Once the hail stops
Leave the roof alone. Hail-cracked tiles break further underfoot, and wet or icy surfaces are slippery. When the Insurance Council of Australia declared a catastrophe after hail and storms in South Australia in October 2021, homeowners with roof damage were told not to climb on the roof and that insurers could arrange emergency tarping. Keep well away from fallen power lines, switch off at the switchboard if water is near lights or power points, and call the SES on 132 500 for urgent help.
What hail does that you can't see
Tiles. Hail can crack tiles in ways that only show when water gets through. Monier says only the damaged tiles need replacing, so a roofer's count of cracked tiles, with photos, is what the repair and the claim are built on.
Metal. Hail dents sheets, gutters and downpipes. BlueScope says dents don't usually shorten a Colorbond roof's life, though large dents on low-pitched roofs can hold water and bent overlaps can leak. How your policy treats dents that don't leak is a question for your insurer.
Skylights and clear roofing. Domes and polycarbonate sheets crack or shatter. Some come with hail cover from the maker: Laserlite, for example, offers a 10 year weather breakage warranty on some of its polycarbonate against hail up to 25 mm across. Check the paperwork for your patio or skylight.
Gutters. Hail and shredded leaves pack gutters solid, so the next downpour overflows into the house. In Perth's March 2010 storm, hail blocked gutters and drains and made the flooding worse.
How to handle a hail claim
Photograph the hail itself
While it's still lying around, photograph hailstones next to something that shows size, like a coin or a ruler. Note the date and time.
Then photograph the house
From the ground: the roof, gutters, downpipes, skylights, patio roof, and any tile pieces in the garden. Inside: every stain and drip. Keep the broken pieces.
Lodge the claim early
Moneysmart says to contact your insurer as soon as practical, even before you know the full extent. Write down your claim number.
Ask about making it safe
Talk to the insurer before paying for temporary repairs. Many can send someone to tarp the roof.
Get the roof inspected
The insurer may send an assessor. It's also worth having your own licensed roofer look, with photos of each damaged area and a count of cracked tiles or dented sheets. Our page on roof reports explains what to ask for.
Keep a claim diary
Every call and email: the date, who you dealt with, what was agreed. It saves arguments later.
When the whole city is claiming at once
Big hailstorms bring a flood of claims. After the storm that hit Melbourne on 6 March 2010, more than 40,000 insurance claims worth at least $500 million had been lodged by 17 March, and the Insurance Council of Australia declared a catastrophe.
Assessors and roofers get booked out at times like that. Lodge early, get the roof made safe in the meantime, and keep following up in writing. Our storm damage claim guide sets out how quickly insurers that follow the industry code should respond.
Insurer-managed repairs, or cash?
Some insurers offer to organise the repair through their own builders, or to pay you a cash settlement instead. Moneysmart says that with cash you're usually responsible for organising and paying for the repairs yourself, the amount may not cover the actual cost, and the work is covered by your builder's warranty rather than the lifetime guarantee often offered on insurer-managed repairs.
Before you accept cash, get your own roofer's written quote for the whole job, including gutters, skylights and any internal damage, so you can see whether the offer covers it.
In Queensland, the building regulator QBCC says that even when an insurer recommends or appoints a licensed contractor, it's still important to have a written contract with them.
Hail chasers: the warning signs
- An uninvited knock from someone who says they've spotted hail damage on your roof
- A claim that they're from your insurer. The Insurance Council says insurers won't send a tradesperson to your home without telling you first
- Pressure to start straight away or pay now. For an uninvited door-to-door deal over $100, the Consumer Law gives you 10 business days to cancel and bans the supplier from doing the work or taking payment during that time
- A visit on a Sunday or public holiday, before 9am, or after 6pm (5pm on a Saturday), unless you arranged it
- No name, no business address, no licence number, or a refusal to leave when you ask
Your part, and the roofer's
You can
- Photographing the hail, the damage and any debris
- Lodging the claim and keeping a claim diary
- Clearing hail from downpipe outlets at ground level
- Getting your own roofer's quote before accepting cash
Leave to a roofer
- Counting cracked tiles and dented sheets from up top
- Emergency tarping and other make-safe work
- Writing up hail damage separately from older wear
- The permanent repair once the claim is settled
If hail's just hit
Even with no drips, we'd lodge the claim and have the roof checked within days, because hail cracks often don't leak until the next big rain. Photograph the hailstones if you can, keep the broken bits, and say no to anyone who turns up at the door. If you're offered cash, we'd get an independent roofer's quote first so you know whether it covers the job.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.