Does homeowners insurance cover hail damage? Roofs, cars and deductibles

What hail damage is covered?

Hail is a named peril on almost every homeowners policy. It usually covers:

• Cracked, broken or bruised roof shingles.
• Dented gutters, vents and metal roofing.
• Cracked siding and broken windows or skylights.
• Damaged fences, sheds and outdoor air conditioning units.
• Belongings inside if hail breaks a window and rain gets in.

In a few areas, mostly along the coast, wind and hail are split off into a separate policy or a state pool. Check your policy's declarations page for a wind or hail exclusion.

Cosmetic damage exclusions

Many insurers now add an endorsement that excludes cosmetic damage, mostly to metal roofs and siding. Dents that change how the roof looks but don't let water in are not paid. Only damage that affects how the roof works is. If you have a metal roof, check your policy for this before a storm, not after.

Wind and hail deductibles

In hail-prone states, many policies have a separate wind and hail deductible, set as a percentage of your dwelling coverage rather than a flat amount. Shares of 1% to 5% are common. On a large house that can mean several thousand dollars before the policy pays anything.

Does homeowners insurance cover hail damage to your car?

No. Cars are covered by auto insurance, under the comprehensive part of the policy, with its own deductible. If you only carry liability on the car, hail damage to it isn't covered at all. Things stolen from the car or damaged inside it are the exception: those are belongings, covered by your home or renters policy.

How to file a hail claim

1. Write down the date and time of the storm. Photograph hailstones next to a coin or ruler if you can.
2. Photograph damage you can see from the ground: gutters, siding, windows, the AC unit, dented car roofs nearby.
3. Don't climb on the roof. Ask the insurer for an inspection, or have a roofer look.
4. Report the claim soon. Many policies and some states set a deadline, often a year or two after the storm.
5. Compare the adjuster's estimate with a roofer's, line by line.

Watch out for storm chasers

Contractors from out of town often go door to door after a hailstorm. Before you sign anything, read it: some contracts hand your claim payments straight to the contractor. A contractor who offers to cover or waive your deductible is offering something that is illegal in many states. Check your policy and your state's insurance department site for what applies where you live.

Damage you can't see from the ground

Hail damage to shingles is often invisible from the yard. Bruises, where the hailstone knocked off the granules and softened the mat underneath, may not leak for months. Signs worth checking from the ground or a window:

• Granules piled up at the bottom of downspouts.
• Dents in gutters, downspouts, mailboxes or the top of the AC unit.
• Spatter marks on painted surfaces or the deck.
• Cracked or broken window screens.

If you see any of these, get the roof inspected even if nothing is leaking yet. A claim filed soon after the storm is easier to tie to it than one filed when a leak shows up a year later.

Belongings and the inside of the house

If hail breaks a window or skylight, or opens up the roof, rain can ruin what is inside. Wet ceilings, carpet, furniture, electronics and anything stored in the attic are part of the same hail claim. The house is paid on a contractor's estimate. Your belongings are paid on a list you make, item by item, so photograph them before anything is thrown out.

Will a hail claim raise your premium?

A single claim for a storm that hit the whole neighborhood is less likely to raise your own rate than a claim for something only your house had, because the whole area's rates tend to move together after a big hail year. Insurers differ, and some states limit how much a weather claim can be held against you. If the damage is only a little above your deductible, ask your agent how a claim would affect your renewal before you file. If it is well above it, file: that is what the policy is for.

Repairs made with impact-resistant shingles can bring a discount on some policies in hail-prone states. Ask about it when you choose the new roof.

Where Indemnia helps

When hail breaks windows and lets the rain in, Indemnia lists the belongings that were damaged from your photos, with today's prices, so the contents part of the claim is ready alongside the roofer's estimate.