Hail and storm damage roof help in St. Louis

Hail of an inch or larger, about quarter size, is what the National Weather Service counts as severe, and it's the size where real damage starts. If a storm like that hit your area, get a free inspection from a local roofer before you call anyone who knocks on your door.

Is my roof damaged? Check safely from the ground

Don't climb on your roof. Look for these from the yard, a window or with binoculars:

• Dented gutters, downspouts, vents or window screens. Soft metal shows hail first. If it's dented, the roof took hits too.
• Granules collecting at downspout outlets, like coarse sand.
• Dark spots or bruises on shingles where granules were knocked off.
• Torn, creased or missing shingles after high wind.
• Damage to the car, deck or siding on the side the storm came from.
• Inside: new ceiling stains, damp attic insulation, or daylight through the roof boards.

Hail of 1.75 inches (golf ball) or larger is in the NWS's "considerable damage" category (Source: NWS). St. Louis has had 76 days with hail that size in the four-county area since 1996 (Source: NOAA Storm Events). See the dates

The first 48 hours after a storm

1. Stay safe. Stay off the roof and away from downed lines.
2. Stop water if you can do it safely. Move belongings, put down buckets, and photograph everything. Emergency tarping by a roofer is common. Get the price in writing before work starts.
3. Photograph damage from the ground, with dates: gutters, siding, cars, ceilings and anything hail-sized in the yard.
4. Write down the storm date. Your insurer will ask. Our hail history page lists the big hail days by date.
5. Get a local roofer to inspect. Ask for photos of what they find on the roof.
6. Read your policy or call your agent about your deductible, deadlines and whether your roof coverage is replacement cost or actual cash value.

How a hail claim generally works

This is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Every policy is different, and only your insurer decides what's covered.

1. You report the claim to your insurance company, which assigns an adjuster.
2. The adjuster inspects the roof and writes an estimate. Many homeowners have their roofer present for the inspection to point out damage.
3. The insurer decides what's covered and pays according to your policy, usually minus your deductible.
4. If you disagree, you can ask your insurer about a re-inspection or its appeal process. Missouri law doesn't let your roofer negotiate the claim for you (Source: RSMo 407.725).

Missouri law on roofers and insurance claims

Section 407.725 of the Missouri statutes covers contractors who do roof and exterior work paid by insurance (Source: RSMo 407.725):

• No deductible rebates. A roofer can't advertise or promise to pay or rebate any part of your insurance deductible, including through "discounts," gifts or referral fees. If someone offers to "cover your deductible," that's a red flag.
• No negotiating your claim. A roofer can't represent you or negotiate with your insurer on your behalf, or offer to.
• A 5-business-day right to cancel after a denial. If you sign a contract and your insurer then tells you in writing that all or part of the claim isn't covered, you can cancel by written notice until midnight of the fifth business day after you get that notice. The contractor must return payments within 10 days. Emergency work you approved in writing, such as tarping, can still be charged at a reasonable price.
• Enforcement. Violations are treated as unfair practices under Missouri's consumer-protection law. The Missouri Attorney General takes complaints at 800-392-8222 (Source: Missouri Attorney General).

Storm chasers: red flags

After big storms, out-of-town crews knock on doors. In 2026 the Missouri Attorney General charged a contractor with 23 counts of deceptive practices for taking upfront payments from 16 Missourians, mostly 2025 tornado victims, and abandoning or never starting the work. Victims lost $131,885 (Source: St. Louis Public Radio).

• Offers to "pay your deductible" or "make it free" (illegal in Missouri (Source: RSMo 407.725))
• Pressure to sign today, or to sign an "inspection agreement" that's really a contract
• Large upfront payments, or cash only
• No local address, or out-of-state plates and phone numbers
• Promises about what insurance will pay

Registered contractors after the 2025 tornado

After the May 16, 2025 EF3 tornado, which the NWS now says was the widest tornado in the St. Louis region since reliable records began in 1950 (Source: St. Louis Public Radio), the City of St. Louis started STL Recovers, a voluntary contractor registration for the tornado area. The City checks a registered contractor's license and insurance, then issues a placard with a QR code you can scan to see the contractor's records, and keeps a public registry (Source: City of St. Louis). Being registered isn't an endorsement by the City.

Outside that program, ask your city or the County which licenses a roofer needs where you live. Local permit rules

Repair or replace after hail?

Hail damage is often spread across the whole roof, so a full replacement is more common after hail than after a single leak. Wind damage is often limited to a few torn or missing shingles, which a repair can fix. A roofer's inspection photos will show which you have. Repair vs. replace · Replacement cost