Hail & wind roof damage playbook

Hail damage breaks shingle granules, fractures fiberglass mats, and degrades the asphalt waterproofing layer; even when the visible damage looks minor, the membrane integrity is compromised and the manufacturer’s warranty may be void. Wind damage tears or lifts shingles, breaks seals, and exposes underlying decking to UV and water. Both can be present after a single storm.

The carrier’s initial scope typically covers visible damage on the affected slopes only — usually a partial repair with matching shingles. The supplement scope often needs to extend to: adjacent slopes for matching, underlayment, drip edge, vent flashings, and roof-mounted equipment (skylights, solar panels) affected by the same event.

Matching: many state insurance regulations require the carrier to either pay for matching adjacent areas (full slope replacement, sometimes full roof) or accept a "non-matching" settlement adjustment. Florida, Texas, Illinois, and others have specific matching rules. Cite the regulation in the supplement when the carrier scopes a 12-shingle replacement on a 200-shingle slope.

Underlayment, drip edge, ice-and-water shield: code-required components that the carrier’s shingle-only scope often omits. Check local building code (typically IRC R905 or jurisdiction equivalent) for the required underlayment system; a full re-roof per code may require synthetic underlayment + ice/water shield in cold-climate states.

Decking damage: if the wind lifted shingles or broke seals, the OSB or plywood beneath may have water staining or fastener-pullout damage. A roofer pulling old shingles will see this; the carrier’s scope rarely includes it preemptively.

IRC R905 (roof coverings) defines the underlayment, drip edge, and ice-shield requirements for code-compliant roof replacement. Local jurisdictions may amend.

Manufacturer installation specifications — most shingle warranties require specific underlayment, nail patterns, and ventilation. Citing the manufacturer’s installation guide alongside the warranty disclaimer language is a strong supplement argument.

HAAG / IICRC roofing inspection methodologies — when the carrier engages a third-party inspector with a HAAG-style report, knowing the methodology and citing back to it in rebuttals is effective.

Drone or ladder photos of every slope (close-up + wide shot), test-square photos showing hail-impact density per 10×10 area, weather records (NOAA Storm Events Database) for the loss date, any prior roof inspection or warranty documentation, and the manufacturer’s shingle specs.