Why the date of loss matters
A property claim attaches to a specific event. If the insurer can't tie your damage to a storm on a specific date, within your policy period and inside any reporting window, it may deny the claim as "wear and tear" or "prior damage." This is especially common in hail-prone parts of Texas, where a roof may have been hit by several storms. Our guide to hail claim filing deadlines explains why old damage is harder to claim.
How to read the results
- Hail size is reported in inches. One inch (quarter size) and larger is often where shingle damage starts to be argued, but damage depends on the roof, the wind and the hail density, not size alone.
- Distance is from the center of the town you picked. Storms are wider than the points on a map; a report three miles away can still mean hail at your address.
- No report doesn't mean no storm. Reports come from spotters, the public and weather stations. Rural areas have fewer of them.
- For a claim, pair the report with your own evidence: dated photos, soft-metal dents, neighbors' claims.
Tip: save or print the results page for your claim file, along with the NOAA daily report linked above. Engineers and adjusters often check the same sources.
Frequently asked questions
Where does this storm data come from?
Local Storm Reports issued by National Weather Service offices, accessed through the Iowa Environmental Mesonet at Iowa State University. The tool also links to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center daily reports and the NCEI Storm Events Database, which publishes verified records after a delay of a few months.
Can I use this report as proof for my insurance claim?
It's supporting evidence of a storm on a date near your property. Insurers and their engineers use similar sources, often with commercial hail-mapping products. Combine it with photos and physical evidence.
Why can't I find the storm that hit my house?
Try a wider radius, the day before or after (storms that arrive after midnight are dated the next day), and "Hail, wind and tornado" report types. Some storms simply go unreported.
