Has your roof already survived a storm you don’t know about?

You can look up the hail history for a specific address using databases built on NOAA/National Weather Service storm reports and radar, which show the dates and reported sizes of past hail events near a location. Our address-search tool draws on this official storm-report data so you can see documented hail activity in your area. For an actual damage determination, pair that history with a professional roof inspection.

Hail around 1 inch in diameter — about the size of a quarter — is the widely recognized threshold where functional damage to standard asphalt shingles begins; the National Weather Service raised its official severe-hail criterion to 1.00 inch in 2010 because significant damage generally does not occur below that size. Impact-resistant (Class 3-4) shingles can withstand larger hail before sustaining damage, and roof age matters too, since older shingles can be damaged by smaller stones.

A trained inspector examines the roof for functional damage — bruising, cracked shingles, and granule loss that exposes the asphalt mat — rather than relying on hail size alone. Insurance adjusters commonly evaluate the number of impact marks within a 10-foot by 10-foot test square to decide between repair and full replacement. We document our findings in writing with photos so you have an independent record before the adjuster arrives.

In Texas you generally have two years to bring a lawsuit over a property insurance claim, and a 2017 law (HB 1774, codified at Texas Insurance Code Section 542A.003) requires you to give your insurer at least 61 days' written notice before filing suit. Separately, your own policy may require you to report the claim much sooner, so file promptly and check your policy's deadlines. We recommend documenting damage and contacting your insurer as soon as it is safe after a storm.

Yes. If your policy pays replacement cost value (RCV), it generally pays the full cost to replace the roof minus your deductible; if it pays actual cash value (ACV), it deducts depreciation for the roof's age, so older roofs receive substantially less. Texas policies also commonly apply a separate percentage wind/hail deductible (often 1-2% of your dwelling coverage) rather than a flat dollar amount. Knowing which type of coverage you carry before a storm helps you avoid surprises.

No — hail damage is often not obvious from the ground and may not cause an immediate leak, sometimes taking months or years to show as a problem. That is why an inspection after a significant hail event is worthwhile even if the roof looks fine, particularly on older shingles. Checking documented storm history for your address helps you decide whether an inspection is warranted.