"Magnetic hail" is our name for an estimate that pays for every metal item on the roof and for zero shingles. It is not an official term, and a carrier will never use it. But if you have seen it, you know the feeling: the hail somehow hit the vents, the gutters, and the garage door, and politely skipped the roof.
We only see denied and underpaid claims, so we are jaded. Still, this pattern is common enough that we named it.
What it looks like on paper
The estimate lists turtle vents, pipe jacks, roof-edge metal, window screens, downspouts, maybe a dented garage door. Those items are all approved. Then the shingle line says "no storm-related damage found" or "wear and tear" and the total is a few hundred or a few thousand dollars.
Say your deductible is $2,500 and the metals add up to $1,900. The carrier pays nothing, and your roof is still unaddressed. That is not a real example of a client. It is just how the math often lands.
Why paying for the metals matters
Here is the part carriers do not like us pointing out. Dents in soft metal are some of the easiest hail evidence there is. When the carrier pays for them, it is saying hail of damaging size fell on that roof on that date.
That changes the argument. We are no longer debating whether a hail event happened. We are only debating the shingles, and a carrier that already accepted the storm has a harder time explaining why that same storm spared the asphalt directly beside the dented vent.
What hail does to shingles over time
Asphalt shingles do not always show hail damage the way metal does. A hit can crack the fiberglass mat underneath without leaving a visible dent on top. Granules get knocked loose. Over the next few years, sun dries the exposed asphalt and the shingle sheds more granules.
By the time a roof leaks, usually three to five years later, it is often too far gone to repair. This is also why carriers sometimes call newer hail damage "old." One to two year old hits are hard to date. Five year old hits are easy to spot, with grayed spots and exposed fiberglass. The right timing evidence matters, and a pre-purchase inspection report showing a clean roof is some of the strongest proof you can have.
How we respond
We do not argue with an adjuster over whether the shingles "look okay." We build the case.
- Test squares. We mark a ten by ten foot square on each slope and count the hits in it. Carriers have their own thresholds, and we find out what applies in your policy and estimate.
- Collateral indicators. The metals the carrier already paid for become our evidence.
- Chalk circles. Circling each hit and photographing it is not decoration. It makes the count visible.
- Weather data. NOAA storm data is public. It shows hail size and the date, and a boilerplate carrier engineer report rarely answers it.
- Directionality. Hail from one storm usually hits one side harder. If the pattern on the roof matches the storm, that tells a story.
- Repairability. Sometimes shingles are brittle or discontinued and cannot be repaired without more damage. That changes the scope.
Then we ask for a reinspection and send our documentation in writing. We do not argue a claim before reading the full policy, because limitations like cosmetic exclusions or matching caps change what we argue. For more on partial approvals, see our post on matching and repairability.
What you can do before we ever talk
Do not let anyone tear off the old shingles or swap the metals before the evidence is recorded. Take dated photos of every dented item, close up and from a distance, and keep the carrier's estimate and the photos they sent.
If a contractor has been on the roof, ask for their written notes and photos. Then write the carrier a short email asking which policy provision supports the shingle decision and for the photos and measurements behind it. A specific question in writing gets a more careful answer than a phone call does.
A real example, and what it does not prove
A homeowner in Minnesota had a carrier first offer of $10,891 on a hail claim. The final was $238,239. We need to be clear about what that is: a large, multi-trade loss, with roof, siding, and other items involved. It is not a typical result, and no one can honestly promise a result on an insurance claim.
We cite it only to show that a first offer can be nowhere near the final number. Most claims are much smaller and the movement is smaller too. If the carrier paid for the metals and refused the shingles, wear and tear denials are the next thing you are likely to hear.
Is it worth fighting?
Not always. If the roof is old, the policy is actual cash value, and the metals are near your deductible, the numbers may not work. We say that on the consultation call when it is true.
If your carrier paid for the hail damage it could see and denied the rest, the metals are your best evidence. Photograph them before anyone replaces them, keep the estimate, and get the shingle question documented properly. You can see what we ask for in our FAQ or how we work on our process page.