Hail size vs. damage: a field guide for PDR estimators
Pea to softball — what each hail size actually does to a vehicle, and how to set expectations before you pop the trunk.
By Hail Nexus
Customers describe hail in fruit and sports equipment. Adjusters think in inches. A good estimator translates between the two without a tape measure. Here’s the working scale.
| Report term | Diameter | What it does to a car |
|---|---|---|
| Pea | 0.25“ | Cosmetic at worst; rarely a claim |
| Quarter | 1.0“ | Light dimpling on horizontal panels |
| Golf ball | 1.75“ | Consistent denting, hood/roof/trunk |
| Hen egg | 2.0“ | Heavy denting, some cracked glass |
| Tennis ball | 2.5“ | Severe; broken glass common |
| Baseball+ | 2.75“+ | Total-loss territory on soft panels |
Why the panel matters as much as the stone
A 1.75“ stone falling straight down hammers horizontal surfaces — hood, roof, trunk lid — far harder than the doors. Wind-driven hail changes the geometry entirely and puts dents on quarter panels and pillars you’d otherwise skip. When you read a report, note whether comments mention wind; it changes where you’ll spend your matrix.
Set the estimate before you open the door
Knowing the reported size for a given county lets you walk up already knowing the likely severity tier. That’s the difference between a confident estimate and a guess. Pair the live hail map with the Hail Nexus CRM pricing engine and the size feeds straight into a consistent estimate.
Draft — verify diameters against your own matrix and add photos before publishing.