hail can be expensive for homeowners to deal with, so it's important to have a professional inspect your property and file a claim if damage is found. How Does Hail Form? Hail is formed when small chips of ice form in large thunderstorm clouds. Upward air movements called updrafts keep the pieces of ice blowing through the freezing clouds. While they move around, the ice chips get larger and larger until they're so heavy that they fall from the cloud. Stronger updrafts keep the pieces of ice blowing around longer, which produces bigger hail. Thankfully, most hail is the size of a pea and most hailstorms don't last long. The NOAA reports that the largest sized piece of hail on record was the size of a volleyball. Do All Policies Cover Hail Damage? Hail is an inevitable part of the homeowner experience in many areas. Hail can occur in any state at any time of the year. Nearly all homeowner policies cover hail because, unlike other events, hail is unpredictable. If your home or property is struck by hail you should get a professional to inspect it. Hail the size of a marble or smaller usually doesn't cause damage. Large hail, however, can be devastating. Property Damage Caused by Hail Damage to a roof isn't always easy to spot. You don't have to have missing shingles to sustain damage from hail. Homeowners may not discover leaks until years later. Don't depend on your manufacturer's warranty when it comes to hail; usually this type of damage is not included in the warranty for the materials nor for the workmanship. One of the things an inspector will look for when assessing a roof for hail damage is the amount of aggregate from shingles present in the gutter. If you suspect your roof has been damaged by hail, have a professional roofer inspect it. He or she should take photographs of the damage and draw a diagram to show you where the damage is located. After a hailstorm, you should also check your windows and siding; vinyl siding is particularly susceptible to damage from hail and can crack where it is hit. Review your discount home insurance policy to make sure you have enough coverage. If you have a high deductible but do not have the amount of your deductible saved, consider lowering your deductible with your insurance company. It's important to file a claim if your property is damaged by hail. It doesn't typically adversely affect your rates, and most home owners can't afford to pay for all the repairs themselves. That's why you have homeowner's insurance. Most policies will allow you to file your claim for up to a year after the incident, so don't assume that it's too late if you have damage and haven't filed already.
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