Best hail report for insurance claims (2026)
Your insurer questions the storm date, or the claim was denied. Here is what each kind of hail report gives you, what it costs, and which one fits your claim.
Updated
Our top pick is the Skybridge satellite report: it combines GOES satellite imagery and lightning with NOAA MRMS hail size and SPC storm reports for your exact address, arrives in about one business day from USD 249, and carries a verification code anyone can check online. For a free first look at storm dates near you, start with NOAA's own storm reports or a free address check.
The options, by the job each one does best
We're Skybridge, which is why we're listed first. Every other entry is described from its own website.
- 01
Our top pick · Best for: Our top pick: satellite-verified evidence with a public verification code
Skybridge — satellite hail report
What the satellites, radar and ground reports recorded over your address in the window you choose: a verdict with a probability, a map, cloud-top temperature, lightning by distance, MRMS hail size and the nearest SPC storm reports. A person reviews every report before it ships.
- From USD 249 for one hazard and one day.
- GOES-19/GOES-18 imagery and GLM lightning, plus NOAA MRMS hail size (MESH) and SPC storm reports within 50 km.
- Delivered by email in about one business day, as a PDF.
- A unique verification code (SKB-XXXX-XXXX) an adjuster can check at /verify.
- Dates back to January 1, 2018; a 1–3 day window; a 250 m to 5 km radius.
- 02
Best for: Free: finding candidate storm dates yourself
NOAA storm reports (SPC and NCEI Storm Events)
NOAA's Storm Prediction Center publishes daily local storm reports, and NCEI's Storm Events Database archives them. Both are free and public, and both are ground reports: they list where someone reported hail, not what fell on your roof.
- Free.
- Preliminary reports from spotters and the public; coverage depends on who was there to report.
Source: www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports
- 03
Best for: A free address check and a low-cost storm summary
HailScore
A free address check returns an exposure score and a ledger of nearby storms with date, size and distance. A single storm report is sold separately.
- Free address check; Single Storm Report $9.95.
- Sources listed on its site: NOAA NEXRAD, the NOAA Storm Events Database, MRMS and volunteer reports.
- US addresses.
Source: www.myhailscore.com
- 04
Best for: Forensic hail, wind and lightning reports with a staffed department
WeatherGuidance (StormIntel)
Address-specific hail and wind reports and lightning reports, handled by a forensic department during business hours.
- Prices are not published on its site.
- Serves clients in all 50 states.
Source: www.weatherguidance.com
- 05
Best for: Carriers and adjusters who already order through Cotality
Cotality Weather Verification Services (formerly CoreLogic)
An online store of weather verification reports, run by Cotality (the former CoreLogic).
- Ordered online at wvs.corelogic.com.
- Prices and specs were not readable on its public page.
Source: wvs.corelogic.com
- 06
Best for: Insurers and reinsurers buying peril data at portfolio scale
Canopy Weather
Hail date-of-loss verification, weather peril maps and forensic reports, sold to insurers, reinsurers, brokers and MGAs.
- No public price.
- Directs roofing contractors to its sister company, HailTrace.
Source: canopyweather.com
- 07
Best for: Roofers looking for storms and neighborhoods to canvass
HailPoint and HailTrace
Hail maps and hail reports built for the hail-damage restoration industry, with free hail alerts (HailPoint) and storm maps for contractors (HailTrace).
- HailPoint sells a Hail Verify™ report; prices are not shown on its home page.
- HailTrace's site did not allow our check.
Source: www.hailpoint.com
Third-party details read from each vendor’s own site on October 27, 2026.
At a glance (checked October 27, 2026)
| Skybridge | NOAA reports | HailScore | Forensic vendors | Roofer tools | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your exact address | Yes | Nearby reports | Yes | Yes | Maps |
| Satellite imagery + lightning | Yes | No | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Radar hail size (MRMS) | Yes | No | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Public verification code | Yes | No | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Turnaround | ≈ 1 business day | Online, instant | Seconds (free check) | Not listed | Not listed |
| Price | From USD 249 | Free | Free / $9.95 | On request | Not listed |
What a hail report has to show
Most hail disputes come down to two questions: did hail fall at this property, and on which date? A useful report answers both for the address on the policy, inside the policy period, and gives the adjuster a way to check it.
Look for four things: the exact location (not a county summary), the date and time window, more than one independent source, and a way to confirm the document has not been edited.
- Address-level, with the area you chose drawn on a map.
- Date and time of the storm, inside your policy period.
- Independent sources: satellite, radar and ground reports that agree.
- Verifiable: a code or hash the other side can check.
Why satellite evidence helps where radar is thin
Radar beams climb with distance and get blocked by terrain, so coverage of the lowest part of a storm thins out far from a radar site, especially in the West (rural properties). Geostationary satellites see every acre the same way, all the time. GOES-19 and GOES-18 image the storm tops and map lightning, so the report describes your property even where ground reports and radar are sparse.
Skybridge US reports add NOAA MRMS hail size and the SPC storm reports within 50 km, so the satellite reading sits next to the sources adjusters already know. See a full sample report.
How to choose
Match the report to where your claim is.
- Just checking whether a storm hit near you: start free with NOAA's storm reports.
- Claim filed, date questioned or claim denied: order the Skybridge report for your address and date.
- Going to appraisal or court: pair the report with a forensic meteorologist's testimony.
- Comparing vendors by name: see HailTrace alternative, CoreLogic alternative and HailScore vs Skybridge.
When another option is the better choice
- You only need a list of possible storm dates: a free NOAA lookup or a $9.95 summary is enough.
- You need an expert to testify: hire a forensic meteorologist and use the satellite report as an exhibit.
- You're a roofer hunting for neighborhoods to canvass: a storm-map subscription fits that job better.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best hail report for an insurance claim?
- For a disputed or denied claim, our top pick is the Skybridge satellite report: address-level, satellite plus MRMS and SPC sources, a verification code, about one business day, from USD 249. For a free first look, use NOAA's storm reports.
- How do I find the date of loss for hail damage?
- List the storms that hit near the property during the policy period (NOAA's storm reports are free), then order a report for the most likely date. A 2–3 day window covers storms that crossed midnight.
- Can I get a hail report for an old storm?
- Yes. Skybridge covers US dates from January 1, 2018, with a window of up to three days.
- How does an adjuster know the report is authentic?
- Every Skybridge report has a unique code. Anyone can open the original issued version at skybridge-intel.com/en/verify.
- Does a hail report decide my claim?
- No. It is independent evidence about the weather at your property; the adjuster still inspects the damage.