Storm Damage
Hail Damage: What Insurers Actually Look For
The specific patterns adjusters use to confirm a legitimate hail event, and the photos that make claims go smoothly.
DW
March 18, 2026 7 min readDavid Whitfield
Head of Field Assessments
The 'random pattern' rule
Real hail damage shows a random distribution across north, south, east, and west exposures, not a single concentrated patch. Adjusters look for this pattern first.
Soft-metal test squares
Assessors often chalk a 10-foot test square on each slope and count the hits. Eight or more hits in a square usually establishes a claim-worthy event.
#hail#claims#documentation
About the author
DW
David Whitfield
Head of Field Assessments
David trains every NPSG assessor and has documented over 6,000 property losses across storm, water, and fire categories.
- HAAG-Certified Inspector
- IICRC WRT
- Drone Pilot, Part 107
