How to Read Your HailScore Report: A Complete Guide

You entered your address at myhailscore.com and got your HailScore report. Now what? This guide walks you through every section of your report so you can understand exactly what the data means and how to use it.

What Is a HailScore Report?

A HailScore report is a comprehensive hail history for your specific address. It uses 10+ years of NOAA NEXRAD radar data to show you every significant hail event that affected your property. This is the same radar data that meteorologists and insurance adjusters use, presented in a format that makes sense for homeowners.

Your report is not a guess or an estimate. It is based on actual radar-detected hail measurements recorded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Your HailScore Number

The first thing you see is your HailScore, a number that represents your property's overall hail exposure. Here is how to interpret it:

Low score: Your address has experienced relatively few or small hail events. Your roof is likely in good shape from a hail perspective, though age and wear still matter.

Moderate score: Your property has been hit by multiple hail events or at least one significant event. A roof inspection is recommended.

High score: Your address has sustained repeated hail exposure with significant events. Your roof has almost certainly been affected and should be professionally inspected.

The score accounts for both the frequency and severity of hail events at your location. Multiple small events can produce a high score, just like a single severe event can.

Understanding the Hail Event Timeline

Your report includes a timeline of hail events detected near your address. Each event entry typically includes:

Date of the event. When the hail fell at your location. This is important for insurance purposes because most policies require claims to be filed within a specific window after a storm.

Hail size. The estimated maximum hail diameter detected by radar near your address, measured in inches. Here is what different sizes mean:

0.75 to 1 inch (penny to quarter): May cause minor granule loss on shingles. Usually not enough for an insurance claim on its own.

1 to 1.5 inches (quarter to ping-pong ball): Causes noticeable granule loss and can crack aged shingles. Worth investigating.

1.5 to 1.75 inches (ping-pong ball to golf ball): Causes significant shingle damage on most roof types. Likely warrants an insurance claim.

1.75 to 2.5 inches (golf ball to tennis ball): Causes severe damage. Shingles crack, split, and lose large amounts of protective granules. Insurance claim territory.

2.5+ inches (tennis ball and larger): Catastrophic damage. Roofs often need full replacement.

Location data. The radar grid cell that corresponds to your address. NOAA radar data is organized in geographic grids, and your report matches your address to the appropriate grid cell.

The Hail Map

Your report includes a map showing hail events in your area. This visualization helps you understand the geographic pattern of hail at your location.

What to look for on the map:

The concentration of events around your address

Whether storms tend to approach from a particular direction (this affects which side of your roof takes the most hits)

How your location compares to nearby areas

Cumulative Exposure

One of the most valuable parts of your HailScore report is the cumulative exposure analysis. A single moderate hail event might not destroy your roof, but five moderate events over three years almost certainly will.

Why cumulative data matters:

Each hail event removes shingle granules, even if the hail is small

Granule loss is progressive and permanent

Once a critical amount of granule protection is gone, the shingle mat is exposed to UV and water

A roof that has survived ten hail events is in very different condition than one that has seen only one

Your HailScore report factors in this cumulative effect, which is why some addresses with many smaller events score higher than addresses with a single large event.

How to Use Your Report

For insurance claims: Your HailScore report provides documented evidence of hail events at your address. You can share this with your insurance company and adjuster. The data comes from NOAA, which is the same source insurers use in their own assessments.

For roof maintenance decisions: If your report shows moderate to high hail exposure, scheduling a professional inspection is the smart next step. Even if you do not plan to file a claim, knowing your roof's condition helps you plan for maintenance or replacement.

For home buying or selling: HailScore reports are valuable during real estate transactions. Buyers can check the hail history of a property before purchasing. Sellers can proactively address hail damage to avoid surprises during inspection.

For contractor conversations: When a roofing contractor inspects your roof, your HailScore report gives them context about what your roof has been through. This helps them provide a more accurate assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the data accurate?

HailScore uses NOAA NEXRAD radar data, the gold standard for weather data in the United States. The radar network covers the entire country and has been continuously collecting data for decades.

How far back does the data go?

HailScore reports include 10+ years of hail event data, starting from 2015.

Does the report show exact hailstone sizes?

The report shows radar-estimated maximum hail size in the area near your address. Individual hailstones vary in size within any storm, but the radar estimate gives you the upper range of what fell.

Can I use this report with my insurance company?

Yes. The report is based on the same NOAA data that insurance companies reference. It provides documented evidence of hail events at your specific address.

How often should I check my HailScore?

After every major storm in your area, and at least once per year before or after hail season. Your report updates as new NOAA data becomes available.

Next Steps

Your HailScore report is the starting point for informed decisions about your roof. Here is what to do based on your results:

Low score, newer roof: You are in good shape. Check again after the next hail season.

Moderate score: Schedule a professional roof inspection to assess current condition.

High score: Get a professional inspection soon and review your insurance coverage.

Do not have your report yet? Check your free HailScore at myhailscore.com and get your property's complete hail history in seconds.