Hail Hit Your Madison Home? Here’s What to Do Before You Call Insurance

Step 1: Wait Until the Storm Fully Passes

This sounds obvious, but people get anxious and head outside too soon. Hail storms in Wisconsin can stall, loop back, or be followed by a second cell. Lightning is a real risk.

Wait until the weather is completely clear. Then take a breath. The damage isn't going anywhere in the next hour.

Step 2: Do a Ground-Level Walk-Around - Don't Climb

Once it's safe, walk your property. You don't need to get on the roof - and you shouldn't. Wet roofs after a storm are slippery, and residential pitches are more dangerous than they look. Leave the climbing to someone with the right gear and training.

What you can do from the ground and around your home:

• Check your gutters and downspouts. Hail leaves dents. Aluminum gutters are like a hail gauge - if they're dinged up, your roof almost certainly took hits too.
• Look at your window screens. Torn or dented screens are a reliable indicator of hail size and intensity.
• Check painted wood surfaces - fascia, soffits, window trim. Fresh dings or paint chips matter.
• Look at your AC unit. The fins on the condenser coil dent easily. If they're beaten up, you had significant hail.
• Check your vehicles if they were outside. Dents on a hood or roof tell you a lot about what hit your shingles.
• Look at the ground around your foundation. Granules - the small, sand-like particles that coat asphalt shingles - often wash off damaged areas and collect in your gutters or at the base of your downspouts.

Take photos of everything you find. Timestamp them. This documentation matters for your insurance claim.

Step 3: Note the Storm Date and Check for Reported Events

Your insurance company will want to verify that a hail event actually occurred on the date you're claiming. The National Weather Service keeps records, and most insurers use third-party weather data to confirm events.

Write down the date and approximate time of the storm while it's fresh. If you have neighbors who also experienced damage, that helps establish the event too.

Step 4: Call a Local Contractor for a Free Inspection - Before You Call Insurance

This is the step most homeowners get backwards.

Many people call their insurance company first, then wait for an adjuster to come out and tell them what's covered. The problem: adjusters are professionals who move fast and work for the insurance company. They're not trying to cheat you, but they're also not going to spend an extra hour hunting for every damaged shingle.

Get a free inspection from a trusted local roofing contractor first. A good contractor will document every impacted area - shingles, ridge caps, flashing, pipe boots, skylights, and more - so you have a complete picture before the adjuster ever shows up.

At Buckshot Exteriors, we've been doing this in south-central Wisconsin since 1979. We know what hail damage looks like at every stage, and we know what adjusters look for. We can be on-site with you when your adjuster comes out, so nothing gets missed and your claim reflects the actual damage to your home.

If the storm was severe, don't wait on this. We offer 24-hour emergency storm response. You can reach us any time.

Step 5: Understand What Hail Damage Actually Looks Like

Most homeowners expect a hole or a crack. Real hail damage is usually more subtle - and more serious than it looks.

On Asphalt Shingles

The classic sign is a soft, circular bruise where granules have been knocked loose. Press gently on one of these spots and it feels soft, almost spongy - the mat underneath has been fractured. That exposed asphalt mat will dry out, crack, and let water in. It's not a question of if, it's when.

On Metal Flashing and Vents

Hail leaves small circular dents. These are easy to photograph and very clear to adjusters as evidence of an impact event.

On Ridge Caps

The ridge cap takes a direct hit on both sides. It's one of the first places to check and one of the most commonly missed by adjusters doing a quick walk.

On Pipe Boots and Seals

Impact can crack rubber seals around vent pipes. This is a common source of leaks that shows up months after a storm - and by then, homeowners have no idea what caused it.

This is exactly why a trained residential roofing inspection matters. You're not just looking at the obvious stuff.

Step 6: Watch Out for Storm Chasers

After any significant hail event in the Madison area, out-of-town contractors flood in. They knock on doors, sometimes within hours of the storm. They're friendly, they say all the right things, and they'll often offer to handle your insurance claim for you.

Be careful.

Storm chasers typically:

• Have no permanent local address or office
• Can't provide local references or verifiable reviews
• Pressure you to sign a contract immediately
• Disappear once the job is done - or before - leaving you with no warranty support

Your roof is one of the most expensive parts of your home to repair or replace. The contractor you hire needs to be someone you can call back in two years if there's a problem.

Look for a contractor with a real local presence, a verifiable track record, and reviews from actual Wisconsin homeowners. Ask how long they've been in business in this area. Ask for a physical address.

We've been based in Brodhead and Madison since 1979. We're not going anywhere.

Step 7: Don't Forget the Rest of Your Exterior

Hail doesn't just damage roofs. If your shingles took a beating, there's a good chance your siding did too - especially vinyl or aluminum. Window trim, shutters, and garage doors are also common victims.

A thorough post-storm inspection should cover the whole exterior. Some of that damage may be covered under the same claim, which means you're not leaving money on the table.

If you're not sure whether your home was hit, or you just want peace of mind - we'll come out and take a look, no charge, no pressure. A quick inspection is worth it. The alternative is finding out you had a claim-worthy event two years from now, after the filing window has closed and water has already worked its way into your decking.

Get a Free Hail Damage Roof Inspection in Madison, WI

You don't have to figure this out alone. Buckshot Exteriors has been helping Dane County homeowners through storms like this for over 47 years. We know the insurance process, we know what damage looks like at every stage, and we'll be straight with you about what we find - even if that means telling you everything looks fine.

If hail hit your neighborhood, contact us for a free inspection. We respond 24 hours a day after severe storms. We'll document everything, walk you through your options, and if needed, meet your adjuster on-site to make sure your claim is handled right.

The sooner you call, the better your options.