Does homeowners insurance cover hail damage to a roof in Texas?
Usually, yes. Most Texas homeowner policies cover sudden damage from hail, and when the damage runs across the roof they pay to replace it, minus your wind and hail deductible. They do not pay for wear, age or a roof that was failing before the storm, and some policies limit older roofs to actual cash value.
Covered means sudden and accidental
Homeowner policies are written to cover sudden, accidental physical loss. A hailstorm on a particular date that bruises shingles is exactly that. Twenty summers of sun cooking the asphalt is not, and neither is a roof that was installed badly.
That is why the date of the storm matters so much. An adjuster is asking whether the damage on the roof is consistent with a storm that hit your address, and weather records of hail size and location are part of how they answer it.
Your deductible is probably a percentage
Many Texas policies carry a separate wind and hail deductible set as a percentage of the dwelling coverage, often one or two percent. On a home insured for $350,000, a one percent deductible is $3,500 and a two percent deductible is $7,000.
The deductible is always the homeowner's to pay. Texas law prohibits a contractor from waiving, absorbing or rebating it, and a roofer who offers to is putting your claim at risk along with their own license to do business.
Replacement cost and actual cash value pay very differently
A replacement cost policy pays what it costs to put a comparable new roof on, less the deductible. It usually pays in two parts: actual cash value first, then the withheld depreciation once the work is finished and the final invoice is submitted.
An actual cash value policy pays only the depreciated value of the old roof. On a 15 year old roof that can be a small fraction of the replacement cost. Some carriers now write roofs on a separate schedule by age, so read the roof section of your declarations page.
Cosmetic damage exclusions are becoming common
Some newer policies exclude cosmetic damage, most often to metal roofs and gutters, where hail leaves dents that do not affect function. Shingle bruising that fractures the mat is functional damage, but the wording varies by carrier and it is worth knowing which kind of policy you have before a storm.
Related questions
Does my insurance cover an old roof damaged by hail?
Hail damage is covered regardless of age on most policies, but an older roof may be paid at actual cash value, which deducts heavily for age. Check your declarations page for a roof schedule.
Will I get a check before the roof is replaced?
On a replacement cost policy the first payment is usually the actual cash value, less the deductible, before the work. The depreciation is released after the roof is finished.
