Southwest Missouri gets hit hard during storm season. If a significant hail event just rolled through Springfield, Nixa, Ozark, or the surrounding area, what you do in the next 48 hours can make a real difference in how your insurance claim goes — and how much damage you end up with.
Here’s a clear, no-nonsense guide to the first 48 hours after a hail storm.
Step 1: Don’t Go on the Roof Yourself
The first instinct a lot of homeowners have is to climb up and check things out. We get it — but don’t. Wet or damaged roofing materials are slippery and unstable, and you could seriously injure yourself. More importantly, walking on a damaged roof can make the damage worse, which can complicate your insurance claim.
What you can do safely from the ground: look for dented gutters, downspouts, and fascia. Check your AC unit and any other metal surfaces. Hail leaves visible dents on soft metals — and if those are there, there’s a very good chance your shingles took hits too.
Step 2: Document Everything Before Anything Gets Touched
Before you call anyone — including your insurance company — walk around your property and take photos of everything you can see. Dented gutters, damaged siding, broken windows, anything on the ground that came off the roof. Date-stamp your photos if your phone allows it.
This documentation matters because insurance companies work from evidence. The more you have from immediately after the storm, the stronger your claim is.
Step 3: Call a Reputable Local Roofer for an Inspection
After a major storm, you’ll get calls and door knocks from storm chasers — contractors who follow severe weather events and move through neighborhoods fast, looking for quick jobs. Many of them do poor work and then disappear. Don’t let anyone pressure you into signing anything before you’ve had time to think.
Instead, call a local roofing company with a real presence in Springfield. At Bison Roofing Systems, we conduct thorough inspections after storm events and document all damage with photos in a format your insurance adjuster can use. We’re not going anywhere — we’re here.
Step 4: File Your Insurance Claim
Most homeowner’s policies cover hail damage, but there are deadlines — often 1-2 years from the date of the storm, though this varies by policy. Once you have your inspection report in hand, contact your insurance company to file the claim.
Key things to have ready when you call:
- Date of the storm
- Your policy number
- Photos you took immediately after the storm
- Your roofing contractor’s inspection report
Step 5: Be Present for the Adjuster Visit
Your insurance company will send an adjuster to assess the damage. If possible, have your roofing contractor present during this visit. Adjusters sometimes miss items — a good contractor will point out everything that should be on the claim and make sure nothing gets overlooked.
At Bison Roofing Systems, we work directly with adjusters and are comfortable walking roofs alongside them to make sure the full scope of damage is documented.
What Hail Damage Actually Looks Like on Shingles
Hail impacts leave circular bruises in asphalt shingles — areas where granules have been knocked loose and the mat underneath is exposed. From the ground, this is nearly impossible to see. But from the roof, the pattern is clear: random circular marks across the field of the shingle, often concentrated on the side of the roof that faced the storm.
Even “small” hail can cause significant granule loss, which accelerates the aging of your shingles and shortens the life of your roof. This is damage that needs to be documented and addressed — not ignored.
The Bottom Line
If your area got hit by a significant hail storm, assume your roof was affected until you have an inspection that confirms otherwise. Acting quickly protects your property, preserves your insurance claim, and gives you the full picture of what you’re dealing with.
Call Bison Roofing Systems at (417) 242-1262 for a fast, thorough post-storm inspection anywhere in Springfield, Nixa, Ozark, or Southwest Missouri.