Hail is one of the most common reasons Indiana homeowners end up needing roof work, and it is also one of the most confusing. A storm can rattle the windows for ten minutes, leave the lawn covered in ice, and then the roof looks completely normal from the driveway. Weeks or months later, a leak shows up, or a neighbor's roof gets replaced and you start wondering about your own. This guide walks through what hail actually does to a roof, how to check for damage safely, how the insurance process generally works in Indiana, and when it makes sense to call a roofer.
Most homes in Fishers and the rest of Hamilton County have asphalt shingle roofs. An asphalt shingle is a fiberglass mat coated in asphalt, with a layer of ceramic-coated granules pressed into the top. Those granules are not decoration. They shield the asphalt from sunlight, which is what slowly breaks asphalt down over the years.
When a hailstone strikes a shingle hard enough, it can do a few different things:
The tricky part is that most of this damage is a slow-motion problem. A bruised shingle usually does not leak the day after the storm. It loses granules, takes on sun damage, and fails early, sometimes years before the roof would otherwise have needed attention.
Please do not climb onto your roof to look for hail damage. Steep pitches, loose granules and wet surfaces make roofs dangerous, and an inspection is something a roofer can do for you at no charge. You can, however, learn a lot from the ground and around the house.
Metal parts of a house dent more visibly than shingles, so they are a good clue that hail hit hard. Check for:
Dented metal does not automatically mean the shingles were damaged, but it tells you the storm was strong enough that a closer look is worth it.
After a hailstorm, heavy piles of granules washing out of the downspouts can be a sign that hail stripped them off the shingles. A small amount of granule loss is normal, especially on a newer roof, so this is a clue rather than proof.
Shingle pieces in the yard, missing ridge caps, or shingles that look lifted along one side of the house are worth noting. These are often a mix of hail and wind damage. Our wind damage roof repair page explains what to watch for on that side of things.
Take a flashlight into the attic after a storm, if you can do so safely. Look for damp spots on the roof decking, water stains on the ceiling below, or daylight showing through where it should not. Inside signs usually mean the damage is more advanced and should be looked at soon.
Every insurance company and policy is different, so treat this as a general overview, not legal or insurance advice. In most cases, the process looks something like this:
Blue Ladder Roofing has an in-house supplement team that handles that documentation with your insurer, and most insurance roofs are completed within 2 to 4 weeks of the first inspection. You can read more on our insurance claims page.
After a big storm, some contractors go door to door promising to "cover your deductible" or offering a rebate or gift card if you sign with them. In Indiana, that is not allowed. Indiana law (IC 24-5-11-10.5) prohibits contractors from paying or rebating any part of an insured homeowner's deductible, and from offering rebates or credits on insurance-paid work. A contractor who offers this is a red flag. Blue Ladder Roofing does not waive deductibles or offer any credit on insurance jobs.
Not every hailstorm means a new roof. Whether a repair or a full replacement makes sense depends on a few things:
If a full roof replacement is the right call, Blue Ladder Roofing is an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor and an IKO Craftsman Premier contractor. Full replacements come with our 10-year workmanship warranty on top of the manufacturer warranty. Installs are done by trusted, vetted subcontract crews and overseen by Blue Ladder project managers from start to finish.
Because hail damage often does not leak right away, it is easy to put off. Waiting has a few real costs:
A free inspection costs you nothing and tells you where you stand. If there is no meaningful damage, you have peace of mind and a dated set of photos of your roof's condition. Learn more about what we check on our roof inspections page or our roof hail damage page.
Yes. Bruised shingles and granule loss are often invisible from the yard. Dented gutters, vents or downspouts are a good sign that a closer look is worthwhile.
That depends on your insurer and your policy. Your insurance agent is the best person to answer that for your specific situation.
No. Indiana law prohibits contractors from paying, waiving or rebating an insured homeowner's deductible. Be cautious with anyone who offers to.
With Blue Ladder Roofing, most insurance roofs are completed within 2 to 4 weeks of the first inspection, depending on the insurance company's timeline and the weather.
Blue Ladder Roofing is based in Fishers and serves homeowners across Hamilton County and the Indianapolis area. See our Fishers roofing page for more about our home base.
If a storm has rolled through your neighborhood, or you are simply not sure what shape your roof is in, call Blue Ladder Roofing at (463) 222-5211 for a free roof inspection. We are open 7 days a week, 9 AM to 7 PM, and every inspection comes with photos so you see exactly what we see. You can also reach us through our contact page.