Illinois is one of the most hail-prone states in the country, and most of its claims come from storms between April and August. Hail damage is often hard to see from the ground, which is exactly why documentation decides so many roof disputes.
Start with the storm date
Note the date and time of the storm and save any local news coverage or weather alerts. National Weather Service storm reports and commercial hail-data services can confirm hail size near your address. If your area has had more than one hailstorm, the date matters — insurers often argue damage came from an earlier event.
Look at soft metals first
Dents in gutters, downspouts, roof vents, window wraps and air conditioner fins are easier to see than shingle damage and help establish hail size and direction. Photograph them with a coin or ruler for scale.
Roof documentation
- Test squares. Professionals mark a 10×10-foot area on each slope and count impacts. Photograph each square with chalk circles visible.
- Every slope. Hail usually comes from one direction, but wind shifts can damage several slopes. Document them all.
- Close-ups. Show granule loss, exposed mat and fractures. Pressing lightly on a bruise to show softness can help.
- Brittleness. Older shingles may crack when lifted, which affects whether a repair is possible.
Siding and matching
Hail often damages vinyl and aluminum siding. Photograph cracks, holes and dents on every elevation. Note the siding profile and color, and check whether it’s still made. If undamaged siding can’t be matched to replacement pieces, how far the repair must extend becomes a key question.
Interior and attic
Check the attic for daylight through the decking, wet insulation or stains. Inside, look for new ceiling stains after rain.
Keep a simple file
- Storm date and weather data.
- Dated photos of every elevation and slope.
- Your contractor’s line-item estimate.
- The insurer’s complete estimate.
- All correspondence, in date order.
Use our pitch-adjusted roof squares calculator to sanity-check the carrier’s measurements.