Adjuster Says Hail Damage to Windows Is Cosmetic — What to Photograph
The adjuster walked around, saw dents and chips, and called it cosmetic. Before you accept that, check each window for damage that affects how it works.
When the adjuster says hail damage to your windows is cosmetic, what counts is your policy's wording and the adjuster's decision. JMB Builders in the Twin Cities documents what can be functional: cracked vinyl frames, split cladding, failed glass seals, sashes that will not close and locks that will not engage, each photographed with a scale. No legal advice.
- Photo checklist, window by window
- Frames, seals, sashes and locks checked
- Your policy and adjuster decide
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Some policies separate cosmetic damage, which changes how something looks, from damage that affects how it works or keeps water out. Whether yours does, and where it draws the line, is in your policy language, and the adjuster applies it. We do not give coverage or legal advice. What we can do is look closely and write down facts.
On windows, the damage that can be more than cosmetic is usually small and easy to miss from the lawn: a hairline crack in a vinyl frame corner or sill, split or punctured cladding that lets water to the wood, a glass seal that failed and is starting to fog, a sash that no longer closes flush, a lock that will not engage, or a torn weatherstrip. Each of those is checked and photographed with a scale and a label for the window location.
If your claim is already settled and you find more, the supplement page covers asking for it to be reopened. You file the claim and deal with your insurer. We give you the photos and a line-item scope in the terms adjusters use, meet your adjuster when you want us there, and do the work once it is approved. Minnesota law bars a contractor from waiving, rebating or paying your deductible, and we do not.
What you supply
- Your claim number and the adjuster's written decision
- The storm date and any photos you took
- Notes on any window that has started leaking, fogging or sticking since
- Access to each window inside and out
What JMB supplies
- A window-by-window check of frames, cladding, glass seals, sashes, locks and weatherstrip
- Photos with a scale and side-lighting, labeled by window location
- A written list of what we found on each window, in plain terms
- A line-item repair scope for anything the insurer approves
- Meeting your adjuster on a re-inspection, when you want us there
- The repair once a scope is approved
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Glass only, sash or whole unit for each window
- Frame material: vinyl, clad wood, fiberglass or aluminum
- Whether the maker still sells parts
- Access to upper-floor windows
- Upgrades beyond like-for-like, which you pay on top
Send close-ups of each dent or crack, taken with light from the side, and a note of any window that no longer locks or closes right.
How long it takes
The inspection and photos usually take one visit. Repairs wait on the claim decision and the order.
How your project works
- 1
Check the frame
Sill and sash corners are inspected for cracks and splits in vinyl, punctures in cladding and chips down to the wood. A crack in a vinyl frame lets water into the wall.
- 2
Check the glass seal
Each insulated glass unit is checked for fog or film between the panes and for star cracks at the edges. A failed seal can show up weeks after the storm.
- 3
Check operation
Every sash is opened, closed and locked. A sash that no longer closes flush or a lock that will not engage is written down with a photo of the gap.
- 4
Photograph and list
Each finding is photographed with a scale and side-lighting, labeled by window, and listed so you can hand it to your insurer.
Adjuster Says Hail Damage to Windows Is Cosmetic — What to Photograph: questions, answered
What is the difference between cosmetic and functional hail damage on windows?
In general, cosmetic damage changes how the window looks, like a shallow dent, and functional damage affects how it works or keeps water out, like a cracked frame, a failed seal or a lock that will not engage. How your policy defines them, if it does, is in your policy language. The adjuster applies it.
The adjuster says my window damage is cosmetic. What should I do?
Ask for the decision in writing and read your policy wording. Then have each window checked for cracks, failed seals and sashes or locks that no longer work, photographed with a scale. Take that to your insurer. We do not give legal or coverage advice.
How do I show a cracked vinyl window frame from hail?
Photograph the sill and sash corners with light from the side, a tape or coin in the frame for scale, and a wide shot that shows which window it is. Hairline cracks show best in low morning or evening light.
Can hail break a window seal without cracking the glass?
Yes. A hard strike can break the seal of an insulated glass unit, and the fog between the panes shows up later. Note when you first saw it and photograph it. Fog from age before the storm is a different thing.
Can you meet the adjuster for a re-inspection?
Yes, when you want us there. We walk the windows with the same photos and list you have, point out what we found and explain the repair. The decision is your insurer's.
Can a contractor pay my deductible on a window claim?
No. Minnesota law bars a contractor from waiving, rebating or paying any part of your insurance deductible, and JMB Builders does not do it. Your deductible is your share of the repair and is paid as part of the job.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All insurance repairs pages
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