How to handle a hail damage roof insurance claim in Missouri

Step 1: Get a professional inspection before you file

Don't call your insurance company first — call a reputable local roofer or restoration contractor for a free inspection. Here's why: hail damage is often invisible from the ground, and filing a claim that gets denied still goes on your claims history. A professional inspection with photos tells you whether the damage actually exceeds your deductible before you put anything on record.

A real inspection documents hail bruising (soft fractures in the shingle mat), granule loss, dented vents and flashings, and collateral damage to gutters, siding, screens, and AC fins — the collateral damage is often what proves the storm to an adjuster.

Step 2: File promptly and accurately

If the damage justifies a claim, call your carrier or file online with the date of the storm (your contractor can confirm it from weather data), a plain description, and your inspection photos. Most Missouri policies require filing within one year of the date of loss, but waiting months makes causation harder to prove — file within weeks, not seasons.

Step 3: The adjuster meeting — don't do it alone

Your insurer will send an adjuster to inspect. Have your contractor on the roof with them. Adjusters inspect dozens of roofs a week and miss things; your contractor's job is to point out every chalk-marked hit, the damaged soft metals, and the code items (drip edge, ice and water shield, ventilation) Missouri municipalities require on replacement. The difference between an accompanied and unaccompanied adjuster meeting is often the difference between a repair scope and a replacement scope.

Step 4: Understand the paperwork

The carrier issues a scope of loss with two key numbers: ACV (actual cash value — depreciated value, paid first) and RCV (replacement cost value — the rest, paid when work completes, if you have an RCV policy). You pay your deductible; insurance pays the rest of the approved scope. If hidden damage appears during the job — rotted decking is the classic — your contractor files a supplement with documentation.

Step 5: Choose your contractor carefully

After every Springfield-area hail event, out-of-town crews canvass neighborhoods. Missouri law (§407.725 RSMo) actually gives you the right to cancel a contract with a residential contractor if your insurer denies the claim, and it's illegal for contractors to pay or rebate your deductible. Red flags: pressure to sign before the adjuster visit, offers to 'waive' your deductible, and no verifiable local address. Choose a contractor you can find next year — your warranty depends on it.

Questions about your specific situation? Ohm Restoration offers free, documented assessments throughout the Springfield area — call (888) 319-7058.