Types of damage hail storms can cause
Arizona hailstorms — especially during monsoon season — cause more property damage than most homeowners realize until they get the adjuster’s report. Common categories of hail damage we see in claims:
-
Roof damage. Hail punctures shingles, knocks the protective granule layer off asphalt, cracks tile, and bruises underlayment. Damage that looks minor from the ground often means the roof’s useful life has been cut in half. Insurers regularly underpay these claims by scoping cosmetic damage only and ignoring functional damage.
-
Broken windows and damaged siding. Larger hail shatters windows and skylights and dents stucco, vinyl, and metal siding. Replacement isn’t always straightforward — color-matching old siding usually requires replacing entire elevations, which insurers resist paying for.
-
Vehicle damage. Cars parked outside during a storm sustain dented panels, cracked windshields, and chipped paint. Comprehensive auto policies usually cover this, but the diminished-value claim afterward is a separate fight.
-
Outdoor structures and landscaping. Patio covers, pool screens, awnings, mature trees, and irrigation systems take a beating. These items are often excluded or sub-limited in the policy — knowing what your policy actually covers before you file matters.
-
Interior water damage. This is the damage your adjuster won’t see on day one. A hail-punctured roof admits water that stains ceilings, soaks insulation, and grows mold. Months later, the carrier may try to call it a separate, non-covered loss. Document the cause early.
Who is responsible for hail damage in Arizona?
In a first-party property damage claim, your own insurance carrier is responsible for paying the loss according to the terms of your policy. They have a duty of good faith and fair dealing under Arizona law.
What carriers actually do in practice is a different matter. Common tactics on Arizona hail claims:
- Sending out a desk adjuster who never climbs the roof
- Scoping cosmetic-only damage and ignoring functional damage
- Applying recoverable depreciation in a way that effectively underpays the loss
- Invoking matching limitations to avoid full replacement of siding or roof slopes
- Asserting that pre-existing wear, not the hailstorm, caused the damage
- Denying or undervaluing the supplemental claim after the contractor opens up the work
An attorney who handles first-party property claims for a living can document around each of these moves, demand a re-inspection with a qualified field adjuster, invoke the appraisal provision when appropriate, and bring a bad-faith action when the carrier crosses the line.
What to do after a hail storm
- Document the damage immediately. Photos and video from multiple angles — roof, exterior, interior ceilings, vehicles, outdoor structures. Date-stamp matters.
- Report the claim to your insurer. Most Arizona policies require prompt notice. Late notice is the carrier’s favorite reason to deny.
- Don’t make permanent repairs before the adjuster inspects. Temporary repairs to prevent further damage are fine and reimbursable — keep receipts. Permanent repairs before inspection can compromise the claim.
- Get your own qualified roof inspection. The insurance company’s adjuster is not your inspector. An independent licensed roofer or public adjuster will document damage the carrier’s adjuster may miss or minimize.
- Call a first-party property damage attorney before you accept a settlement. Once you sign a release, the claim is over. We review the loss, the policy, and the carrier’s scope at no cost.
How can a hail damage attorney help?
Read your policy the way the carrier reads it
Most policyholders have never read their full policy and don’t realize what’s covered, what’s sub-limited, and what triggers replacement-cost recovery vs. actual-cash-value-only. We do.
Get the loss scoped honestly
We work with independent licensed contractors and engineers to document the actual scope of damage — not the version the carrier’s adjuster wrote up in 15 minutes.
Push back on underpayment and denial
Most first-party property disputes settle once the carrier knows you have counsel. When they don’t, we invoke the appraisal provision, file suit on the policy, or bring a bad-faith action — whichever fits the facts.
Handle the supplemental claim
Hail damage almost always reveals more damage once the roof is opened up. The supplemental claim — the additional payment for damage discovered during repair — is where carriers nickel-and-dime homeowners hardest. We handle it.
Work on contingency
You pay nothing up front and nothing at all if we don’t recover for you. Our fee comes out of the settlement, not your pocket.
