Hail or Storm Damage: How to File a Roof Insurance Claim

The short answer

Protect the roof from more damage, take dated photos, and report the claim quickly. Before the adjuster comes, get your own roofer’s written estimate, and be there for the visit. Check your wind, hail, or hurricane deductible, because it may be a percentage of your home’s insured value. Know your deadline: in Florida, a new claim must be reported within one year of the date of loss. If the offer seems low, you can negotiate, use your policy’s appraisal clause, or hire a licensed public adjuster.

Is this you?

Hail or wind just hit, and you see shingle pieces in the yard or dented gutters and vents.
A roofer knocked on your door and says you have storm damage.
You filed a claim and the payment seems far too low.
You worry a claim could cost you your policy.

How to file, step by step

Make it safe and stop more damage. If water is getting in, have a roofer tarp the roof. See what to do when your roof is leaking.
Document first. Take photos and video of the roof from the ground, the yard, gutters, and any inside damage before temporary repairs. Write down the storm date.
Read your declarations page (the policy’s summary page). Look for your wind, hail, or hurricane deductible, whether the roof is paid at replacement cost or actual cash value, and your ordinance or law limit.
Report the claim promptly. Write down the claim number and adjuster’s name, and log every call.
Get your own roofer’s estimate. Maryland’s insurance department suggests getting written bids, from more than one contractor, before the adjuster inspects if you have time.
Be there for the adjuster. Maryland says it is generally a good idea to be present. Ask your roofer to come too, so both see the same damage.
Hold off on permanent repairs. Wait until the insurer inspects. Keep every receipt for emergency work.

Deadlines that matter

Rule	Deadline
Florida, new or reopened claim	Within 1 year after the date of loss. For a hurricane, that is the landfall date.
Florida, supplemental claim (more damage from the same event)	Within 18 months after the date of loss
Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) policy	Within 1 year from the date of damage.
Other Texas homeowners policies	Check your policy. TDI says some have one-year deadlines.
Florida insurer response	Must acknowledge within 7 days, finish any physical inspection within 30 days after your proof of loss, and pay or deny within 60 days of your claim notice
Texas insurer response	Must acknowledge within 15 business days, decide within 15 business days after getting what it needs (it can extend 45 days), and pay within 5 business days of agreeing

Florida’s one-year rule came from Senate Bill 2-A, signed December 16, 2022. It cut the deadline for new claims from two years to one, and for supplemental claims from three years to 18 months. Rules differ elsewhere, so read your policy’s “duties after loss” section.

Wind, hail, and hurricane deductibles

Many policies have a separate deductible for storms. It is often a percentage of your home’s insured value, not a flat dollar amount. The Insurance Information Institute (III) says these usually run from 1 to 5 percent. On a home insured for $300,000, a 5 percent deductible means you pay the first $15,000 of the claim.

Nineteen states and Washington, D.C., have hurricane deductibles.
In Florida, insurers must offer hurricane deductibles of $500, 2 percent, 5 percent, and 10 percent.
In Texas, the windstorm deductible applies to wind and hail from any kind of storm, not only hurricanes.

On an older roof, a large deductible can swallow most of the claim. Compare your roofer’s estimate with your deductible before you file.

How much they pay: ACV, replacement cost, and recoverable depreciation

Actual cash value (ACV) is what it costs to replace the roof, minus depreciation (value lost to age and wear). Replacement cost pays to replace it with similar new materials.

Even with replacement cost, the first check is often only ACV. The standard HO-3 policy form pays no more than ACV “until actual repair or replacement is complete.” The amount held back is called recoverable depreciation. You get it after you show the work is done. The same form gives you 180 days after the loss to tell the insurer you plan to claim the rest. Florida law says the insurer must first pay at least ACV minus the deductible, then pay the rest as work is done.

A simple example: the roof costs $16,000* to replace, depreciation is $6,000*, and your deductible is $3,000. The first check would be about $7,000*. The last $6,000* comes after the new roof is finished. With ACV-only roof coverage, it never comes. Learn more about ACV roof coverage.

