After a monsoon blows through, walk your property before you climb anything: look for granules pooled in gutters or downspouts, dented vent caps or swamp cooler housings, and displaced tile or shingles visible from the ground. Document everything with photos before you touch or clean up debris — insurers want to see the damage as the storm left it.
Arizona's monsoon season runs roughly June through September, and it's capable of producing straight-line winds over 60 mph, golf-ball hail in isolated cells, and dust storms that drive debris into a roof at speed. None of that requires a direct hailstorm to cause real damage. A microburst alone can lift shingles, crack tile, or tear flashing loose.
Monsoon roof damage checklist: ground-level inspection
Start from the ground with binoculars or a zoomed phone camera. Do not get on a wet or storm-damaged roof yourself.
Check gutters and downspouts for granule buildup, which signals shingle wear from wind-driven hail even without visible cracks. Look at the roofline for tile that's shifted, cracked, or missing outright. Check vent stacks, swamp cooler curbs, and any rooftop HVAC housing for dents or torn flashing. Look at fascia and gutters for dents or separation from the roofline. Check your yard and pool for roofing debris, which is often the first sign something came off the roof even before you spot the source.
Attic and interior checklist
Storm damage doesn't always show up outside first. Check your attic for daylight coming through the roof deck, damp insulation, or a musty smell. Inside the house, look at ceilings for new water stains, especially near skylights, chimneys, or roof penetrations. Check interior walls near the roofline for bubbling paint or soft drywall, a sign water has been getting in for longer than a single storm.
Photograph and document everything
Before any cleanup or temporary repair, photograph the damage from multiple angles, including wide shots that show the whole roof section and close-ups of specific damage. Note the date and approximate time of the storm. If you can safely photograph hail on the ground near your property right after the storm, that helps establish the storm actually produced hail-sized ice, not just wind.
Keep a written log: what you found, when you found it, and any temporary repairs you made to prevent further damage, like a tarp over an exposed section. Save receipts for tarps, buckets, or emergency materials — those costs are often reimbursable as part of a claim.
What the insurance claim process typically looks like
Filing a claim after monsoon damage generally follows the same basic steps: report the damage to your insurer promptly, provide your documentation and photos, and an adjuster is assigned to inspect the roof in person. The adjuster's assessment, not a contractor's estimate, determines what your policy considers covered damage. Some homeowners bring in a licensed roofer for a written damage assessment before the adjuster visit, which can help identify damage that isn't visible from the ground.
We can't tell you whether your specific damage will be covered. That depends on your policy's language, your deductible, and the adjuster's findings, and it varies by insurer and by policy. What we can tell you is that documentation matters: a homeowner with dated photos, a written log, and a professional roof assessment is in a stronger position during a claim review than one who waited two weeks and can't show what the roof looked like right after the storm. For the actual coverage answer, talk to your insurance company and read your policy, not a contractor's promise.
When to call a public adjuster
If your claim gets denied or the settlement offer seems far below what repairs will actually cost, a public adjuster works for you rather than the insurance company and can help build a stronger case for a claim review. This is a step worth considering on a large claim, not a routine one, since public adjusters typically take a percentage of the settlement.
Storm-chaser warning
Door-knockers offering a "free storm inspection" show up within days of a bad monsoon cell, and some of them are not licensed in Arizona at all. Before anyone gets on your roof, check their ROC license at azroc.gov — our guide to choosing an Arizona roofer covers exactly what to check and what red flags mean you should walk away.
Get your roof assessed before you file
A written pre-adjuster assessment from a licensed roofer can strengthen your claim and catch damage you can't see from the ground. Compare roofers who serve Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Tucson below, or use the quote form to get matched with a licensed contractor for a damage assessment.