A few months ago a hail storm moved through the Blairsville area and left a lot of roofs in worse shape than they looked from the driveway. Several homeowners filed claims with their insurance companies, got inspected by an adjuster, and received denial letters. A number of those homeowners then called Buckstop Roofing. Every single denial we got involved in was reversed. Every homeowner received authorization for a full roof replacement.
This post explains what was happening in those denials, how we approached them, and what you should do if you're in the same situation right now.
Why Hail Claims Get Denied
Hail damage is not always obvious. A major impact event — a two-inch hailstone traveling at 80 mph — leaves behind a specific type of damage: fractured shingle granules, bruised mat, cracked fiberglass backing, and compromised adhesive strips. None of that looks alarming from 20 feet below on a ladder. It may not produce an interior leak for 12 to 18 months.
Insurance companies use field adjusters, and field adjusters vary widely in their training for hail-specific damage assessment. In many of the Blairsville claims we reviewed, the adjuster had marked the damage as "wear and tear" or "normal aging" — which removes it from covered perils and results in a denial. In several cases, the adjuster had simply not documented the ridge caps, the valleys, or the north-facing slopes where hail impact concentrates.
That is not malicious on the part of the insurer in most cases. It is an inspection that was done too fast, by someone who may not have been on enough Georgia mountain roofs to recognize what hail impact looks like on an aged shingle vs. a shingle that has simply weathered over time.
What We Did
When a Blairsville homeowner called us with a denial, our process was the same every time:
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Full roof inspection
We get on the roof ourselves — all slopes, ridge, valleys, flashing, and penetrations. We are not estimating from the ground. We document every impact point with date-stamped photos and written notes organized by roof section.
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Damage report preparation
We prepare a written damage report that maps the hail strike density per 10-square-foot area (the standard measure insurance companies use), identifies the damage type at each location, and cross-references the storm date to NOAA hail size data for the area.
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Request for re-inspection
We contact the insurance company on the homeowner's behalf and request a re-inspection, providing our documentation as the basis. We make clear we are available to be present on the roof with the adjuster.
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Adjuster meeting
We attend the re-inspection and walk the adjuster through the damage we documented. We do not argue — we show. Specific locations, specific photos, specific measurements. In every Blairsville case, the adjuster revised their assessment on site.
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Authorization and replacement
Once the claim is approved, we complete the roof replacement — same crew, same standards, GAF-certified installation, manufacturer warranty registered.
What the Homeowners Paid
In every case where the denial was reversed and the claim was approved, the homeowner paid their deductible — that's it. The insurance company covered the rest of the full roof replacement. The inspection, documentation, and adjuster coordination were at no charge.
We do not charge for inspections. We do not charge for the damage report. We do not charge for attending the adjuster re-inspection. If the claim does not get approved, the homeowner owes us nothing.
What You Need to Know About Timing
Georgia homeowner's insurance policies typically require that a claim be filed within 12 months of the date of loss. The hail storm that hit the Blairsville area happened a few months ago — which means there is still time, but the window is not unlimited.
More importantly: if you already filed a claim and received a denial, you have the right to request a re-inspection. That process takes time — an inspection, report preparation, scheduling with the insurer — and you want to initiate it before your policy deadline.
If you have not filed a claim at all and you are not sure whether your roof was damaged, the right move is an inspection now. Hail damage that is not addressed leads to accelerated shingle failure, and once interior water damage occurs, your window to attribute it to the original storm event closes.
Signs Your Roof May Have Hail Damage
- Dents or dings on gutters, downspouts, or metal flashing
- Circular or random granule loss on shingles visible from the ground
- Dents in AC condenser fins or painted wood trim
- Cracked or broken ridge cap shingles
- Small circular indentations on asphalt shingles that feel soft when pressed
- Interior ceiling stains that appeared after the storm — even minor ones
You do not need to see all of these — a single positive indicator on your gutters or trim is enough reason to get a roof inspection scheduled.
Blairsville homeowner? Get a free inspection.
If your claim was denied after the recent hail storm — or if you haven't had your roof checked yet — call us. The inspection is free and there's no obligation to move forward. We'll tell you exactly what we find.