Hail season in Bexar County: how to read your roof deductible before the storm

Every spring our phones light up the same way. A line of storms rolls in from the Hill Country, hail the size of quarters or golf balls rattles across the north side, and by the next morning roofers are knocking on doors from Shavano Park to Converse. The claim itself is rarely the hard part. The surprise is usually the deductible, and how the policy values an older roof.

This guide walks through the three policy details that decide what you actually get paid after hail, using sample numbers for a typical San Antonio home. Take ten minutes now, before the storm, and you will make calmer decisions later.

1. Flat deductibles versus percentage deductibles

A flat deductible is a set dollar amount, such as $1,000 or $2,500, that applies to most claims. Many Texas carriers now use a separate wind and hail deductible calculated as a percentage of your dwelling coverage, often 1% or 2%.

On a home insured for $350,000, a 1% wind and hail deductible is $3,500 and a 2% deductible is $7,000. That is the amount you pay before the carrier pays anything on a hail claim. If a roof replacement costs $14,000, a 2% deductible means the check is closer to $7,000, before any depreciation.

Percentage deductibles do lower premiums, sometimes by several hundred dollars a year. That can be a reasonable tradeoff if you have savings set aside. The problem is choosing it without seeing the dollar figure, which is why we always write the number on your quote summary.

2. Replacement cost versus actual cash value on the roof

Replacement cost coverage pays to replace damaged property with new materials of similar quality, minus your deductible. Actual cash value pays replacement cost minus depreciation, which for a roof is based on its age.

More carriers now apply an actual cash value roof schedule once a roof passes a certain age, commonly 10 or 15 years. On a 14-year-old composition shingle roof, depreciation can easily reach 50% or more. Using the same $14,000 roof example with a $3,500 deductible, replacement cost would pay about $10,500, while actual cash value might pay closer to $3,500.

• Check your declarations page or roof surfacing endorsement for the words actual cash value.
• Write down your roof installation year and keep the invoice or permit.
• Ask your agent whether a newer roof would move you back to replacement cost.

3. Cosmetic damage exclusions

Some policies exclude cosmetic damage to metal roofs, gutters and siding. Dents that do not let water in may not be covered at all. If you have a metal roof or are thinking about installing one, this exclusion deserves a close look because hail dents are exactly what those roofs tend to show.

Ways to lower the cost without raising your risk

Impact-resistant Class 4 shingles are the most meaningful upgrade we see. Many carriers offer premium credits for them, and they are more likely to survive a moderate storm with no claim at all. Keep the manufacturer certificate and send a copy to your agent.

Bundling home and auto with the same carrier, installing monitored leak detection and raising the all-other-perils deductible while keeping a manageable hail deductible are other options worth pricing.

What to do the day after a hailstorm

Stay off the roof. Then work through this short list while details are fresh.

• Take dated photos of hailstones next to a coin or ruler, plus dents on vehicles, gutters, window screens and patio furniture.
• Cover obvious openings with a tarp and keep receipts. Reasonable emergency repairs are part of the claim.
• Call your carrier's claim line to open the claim, then call us so we can follow the file.
• Be careful with contractors who offer to waive your deductible. That is illegal in Texas.

If you are not sure how your roof is insured today, send us a photo of your declarations page. We will translate the deductible into real dollars, check for actual cash value wording and tell you plainly whether a change makes sense before the next storm season. Figures in this article are sample illustrations, and your policy wording controls your coverage.

This article is general information, not legal or coverage advice. Your policy terms, conditions and exclusions determine coverage.