What does insurance coverage for hail damage include?
Short answer. On a standard homeowners policy, hail is a covered peril across the whole policy: the house under dwelling coverage, fences and sheds under other structures, belongings under personal property, and hotel costs under loss of use. What you actually collect depends on your deductible, whether the roof settles at replacement cost or actual cash value, and any cosmetic damage or roof schedule endorsement.
The four coverage parts
- Coverage A, dwelling: roof, siding, gutters, windows, attached garage, and equipment such as the AC condenser.
- Coverage B, other structures: fences, detached garages, sheds, pergolas. Commonly limited to 10 percent of Coverage A.
- Coverage C, personal property: patio furniture, grills, and belongings soaked by water through a hail-broken skylight.
- Coverage D, loss of use: extra living expenses if hail damage makes the home unlivable, which is rare but happens with major leaks.
Cars are not on a homeowners policy; hail on a vehicle is an auto comprehensive claim.
Terms that change the payout
- Wind and hail deductible: often a percentage of Coverage A rather than a flat amount. See percentage deductibles.
- Roof settlement: replacement cost with depreciation paid after the work, actual cash value only, or a roof payment schedule by age.
- Cosmetic damage exclusion: removes dents that do not affect function, mainly on metal. See cosmetic damage.
- Ordinance or law: pays code upgrades if you carry it.
Read your own coverage in five minutes
- Open the declarations page and note the Coverage A limit and each deductible.
- Read the list of forms and endorsements for the words roof, cosmetic, wind, hail or schedule.
- Check whether a separate notice about a reduction in coverage came with your last renewal.
- Call your agent with questions before storm season, not after.