Matching and code upgrades

Matching. If only part of the roof is replaced, new shingles may not match the old ones. An NAIC model rule says the insurer should replace items in the area “so as to conform to a reasonably uniform appearance.” Not every state has adopted it, so ask how your insurer handles matching.

Code upgrades. Building codes may require work the old roof never had. Ordinance or law coverage pays for that. In Florida, insurers must offer it at 25 or 50 percent of the dwelling limit, and policies include 25 percent unless you reject it in writing. Florida also has a “25 percent rule”: if your roof was built under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, only the repaired part must meet today’s code, even if 25 percent or more is being redone.

If you disagree with the offer

Ask for the estimate in writing. Compare it with your roofer’s, send your roofer’s estimate and photos, and ask for a re-inspection.
Use the appraisal clause. Most policies let either side demand appraisal if you disagree on the amount of loss. Each side picks an appraiser, and the two pick an umpire. You pay your own appraiser and split the umpire’s cost. Maryland notes that appraisal decides costs, not whether something is covered.
Consider a public adjuster. A public adjuster is a licensed professional you hire to handle your claim. They work for you, not the insurer, and are paid a share of the settlement. Check their license with your state first.
Contact your state insurance department if the insurer misses deadlines or won’t explain a denial.

State	Public adjuster fee cap
Florida	10% of claim payments for claims within one year after a declared state of emergency, 20% otherwise. No fee on money the insurer paid or agreed to pay before you signed. You can cancel within 10 days of signing (for emergency claims, 30 days after the loss or 10 days after signing, whichever is longer).
Texas	10% of the settlement. No percentage fee if the insurer pays or commits to the policy limit within 72 hours of the claim.

Contractors, assignments, and deductible waivers

Assignment of benefits (AOB). An AOB hands your claim rights to a contractor. Maryland warns you may lose some or all control over your claim. In Florida, policyholders can’t assign post-loss benefits under policies issued on or after January 1, 2023.
Deductible waivers. In Texas, it is illegal for a contractor to waive your deductible or offer a rebate to cover it. TDI says contractors who do could be fined or go to jail.
Door-knockers. The BBB warns against signing anything that gives a contractor rights to your claim, and against paying large amounts up front. See roofer scams to avoid.

Can a claim affect your renewal?

It can. TDI says most insurers check a claims database called CLUE (the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange), so new insurers see past claims too. Texas has some protections: insurers can’t raise your rates for weather claims, and the non-renewal rule there counts three or more non-weather claims in three years. Other states set their own rules.

A claim also puts an adjuster on your roof with a camera. If the report notes wear beyond the storm damage, an insurer may follow up about the roof’s condition. If a letter does arrive, see non-renewal because of your roof.

Good to know

If your roofer can’t come to the adjuster’s visit, point out every damaged spot you found, ask the adjuster to photograph each one, and ask when you will get the estimate.

Want a roofer to document the damage?

A local roofer can inspect the roof, photograph storm damage, and give you a written estimate to compare with the adjuster’s. Free, with no obligation.

Talk to someone about my roof

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Common questions

How long do I have to file a hail or wind claim?

It depends on your state and policy. In Florida it is one year from the date of loss for a new claim. TWIA policies in Texas allow one year from the date of damage. Many policies simply say “prompt notice,” so report as soon as you can.

Should I let the roofer who knocked on my door handle my claim?

Be careful. Check their license and reviews, get a written estimate, and don’t sign anything that hands over your claim rights. You can file the claim yourself and still hire any contractor you choose.

What if the insurer says it’s wear and tear, not hail?

Ask for the reason in writing, along with the adjuster’s photos. Get your own roofer’s written findings. If the dispute is about how much damage there is, appraisal may help. If it’s about coverage, contact your state insurance department.

Where to go next

Sources (21)

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* Prices are estimates and could vary depending on roof size, labor, and materials used.