The damage hail does to your car scales with size very non-linearly. Dime-size hail is mostly a non-event. Nickel starts causing trouble. Quarter-size is trouble. Half-dollar and larger is serious trouble. Here's the full size-to-damage chart, with what each tier typically costs to repair.
The hailstone size chart
Pea-size (0.25") — rarely damaging
Bounces off most modern painted metal. Older vehicles with thin paint may show minor micro-dents visible only under line-board inspection. Almost never triggers a claim on its own.
Dime-size (0.7") — occasional damage
Common in lighter KC storms. Can produce shallow dents in horizontal panels (hood, roof, trunk) if the storm is sustained. Typical repair if damage is significant: $1,200-$2,500. Often under-deductible.
Nickel-size (7/8") — regular damage territory
This is where insurance claims start mattering. Nickel-size hail produces clear, visible dents in horizontal panels and often in vertical panels on the side facing the storm. Typical full-vehicle damage: $1,800-$4,000. Most customers file.
Quarter-size (1") — serious damage
Nearly every exposed vehicle takes repair-worthy damage. Horizontal panels are covered. Vertical panels on the storm-facing side are heavily hit. Typical full-vehicle damage: $3,500-$7,000. Almost always worth filing.
Half-dollar-size (1.25") — severe damage
Damage spreads across every panel. Oversized-dent line items start stacking. Windshields at risk. Vehicle value takes a real hit if unrepaired. Typical full-vehicle damage: $5,000-$9,000. Supplement needed to capture full damage.
Golf-ball-size (1.75") — very severe damage
Serious repair territory. Windshields crack. Sunroofs break. Some vehicles flagged total-loss at this size and above. Typical full-vehicle damage: $8,000-$13,000. Severe hail damage service page.
Tennis-ball-size (2.5") — catastrophic
Pushes many vehicles over the total-loss threshold. Windshields shatter. Sheet metal stretches beyond PDR limits in some places. Some panels may need replacement rather than repair. Typical full-vehicle damage: $12,000-$18,000+.
Baseball-size and larger (2.75"+) — extreme
Rare but possible in the Kansas City market. Parkville saw 4-inch hail in March 2026. At this size, total-loss declarations are common. Structural damage possible. Windshield, sunroof, and sometimes side windows all at risk.
Size vs speed — why both matter
A 1-inch hailstone moving at 45 mph hits with dramatically more energy than a 1-inch hailstone moving at 25 mph. Wind-driven hail (which is most hail in KC) hits harder than still-air hail. This is why identical-size stones can produce very different damage patterns — the storm's wind profile matters.
It's also why vertical panels (doors, fenders, quarter panels) take damage disproportionately on wind-driven storms. When wind pushes hail sideways into the side of your vehicle, the impact angle causes deeper dents than straight-down impacts on the hood or roof.
What the SPC uses for reporting
The Storm Prediction Center uses these standard size references when reporting hail events:
- Pea (0.25"), Marble (0.5"), Dime (0.7"), Nickel (0.875"), Quarter (1.0")
- Half Dollar (1.25"), Ping Pong Ball (1.5"), Golf Ball (1.75"), Tennis Ball (2.5"), Baseball (2.75")
- Grapefruit (4.0"), Softball (4.5")
When your local meteorologist reports storm hail size, they're using this scale.
What to do after you know the hail size
Anything nickel-size and above, get a free inspection. At that size and above, damage is nearly certain even if you can't see it clearly from 10 feet away. Under line-board lighting we'll find what's there. Start your claim or read our documentation guide first.