Totally agree about visuals being key—adjusters seem to appreciate clear evidence more than anything else. When we switched from asphalt to metal roofing a few years back, I noticed the adjuster spent way less time nitpicking minor dents. Metal roofs can show hail dings pretty clearly, but they're also tougher to dispute since the damage is usually straightforward and measurable. Plus, metal roofs tend to handle pooling water better, so fewer headaches overall...though nothing beats chalk circles for making your point crystal clear.
Good points about metal roofs, especially the part about pooling water. We switched to metal a couple years ago, and honestly, insurance claims have been way smoother. Adjusters seem less skeptical when they can clearly see the dents and measure them out. But I gotta say, asphalt shingles sometimes hide minor damage better, which can be good or bad depending on your deductible and how picky your adjuster is... Still, metal's durability and fewer leaks overall have made life easier for us.
Interesting take on the adjuster perspective—I hadn't thought about how clearly visible dents might actually help smooth things out. Had a client last summer with asphalt shingles who got hit pretty hard by hail. At first glance, everything looked fine, but once we got up there and started lifting shingles... yikes. Hidden bruises everywhere. Adjuster was skeptical at first, took some convincing photos to get him onboard. Metal definitely makes damage more obvious, but sometimes that's exactly what you want when dealing with insurance. Pros and cons either way, I guess...
Had a similar experience with metal roofing, but honestly, sometimes the obvious dents can backfire. Couple years ago, hailstorm left my metal roof looking like a golf ball. Thought it'd be an easy claim, but the adjuster argued it was purely cosmetic and didn't compromise the integrity. Took weeks of back-and-forth before they finally agreed to replace it. Asphalt might hide damage, sure, but at least when you find it, it's clearly structural and harder for insurance to dismiss as "just aesthetic."
"Asphalt might hide damage, sure, but at least when you find it, it's clearly structural and harder for insurance to dismiss as 'just aesthetic.'"
You make a solid point about asphalt damage being easier to classify structurally, but I'd suggest considering another angle. With metal roofing, even if dents initially seem cosmetic, they can still lead to long-term issues like compromised protective coatings or accelerated corrosion. I've inspected several roofs where minor hail dents eventually turned into rust spots and leaks down the road. Insurance adjusters sometimes overlook this aspect, but it's definitely worth highlighting during claims discussions.
