Your Wind and Hail Deductible Is Probably Not What You Think
Every hail season in East Texas, somebody learns what their wind and hail deductible actually is — after the adjuster leaves. Here's how to learn it before the storm.
The percentage surprise
Most homeowners know their "deductible" as a flat number — $1,000, $2,500. But in Texas, wind and hail often carry a separate deductible, and it's usually a percentage of your dwelling limit, not a flat amount.
The math: on a $300,000 home with a 2% wind and hail deductible, you owe $6,000 out of pocket before the carrier pays anything on a hail claim. A $5,000 gutter-and-window repair from the same storm? That's under the deductible. Nothing is owed.
This is the single most common surprise we see at claim time. Check your declarations page for a separate wind/hail line — if you only see one deductible number, ask us to confirm what applies to hail.
Replacement cost vs. actual cash value: the roof question
The second surprise is how the roof gets valued. Two options:
- Replacement cost pays what it takes to put a new roof on at today's prices.
- Actual cash value pays that amount minus depreciation for the roof's age.
On a 15-year-old roof, the depreciation gap can be thousands of dollars — the difference between a mostly-covered replacement and a check that barely covers materials. Most people find out which one they have after the storm. We'd rather you know now.
Three Texas-specific things worth knowing
You have time, but don't waste it. Texas gives you two years from the date of loss to file a property claim. Once you file, the Texas Prompt Payment Act requires your insurer to acknowledge the claim within 15 days and pay or deny it within 60 days. Late payments owe you interest.
Impact-resistant shingles can cut your premium. Texas requires carriers to offer premium credits for UL 2218 Class 4 impact-resistant roofing. If you're replacing the roof anyway, ask your roofer about Class 4 — it can pay for itself over time.
Nobody can legally "cover your deductible." After every big hail event, out-of-town roofers flood East Texas offering to "handle" or "absorb" your deductible. In Texas, that's illegal for the contractor — it's insurance fraud, and it can void your claim. A legitimate local roofer will put the deductible in writing as your responsibility.
Before the next storm
Pull out your declarations page and find two numbers: your wind/hail deductible (percentage and dollars) and whether your roof is replacement cost or actual cash value. If you can't find them in 60 seconds, send the dec page to us — we'll read it with you and tell you exactly where you stand, in plain English.
Coverage, limits and eligibility depend on the policy issued and the carrier's underwriting. Nothing here changes what your policy says — we're happy to read yours with you.
