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Hail damage and insurance: building a file that holds up

An insurer does not pay out because "there was hail". They pay out on evidence: what damage, where exactly, how bad, and demonstrably caused by this event. A strong file is the difference between a smooth payout and a months-long dispute.

Why does this matter?

With hail damage to solar panels or roofs, much of the damage is not visible on an ordinary photo. That is exactly what makes the file vulnerable: if you only show what the eye sees, you underestimate the damage and give the adjuster room to dispute it. A well-substantiated, localised and measurable file removes that discussion — and ensures the hidden damage counts towards the payout too.

What the insurer needs

The same need surfaces in every one of our insurance files. An adjuster wants:

• An overview of the full installation or roof plane, so the scope is clear.
• Detail images per zone, with every damaged module or roof section shown separately.
• Measurable thermal data for the hidden damage — radiometric, not merely colours.
• Context: date, time, weather conditions and a GPS position per finding.
• Everything bundled into one independent report with a consistent, repeatable method.

On large arrays we often use a cross-hatch flight path, so every module is measured from two directions and a defect cannot be blamed on a measurement angle.

How does this work in practice?

We fly the roof or array systematically with a Matrice 30T and record both a visual and a radiometric thermal image per zone. Hidden cell cracks appear as measurable hotspots; visible damage is photographed in detail. Every finding gets a GPS position and ends up in a structured report the adjuster understands without explanation.

The full delivery happens through a dedicated client portal — DronePortal: one link, no loose files, so the insurance adjuster finds all images, measurements and the report in one place instead of in a string of emails.

Common mistakes

• Loose phone photos without location or date — barely usable as evidence for an adjuster.
• Documenting only visible damage, leaving the hidden (and often largest) damage out of the file.
• No measurement data: colour images without temperature values cannot be quantified.
• Sending everything loose by email, so the adjuster loses the coherence.
• Waiting too long, which weakens the link to the hail event.

Why with a drone?

A drone documents a full roof or array systematically and without climbing onto it, with a consistent method you can repeat exactly for a counter-assessment. Every zone is captured the same way, and the radiometric data makes the hidden damage measurable — precisely what makes an insurance file strong.

Why Droneview?

Droneview is an EASA-certified operator with broad experience in independent damage and yield assessments. We deliver a report built the way an adjuster wants to read it — measurable, localised and repeatable — and liaise directly with the insurer where needed.

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