Will insurance cover hail damage on a 20 year old roof?
Short answer. Usually yes, hail damage is still a covered loss on a 20 year old roof. The catch is how it is paid: many policies settle a roof this old at actual cash value or on a payment schedule, so depreciation can take a large share, and adjusters look harder at whether the damage is hail or age. Clear documentation of fresh hail fractures makes the difference.
Hail versus age on older shingles
At 20 years, shingles often show granule loss, cracking and blistering from heat. Adjusters must separate that from hail. Hail damage typically shows as:
- Random hits with fractured mats, not just missing granules
- Soft spots or bruises that feel like a bruised apple
- Hits that match the storm's direction and size, with dents on gutters, vents and AC fins
Age damage tends to be uniform, worst on the sunniest slopes, with cracks along the shingle surface.
Why old shingles often support replacement
Twenty year old shingles are usually brittle. Repairing a few hail hits means lifting neighboring shingles, which crack. A documented brittleness test supports replacing the slope or the roof rather than patching. Matching an old color on a partial repair can also be difficult.
What the check may look like
- Replacement cost policy: depreciation held back, then released after replacement. You pay the deductible.
- Actual cash value: depreciation subtracted permanently. On a roof near the end of its life, the payment may be a small fraction of the replacement cost.
- Payment schedule: a fixed percentage based on age.
Is it worth filing?
Even a reduced payment puts money toward a roof you will soon need anyway. Check your policy's valuation and deductible first. See roof age and insurance, wear and tear vs hail damage and ACV vs RCV.