Every summer, ABQ homeowners call us the day after a storm and ask the same question: "Do I have a claim?" The honest answer is that it depends less on what your roof looks like and more on what an adjuster can verify. Hail claims get denied for weak documentation, not for weak damage.
This is what we build on every hail damage roof inspection in Albuquerque — the exact evidence stack that lets an adjuster approve a full replacement instead of a partial repair or a flat denial.
The three things adjusters actually check
Carrier adjusters — and the third-party engineers they hire on disputed claims — care about three things: strike density per test square, mat exposure on impact points, and a dated storm event that matches the damage.
If any one of the three is missing or weak, the file gets closed with a repair estimate that will never cover a replacement. That's true even when the damage is obvious to you standing in the driveway.
1. Strike density per 10×10 test square
The industry standard is a chalked 10-foot-by-10-foot test square on each roof slope facing the storm. Adjusters count impact points inside the square. In New Mexico, most carriers approve replacement when a test square shows 8 or more functional-damage strikes on the north and west slopes.
We chalk four to six test squares on every hail inspection — one per slope minimum, extras on slopes with concentrated damage — and photograph each square with the count marked. That's the number that gets circled in the claim file.
2. Mat exposure, not just dents
A dent in aluminum is cosmetic. A dent in an asphalt shingle that fractures the fiberglass mat is functional damage. Adjusters need close-up photos showing the exposed mat under the granule loss, ideally with a probe or coin for scale.
We shoot every functional strike at three ranges: overview (shows location on slope), context (shows the strike inside the test square), and macro (shows mat fracture and granule displacement). Three-photo stacks are what get claims paid.
3. Dated storm correlation
Adjusters need to tie the damage to a specific storm date. We pull NOAA Storm Events Database records for your ZIP for the 24 months before inspection, filter for hail 1.0-inch or larger, and attach the report to your file. If we find a match, your claim has a date. If we don't, the carrier can argue "wear and tear" and win.
This is why timing matters. Most NM carriers enforce a 12-month statute of limitations from the date of loss. Inspections done more than a year after the storm get denied on the paperwork, no matter what the roof looks like.
What a paid hail inspection includes
Our Insurance-Ready Hail Report ($499) includes: 4–6 chalked test squares with photographed strike counts, three-photo stacks on every functional strike, NOAA event correlation, ventilation and code compliance notes, and a written summary an adjuster can attach directly to the claim.
If we don't find enough evidence to support a claim, we tell you before you file. Filing a weak claim burns your policy — insurers track denials and non-renew accordingly. Better to know now.
When to call
Call within 30 days of a storm you know hit your ZIP. Don't wait for a shingle to blow off. And don't let a door-knocking roofer inspect and file for you — most carriers now flag claims filed by unlicensed "public adjusters" and roofing sales reps.
We're independent. We don't do the repair. That's why adjusters take our reports seriously.