Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Hail Damage?
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Depending on where you live, homeowners insurance will usually cover hail damage to your roof and other parts of your home. But in areas of the country where hail is more frequent, insurance policies are more likely to include restrictions on coverage.
Hailstorms can happen almost anywhere, and it can be difficult to determine how much damage has been done to your home. You should hire professional help to independently assess the damage before filing a claim with your insurance company.
How do I know if my homeowners insurance covers hail damage?
Homeowners insurance in most regions covers hail damage to the structure of your home. However, in areas where hailstorms occur more frequently, companies are more likely to limit their hail coverage or increase the cost to reflect the higher risk. If you're in a state or region where a higher percentage of properties are affected by hail, then check your policy for restrictions.
Does my location make me vulnerable to hail damage?
The area in the United States traditionally most vulnerable to hail damage is called "hail alley." It's located approximately where the borders of Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming meet. However, in recent years, damaging hailstorms have become more frequent in other parts of the country. A report by Verisk estimated the number and percentage of properties in each state to experience one or more damaging hail events within a one-year period. The following table shows the top 10 by total properties affected.
Rank | State | Properties affected | Percentage of properties affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 1,591,074 | 17% |
| 2 | Indiana | 475,377 | 17% |
| 3 | Ohio | 389,334 | 8% |
| 4 | Wisconsin | 306,512 | 12% |
| 5 | Maryland | 274,501 | 13% |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 271,646 | 5% |
| 7 | Illinois | 261,822 | 6% |
| 8 | Kansas | 216,152 | 19% |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 204,382 | 15% |
| 10 | Colorado | 197,320 | 10% |
Exclusions to hail coverage for cosmetic damage
An increasing number of homeowners insurance policies, especially in regions most affected by hail, are excluding cosmetic damage from hail. This means you would not be covered for damage that affects the aesthetics, not the function, of the house.
However, the line between cosmetic and functional can be murky. For instance, what began as minor dents in your roof or siding may eventually evolve into more serious structural damage. In addition, damage that is labeled cosmetic can affect the resale value of the property, which may mean paying for your own repairs or selling your house at a discount. Given the increasing frequency of these exclusions, it's important to check your policy for exclusions or limitations.
If your homeowners insurance policy has a cosmetic exclusion, you can choose a company that provides coverage or negotiate with your company to remove the exclusion in exchange for a higher premium. If there is a dispute between you and your insurance company over whether damage is cosmetic or functional, you can hire a public adjuster to investigate the claim. The public adjuster will help determine whether the exclusion should apply, but there are fees associated with this process.
Filing an insurance claim for hail damage
The first step to filing a claim comes before a hailstorm even happens: Document the condition of your home and create an inventory. Using a digital camera or your smartphone, take pictures of your home's roof and exterior, and upload them to your company's website. Most insurance companies have a place for you to do this. After the hailstorm, document the damage and the date of the storm. You will ultimately rely on the expertise of roofing contractors and insurance adjusters to assess damage, but documentation could provide valuable proof for your potential claim.
Before dealing with an insurance adjuster, hire a reputable roofing contractor to inspect the damage. This inspection is a way to get professional advice about the damage, independent of your insurance company, and find out whether it is worth filing a claim. A claim will go on your insurance record, even if it doesn't result in a payment, so you should avoid it if the damage is limited or definitely cosmetic.
If you're in an area recently affected by a hailstorm, beware of storm-chasing contractors that go door-to-door looking for business. It will be safer to get an estimate from a contractor you've researched, so you can confidently use their findings in your claim.
Once a contractor has inspected your home and confirmed notable damage, contact your homeowners insurance company to report the damage and file a claim. Many policies require you to file a claim within a year, so you shouldn't wait to begin the process. Once you file a claim, your company will send an adjuster to inspect your home and provide their own damage estimate.
If the results are different from your contractor's, it may be appropriate to arrange for the two parties to discuss the discrepancies. If you disagree strongly with your company's assessment, you could hire a public adjuster to advocate for you.
After these precautionary steps, you should be in a position to accept a fair offer from your insurance company.
Checklist: Filing a Claim for Hail Damage
- Document your home: Take pictures of your home before and after the damage occurs.
- Get a free inspection: Use a reputable roofing contractor to get independent advice on the extent of the damage.
- Report notable damage to your insurance company: File the claim promptly to ensure it's made before the policy's deadline.
- Negotiate: Make sure your independent inspection and the insurance company's align.
Wind and hail homeowners policy deductibles
The amount your company is willing to pay for hail damage will depend on their inspection of the damage and the overall limits of your policy. But there is another cost associated with filing a claim. You'll likely have to pay a deductible on any insurance claim to receive coverage for damage to your home.
The deductible is what you'll pay out of pocket for the repairs. Your insurance company pays the balance. For example, say you have a $1,000 deductible and need to make a $5,000 claim after a hailstorm damages the shingles on your roof. You'll pay $1,000, and the company will pay the remaining $4,000.
Homeowners insurance policies in higher-risk areas may have a separate deductible specifically for wind and hail events. This means if the damage is caused by wind or hail, claims will be subject to a separate, typically higher, deductible. These deductibles can come as a flat number, as in the previous example, but they're more likely to be a percentage of your policy's total property coverage.
Deductible type | Total property coverage | Your payment out of pocket |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 flat deductible | $200,000 | $1,000 |
| 1% wind and hail deductible | $200,000 | $2,000 |
Will filing a claim for hail damage increase my insurance rates?
Damage to your home caused by hail would fall under an "act of God." These are unexpected events that the policyholder cannot control or prevent, such as weather. If your home is damaged by a hailstorm, your company likely won't raise your rates, because the damage to your home was not preventable.
This doesn't mean hailstorms can't lead to higher premiums indirectly. If the frequency of hailstorms where you live increases, your insurance company could increase rates for the region as a whole.
Fortifying your roof to avoid a hail insurance claim
More than any other part of your house, your roof is vulnerable to hail, but you can reinforce it to avoid damage. For instance, you could install impact-resistant shingles that are less likely to be damaged by hail. More robust roofing could be an investment that saves you the time and money it takes to file a claim and make repairs.
Additionally, many homeowners insurance policies offer a premium discount if you have an impact-resistant roof. If you're in a high-risk area for hailstorms, it's worth considering, depending on your risk tolerance, your insurance policy and the cost of installing impact-resistant roofing.
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