# How Do Adjusters Assess Hail Damage on a Car? | DG > Panel by panel: dents counted and sized, PDR priced from the count, plus access labor, paint and glass. Why first counts miss dents, and how a supplement fixes it. - Canonical page: https://dgcollision.com/answers/how-do-adjusters-assess-hail-damage/ - This file: Markdown twin of the page above (clean text for AI assistants and crawlers) - Business: DG Collision Center, 693 Metro Park Cir #20, Lewisville, TX 75057 — (972) 219-0864 (text: 817-907-2822) — since 1978 - Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm, Sat 10am–1pm, closed Sunday · 24/7 towing · 4.9/5 on 500+ Google reviews - Full site index for assistants: https://dgcollision.com/llms.txt - Last generated: 2026-08-14 --- # HOW DO ADJUSTERS ASSESS HAIL DAMAGE? Quick Answer Panel by panel: they count the dents, size them, and price the repair from that count. Most hail estimates group dents on each panel by size, often dime, nickel, quarter and half-dollar, and price paintless dent repair from the number in each group. Then come lines for taking parts off to reach the dents (remove and install), conventional repair and paint where hail cracked the paint, adjustments for aluminum panels and oversized dents, and any broken glass. The weak point is light: a photo or a quick look in daylight misses shallow dents that PDR lights show. That’s why a written count from the shop, sent as a supplement, so often changes the number. You choose the shop under Texas Insurance Code §1952.301. Get a Free Written Estimate By [Shah Jiwani](https://dgcollision.com/about/shah-jiwani/) · Owner, DG Collision Center Updated November 12, 2026 3 min read I-CAR Gold Class · PPG Certified The Longer Answer ## WHAT THE ADJUSTER LOOKS AT, AND WHAT THEY MISS How the inspection happens. Depending on the insurer and the storm, the first look may come from your phone photos, a drive-in inspection site, a field adjuster in your driveway, or an appraiser at the shop. After a big storm, every one of those is moving fast. What drives the number. The dent count and dent size on each panel are the core. Roofs usually carry the most dents and need the headliner lowered so a technician can reach them; that access labor is a separate line. Aluminum hoods and roofs are slower to repair, and dents too big for the size groups get priced one at a time. Where hail cracked the paint, the panel moves from PDR to conventional repair and refinish, including blending into the panels next to it. Where first estimates come up short. Shallow dents have no edge for a camera or a glance to catch. Under a PDR light board, each one breaks the reflection line, so a roof that looked like a dozen dents can count far higher. Roof rails, door-frame tops and the back edge of the hood are the usual misses, along with the headliner labor. What helps before the inspection. Wash the car, because dust hides dents. Write down where it was parked during the storm and the date. Take your own photos from a low angle in daylight, and point out any older dents so they aren’t mixed in with the new damage. How it gets corrected. You open the claim. We count every panel under PDR lights, write the estimate line by line, and send your adjuster a supplement with photos for anything the first estimate missed. On qualifying hail claims we cover the first $1,000 of your deductible; above that, it’s case by case. Our published ranges are in the [hail repair cost guide](https://dgcollision.com/guides/hail-damage-repair-cost-dfw/). General information, not legal advice. Related Questions ## ASKED ALONGSIDE THIS ONE How long does a hail damage inspection take? + A: A photo review or a drive-in inspection after a storm can take minutes. A written count under PDR lights at a shop takes longer, because every panel gets marked and counted. Why is my shop’s dent count higher than the adjuster’s? + A: PDR lights show shallow dents that photos and daylight miss. When the shop finds more, it sends the insurer a supplement with photos for review. Do adjusters count every single dent? + A: They count by panel and group dents by size. Large dents beyond the size groups are usually priced individually. Can I choose where my car is inspected? + A: Ask your insurer for the options. Many can review shop photos or send an appraiser to the shop, and Texas law lets you choose the repair shop. Go Deeper [Is the insurance estimate final?](https://dgcollision.com/guides/insurance-estimate-final/) · [How to read a repair estimate](https://dgcollision.com/guides/how-to-read-a-repair-estimate/) · [How much insurance pays for hail](https://dgcollision.com/answers/how-much-does-insurance-pay-for-hail-damage/) · [Hail repair at DG](https://dgcollision.com/services/hail-damage-repair/)