How does a hail damage roof insurance claim work in Texas?
You report the damage to your insurer, an adjuster inspects the roof, and the company pays for covered damage minus your deductible. How much you receive up front depends on whether your policy pays actual cash value or replacement cost. Texas law sets general deadlines for insurers to acknowledge, decide and pay a claim, and your policy sets its own deadline for reporting storm damage.
Your deductible is probably a percentage of your coverage
Many Texas homeowners policies carry a separate wind and hail deductible set as a percentage of the dwelling coverage, often 1 or 2 percent. On a house insured for $300,000, a 2 percent deductible is $6,000. Check your declarations page before the adjuster visit so the number is no surprise.
Texas law makes it illegal for a contractor to waive or rebate your deductible, or to advertise that they will. Any roofer offering to cover it is offering something that puts the claim at risk.
ACV and RCV policies pay the same roof very differently
A replacement cost value (RCV) policy pays to replace the roof at today's prices. The insurer usually pays in two parts: a first check for the depreciated value, then the held-back depreciation once the work is finished and the final invoice is submitted. Many policies set a window for completing the work to recover that amount, so read yours.
An actual cash value (ACV) policy pays the depreciated value only. A 15-year-old roof may be depreciated heavily, which leaves a large share of the replacement to you. Some Texas policies pay ACV on the roof alone while paying RCV on the rest of the house, so look for a roof payment schedule in your policy.
The adjuster meeting decides most of the claim
The adjuster walks the roof and marks hail hits, usually by testing a sample area on each slope. Soft metals like gutters, vents, window screens and air conditioning unit fins show dents that help establish the size of the hail. Having your roofer on the roof at the same time means both sides are looking at the same damage.
Before the visit, write down the storm date, take photos of any damage you can see from the ground and keep receipts for emergency repairs such as tarping. If the adjuster's estimate misses damage, you can ask for a reinspection or submit a supplement with documentation.
Texas law sets the insurer's clock once you report
As general information: under the Texas Prompt Payment of Claims rules, an insurer typically has 15 days after notice to acknowledge the claim and begin its investigation. After it receives everything it asked for, it generally has 15 business days to accept or deny, with an extension of up to 45 days if it tells you it needs more time. Once it accepts, payment is generally due within 5 business days. Surplus lines carriers and some special situations follow different rules.
Your side has a deadline too. Many Texas policies require storm damage to be reported within one or two years of the storm, so late spring hail found the following summer can already be running short. For advice on a disputed claim, talk to the Texas Department of Insurance or an attorney.
Related questions
Will filing a hail claim raise my premium?
Texas limits how an insurer can use weather-related claims against an individual policyholder, though rates can rise across a whole area after a bad storm year. Ask your agent how your carrier treats it.
What if the adjuster denies my hail claim?
Ask for the denial in writing with the reason. You can request a reinspection, send additional photos and a roofer's documentation, or use the appraisal clause in many policies. Stevan Buren helps homeowners with the claim process, so call (817) 558-6997 and we can look at the roof.
Should I get an inspection before I call my insurer?
Yes, it helps. A free roof inspection tells you whether there is hail damage worth claiming, so you avoid opening a claim for a roof that does not qualify.
