Why hail claims end up in appraisal
Hail claims rarely turn on whether a storm happened. Radar and spotter reports usually settle that. They turn on how much of the roof was damaged, whether it can be repaired, and what replacement costs. An adjuster may approve a few slopes and a set of gutters; your roofer may see a full replacement. Appraisal is built for exactly that gap.
Oklahoma has a long record of costly hail. The May 16, 2010 storm across the Oklahoma City area produced very large hail and widespread roof, vehicle and window damage, and major hail days strike Tulsa, Norman, Stillwater and Lawton most springs.
What we document on a hail roof
Shingle roofs
- Test squares on each slope, with hits marked and counted.
- Fractured mats, displaced granules and exposed asphalt, as distinct from blistering or normal aging.
- Damage to ridge caps, vents, pipe jacks, turbines and skylights.
- Slope, pitch, layers, decking condition and drip edge, all of which affect cost.
Metal and specialty roofs
Standing-seam and exposed-fastener metal roofs are common on Oklahoma homes, barns and shops. Dents can be cosmetic or they can deform seams, fasteners and panel laps. If your policy has a cosmetic damage exclusion, we focus on functional damage and document it closely.
Everything below the roofline
Gutters, downspouts, window screens and wraps, siding, garage doors, fence stain, AC fins and patio covers are often missed. They are small lines that add up.
Where the numbers usually split
- Roof squares and waste. Measurement differences and cut-up roofs with many valleys. Check quantities with the roof pitch and squares calculator.
- Repairability. Brittle or discontinued shingles that cannot be repaired without breaking surrounding material.
- Code items. Starter, drip edge and underlayment required by local codes.
- Roof payment schedules. Age-based roof payment terms that lower the check on older roofs, which appraisal may not change.
- Deductible. A percentage wind and hail deductible can absorb a large part of a modest claim.
Evidence that helps your hail appraisal
Photos from the day of the storm, hailstone photos with a coin or ruler, dated contractor reports, and the storm date itself all matter. Our guide to documenting hail damage lists what to collect. If your roof is older, read the roof payment schedule guide before you invoke appraisal so you know what the award can and cannot change.
Hail across Oklahoma’s regions
Hail risk is statewide, but roofs differ by region. Central Oklahoma and Green Country have dense suburbs of composition shingle roofs that get hit in the same storm, which strains contractors and pushes prices up for weeks. The Northwest and Panhandle see large hail over farms, with metal barns, shops and grain equipment in the claim. The Southwest, around Lawton and Altus, often sees hail paired with damaging straight-line wind, and roofs there may show both kinds of damage at once.
That regional mix matters for pricing. A panel should value a roof using what local contractors actually charge, at the time of the loss, for the materials on your home. We document local pricing so the umpire is not left guessing.
From there, we inspect, measure and price the loss, and work it through the panel with the carrier’s appraiser.
Available across Oklahoma
We take this work statewide, including Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Broken Arrow, Edmond, Lawton, Moore, Midwest City and every county in between.
Common questions
How soon after a hailstorm should I act?
Report the claim promptly and check your policy for deadlines. Many Oklahoma policies set a time limit for reporting wind and hail damage, and delays make it harder to tie damage to a specific storm.
Can appraisal force a full roof replacement?
The panel can decide that the damage requires replacement and set the cost. Whether a roof payment schedule or cosmetic exclusion limits payment depends on your policy wording.
Is hail damage on a metal roof covered?
It depends on your policy. Many policies now exclude purely cosmetic denting on metal roofs, so the dispute often centers on whether dents affect how the roof sheds water or how long it will last.
Do I need my roofer at the inspection?
It can help, especially if your roofer already documented damage. We make our own measurements and findings either way so the valuation stands on its own.