Hail

The largest recorded hailstone in U.S. history fell on July 23, 2010, in Vivian, South Dakota, measuring 8 inches in diameter and weighing 1.94 pounds. The prized stone is now on ice at the National Center of Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. The previous record hailstone fell in Aurora, Nebraska, on June 22, 2003, and measured 7 inches in diameter and weighed 1.67 pounds (NOAA).

New hail shingle performace scorecard reflects product, marketplace changes driven by research. Click here to see more from IBHS.

National Hail Statistics

According to a March 2021 NICB Hail Report, From 2018 through 2020, hail claims increased 2% from 832,377 to 849,033 and hail QC (questionable claims) submissions increased 34% from 1,462 to 1,958. From 2018 to 2020, hail claims tended to occur most often in the late spring to early summer months (April - June). Conversely, both hail claims and QC;s tended to occur the least often in the winter months (November - February)

The nation has experienced severe storms (wind, tornado, hail) that are occurring with more intensity and affecting more areas of the country. While scientists debate why these storms occur, no one argues with their effects—extensive property damage and, many times, loss of life. The property damage can be as minimal as a few broken shingles to total destruction of buildings.

There were 4,611 major hail storms in 2020, according to statistics culled from NOAA's Severe Storms database. In 2019, 5,382 major hailstorms occurred.

According to Verisk’s 2021 report, The Hail Hazard and Its Impact on Property Insurance, 6.2 million properties in the United States experienced one or more damaging hail events in 2020, about a million fewer than in 2019, reflecting the frequency fluctuations noted over the past 10 years. 2020 claims resulted in almost $14.2 billion in losses. Texas had the highest number of properties affected by hail, over 1.5 million properties, accounting for almost a quarter of total U.S. properties affected. Illinois followed with about a half-million properties affected, and Indiana ranked third with about 372,000 properties affected. Besides reiterating the spread of the hail peril into all states and the low frequency/high severity of hail occurring at irregular intervals, the report discusses the long tail aspect of hail losses due to the vulnerability of roofs to hail damage, which is often out of sight.Verisk Estimates.

NOAA’s National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center Annual Severe Weather Report Summary reported 6,962 hail events in 2023 compared to 4,436 in 2022. Texas, and Nebraska had the largest number of hail events according to NOAA in 2023.

Top 5 states for major hail events in 2023

*One inch diameter or larger. From III.org

The United States experienced the largest insured loss event of 2014 - a spate of severe stoms with hail across five days in May struck from Colorado to Pennsylvania, causing insured losses of $2.9 billion.

Colorado Hail Statistics

Colorado's damaging hail season is considered to be from mid-April to mid-September. Colorado's Front Range is located in the heart of "Hail Alley," which receives the highest frequency of large hail in North America and most of the world, so residents usually can count on three or four catastrophic (defined as at least $25 million in insured damage) hailstorms every year. In the last 10 years, hailstorms have caused more than $5 billion in insured damage in Colorado. As a result, up to one-half of your homeowners insurance premium may be going toward hail and wind damage costs. If you carry comprehensive coverage on your auto policy, hail damage is covered by almost all insurance companies. Comprehensive insurance is optional, but if you live in a hail prone area, the insurance industry recommends this coverage.

It’s official: Colorado has a new largest hailstone on record

Colorado’s Largest Hailstone 8/13: 4.85”, 8.5 Ounces  

Colorado's Most Costly Hail Storms

With the exception of the May 22, 2008, Windsor tornado and the hail storm that hit Pueblo on July 29, 2009, Colorado's ten most costly hail storms were centered in the Denver Metro area (which makes sense, because that's where the largest concentration of property in the state is located).

*2023 estimated cost calculations based on the Consumer Price Index.

New Mexico Hail Statistics

• Tornadoes and hail resulted in $16.5 million dollars in insured damage around Clovis, Roswell and Logan March 23, 2007.

• In September 2006, hail caused $10 million in insured losses in and around Las Cruces.

• May 10, 2005, Hobbs, New Mexico's hailstorm caused approximately $21 million in insured losses.

• In June 2005, Lovington, New Mexico experienced $13.7 million in claims resulting from hail.

• In early Ocober 2007, Albuquerque experienced $40 million in insurance claims due to hail.

What to Do After a Hail Storm

First, if a hail storm strikes, don't go out in the storm to try to protect your property. You could be injured.

Download RMIA's "Hail Damage Fraud" brochure.

Assess the damage.

• Check trees, shrubs and plants around your house. If they are stripped of their foliage, there is a possibility that your roof is damaged. You should also check for roof damage if patio covers, screens or soft aluminum roof vents are dented.

• Check your car for dents and broken or cracked glass.

Protect your property from further damage.

• If you find signs that hail has battered your property, take immediate steps to protect it from further damage.

• Cover any broken windows and holes in your roof so that no water can enter and damage your home's interior.

• Cover any broken glass in your car to prevent damage to the interior from rain and remove glass from the car's interior to prevent cuts in upholstery and carpet.

File your claim

• Call your agent or company as soon as you notice damage. Practically all homeowners policies cover hail damage. You car will be covered if you've purchased comprehensive coverage.

• If your agent or company requests you to do so, follow up your call with a written explanation of what happened.

• Save receipts for what you spend and submit them to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Select a repair company.

• After an insurance adjuster has surveyed the hail damage to your property, select a reputable roofing company or auto body shop to make repairs.

• Allow only the insurance adjuster and roofer you have selected to get up on your roof. Each time someone walks on it, more damage can occur.

• Be wary of out-of-town roofers who move into an area and set up shop following a storm. While most of these firms are reputable, some have collected money from homeowners and moved on to the next storm site without paying suppliers or leaving work unfinished. This can leave homeowners holding the bag for those additional costs. It's a good idea to select a company with established credibility and local references. Word of mouth is still your best guide.

• Be sure roofers have workers compensation and liability insurance. If they don't, you may be held liable if one of the workers is injured or if they damage a neighbor's property.

• Don't make final payment to the roofing company until your roof has been inspected and you are satisfied.

Use hail resistive roofing materials.

• Installing a hail-resistant roof is an important investment in reducing homeowners insurance premiums in hail-prone states. Many companies provide discounts for roofs that meet the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s Fortified standards. Reversely, wood shake or non-hail resistant roofs will add to what you pay for insurance and increase your deductible. Additionally, not having to replace your roof after a hailstorm will help you avoid non-renewal of insurance for multiple claims.

• IBHS and its members recognized the growing problem of hail damage in large regions of the United States and have devoted years to field and lab research to develop a new test standard for impact resistance.

  To conduct testing, IBHS bought the major competing widely purchased impact-resistant shingles from standard distribution channels accessible to consumers, brought them to our lab, and tested them under scientifically replicated real-world conditions. The results offer unprecedented insights into the performance of shingles labeled as impact resistant.

• Click here for more information on IBHS and their FORTIFIED Roof/Hail Information.
• Click here for IBHS Impact Resistant Test Protocol for Asphalt Shingles