Hail Damage to Residential
Roofing Systems

Hail events present unique challenges for both our agency partners and State Auto's claims professionals.  In many instances those "challenges" are centered on the differences of opinion as to what is and what is not hail damage to the roofing systems. 

There is much misinformation throughout the industry when it comes to what constitutes true hail damage.   Some of this confusion is a result of individuals simply not having much experience in properly identifying hail damage, but the bigger reason for misidentification of hail damage is from the lack of professional training of the inspectors.

State Auto's claims department training is two-fold.  The classroom piece of the training is conducted through an intense certification program by Haag Engineering.

Haag Engineering is the premier engineering company in the arena of hail and wind damage to roofing systems.  Its engineers are considered experts in the aforementioned discipline. 

Haag requires that inspectors must have at least one hundred residential roof inspections under their belts before they can even attend the class.  Once the inspector attends the 20-hour class and passes a four hour exam, they are Haag Certified.  Haag requires a "recertification" each year for the next four years. On the fifth year the inspector must then attend the 20-hour class once more and pass the four hour exam again.

Beyond the Haag Certification, State Auto has teamed our cat adjusters with seasoned staff on all events to mentor and elevate their knowledge to an even higher level.  State Auto's seasoned staff has as much as thirty-three years working hail and wind claims throughout the U.S.

By the end of 2011 all staff cat team adjusters, all general adjuster's and all regional property adjusters will have the formal training to obtain the Haag certification.  
 
The combination of the formalized training through Haag Engineering and our mentoring will give State Auto's agency partners one of the premier groups of claims professionals in the industry.   At State Auto Claims, our intense focus on all we do is paving the way for State Auto to become the insurance company of choice.
 

How about "walking a mile in our shoes"
on the roofs of our insured's homes?

Just for fun, try to identify how many of the following roofs have hail damage. 

View here for the answers.