Hail Damage on an Ellijay, GA Roof: Documenting It and Filing the Claim

What hail does to different roofs

On asphalt shingles, hail knocks granules loose and can bruise or crack the mat underneath. The marks look like dark spots where granules are missing, and a bruised spot may feel soft. Over time, those spots age faster and can let water in. On metal roofs, hail usually dents panels and trim; whether dents are cosmetic or functional depends on whether coatings or seams are damaged, and policies treat cosmetic metal damage in different ways.

Soft metals tell the story. Dents in gutters, downspouts, vent caps, and air conditioner fins are easy to see from the ground and help show that a hailstorm hit the property. Photograph them with a date.

Wind often comes with hail. Lifted, creased or missing shingles are wind damage, and they are worth documenting separately.

Photograph first, from the ground

Do not climb onto the roof to look for hail damage. Steep and wet roofs are dangerous, and walking on a damaged roof can make the damage worse. Instead, photograph from the ground with a zoom: the roof planes facing the direction the storm came from, the gutters and downspouts, window screens, siding, outdoor furniture, and vehicles if they were outside.

Write down the date and time of the storm and keep any weather alerts you received. If neighbors had damage, note that too.

Then call your insurer. Georgia's Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner says to file a claim as soon as possible and notes that policies may require notice within a certain time.

Meeting the adjuster

The Commissioner's claim tips recommend knowing your policy, including what is covered, what is excluded and what the deductible is, before the adjuster arrives. If possible, find out what it would cost to repair your property beforehand, and give the adjuster records of any improvements you have made.

You may have a roofer present for the adjuster inspection so both are looking at the same damage. That is reasonable. What is not reasonable is a roofer who insists on handling the claim for you or who asks you to sign a contract that assigns your insurance benefits to them.

Ask the adjuster for an itemized explanation of the claim settlement offer. Do not rush into a settlement; the Commissioner's guidance says to be prepared to negotiate if the first offer does not meet expectations, and to seek professional advice if you have questions about fairness.

If the claim is denied or underpaid

Ask the insurer for the specific policy language behind the decision and a written letter explaining any denial. Find out whether the disagreement is about how the policy is interpreted or about what damage exists.

A second inspection by a different roofer can help if you believe damage was missed. Keep every document. If you think the claim is being handled unfairly, the Georgia Insurance Commissioner's Consumer Services Division accepts complaints.

Remember that a denied hail claim does not mean the roof is fine. If the roof is aging or has other issues, a replacement may still be on the horizon, and the roof cost guide helps you plan it.

Permits after a hail claim

A hail replacement is a re-roof, and re-roofs normally need a building permit. Gilmer County Planning & Zoning issues permits in the unincorporated county, and City of Ellijay Code Enforcement issues them inside the city. Section 66-40 of the county code lists a miscellaneous permit at $100.00 and charges double the permit fee plus a $500.00 fine for building without one.

Make sure the permit cost is in the roofer's scope, and confirm whether your insurer's estimate included it. Some policies include code upgrade coverage for work required by current building codes; ask your agent whether yours does.

The current mandatory residential code in Georgia is the 2024 International Residential Code with Georgia Amendments, according to the Department of Community Affairs. The Georgia roofing code page explains what that covers.

Next steps

Once the claim is open and the adjuster has inspected, collect written roofing quotes built on the same scope as the insurer's estimate. Compare line items rather than totals. The calculator helps you sanity-check the square count.

The Free Quote Request form sends your request to an independent roofer who works in Gilmer County. Mention that it is a hail claim and whether the adjuster has already inspected.

Keep the final inspection record, the paid invoice, lien waivers and the warranty with the claim file. A future buyer's inspector and your insurer may both ask for them.

Hail and trees: the Gilmer County twist

Many Ellijay homes sit under hardwoods and pines. Trees can shelter part of a roof from hail while the exposed side takes the hits, so damage is often uneven. Ask the roofer and the adjuster to look at every slope, not just one sample area, and to note which slopes are sheltered.

The same storms that bring hail often drop limbs. A limb strike is a different kind of damage from hail and may be handled differently in an estimate, so photograph limbs where they landed before they are cleared away, and keep any tree service invoice with the claim file.

Finally, check the gutters after the storm. Hail and shredded leaves together can pack gutters and downspouts quickly, and an overflowing gutter during the next rain can be mistaken for a new roof leak. The gutter page covers what to look for.

Figures on this page come from: Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire: Insurance Claim Tips; Gilmer County, GA Code of Ordinances, Sec. 66-40, Building permit fees (Municode); Gilmer County, GA: Planning & Zoning (building permits, inspections, STR ordinance notice); City of Ellijay: Code Enforcement (building permits and inspections inside city limits); Georgia Department of Community Affairs: Current State Minimum Codes for Construction. Checked 2026-10-30.