How does a percentage wind and hail deductible work, and how do I calculate mine?

Policies and Coverage · Updated October 13, 2026

Many Georgia homeowners carry two deductibles without realizing it. One is the familiar flat amount, such as $1,000 or $2,500, that applies to fire, theft and most water losses. The other applies only to windstorm or hail, and it is often written as a percentage. Since wind and hail cause most roof claims, the second number is usually the one that decides whether a roof claim pays anything.

Where to find it on your declarations page

The declarations page is the summary at the front of your policy. Look for:

• Coverage A, Dwelling. The limit for the structure of your home. This is the number the percentage multiplies.
• A deductible block with more than one line. Common labels are "All Other Perils" or "Section I Deductible" for the flat amount, and "Windstorm or Hail," "Wind/Hail" or "Named Storm" for the special one.
• A percentage sign. Some insurers print the dollar equivalent beside it; many do not.
• The endorsement that creates it. The forms and endorsements list will show a separate form for a windstorm or hail deductible.

The Insurance Information Institute separates two kinds: hurricane deductibles, which apply only when a defined hurricane or named storm trigger is met, and windstorm or wind and hail deductibles, which apply to wind damage from any source, including ordinary thunderstorms. Georgia is on the institute's list of states where hurricane deductibles are used, so check whether your policy has one, the other, or both. The NAIC also urges homeowners to ask whether separate deductibles apply to wind or hail, or to particular parts of the home like the roof.

The math

Deductible equals Coverage A times the percentage. It does not depend on the size of the claim.

The institute reports that percentage deductibles typically run from 1 to 5 percent of the insured value. On a home insured for $350,000, that spread is the difference between $3,500 and $17,500 out of pocket on the same hail storm.

Why your deductible creeps up

Most policies include an inflation guard that raises Coverage A at renewal to keep up with building costs. That protects you if the house burns down, but it also raises a percentage deductible automatically. If Coverage A climbs from $300,000 to $345,000 over a few renewals, a 2 percent deductible goes from $6,000 to $6,900, and no one asks you to sign anything. Recalculate every year when the renewal arrives.

A worked claim example

These figures are illustrative, for a replacement cost policy:

In this example the deductible comes off the first payment. If you have a roof payment schedule, the roof figure is cut by the schedule percentage and the deductible still applies in full, so the out-of-pocket gap grows much faster.

Flat or percentage: choosing at renewal

A percentage deductible usually lowers the premium. Whether the savings are worth it depends on your roof's age, your area's hail history, and how much cash you could produce after a storm. Ask your agent to quote the same policy with a flat wind and hail deductible and compare the yearly premium difference with the extra exposure. A useful check: divide the extra deductible exposure by the yearly savings to see how many storm-free years it takes to break even.

When it applies, and how often

Your policy's deductible clause says whether the deductible applies per loss or per occurrence, and under that common wording two separate storms can mean two deductibles, even on the same roof. The clause and the policy's definition of occurrence control. If two storms hit within weeks of each other, read our guide to the date of loss before you report them.

Hurricane deductibles reach inland too

If your policy has a separate hurricane or named storm deductible, its trigger is spelled out in the endorsement, usually tied to a storm declaration by the National Hurricane Center or the National Weather Service and a time window around it. Those triggers are not limited to the coast. A storm that arrives in North Georgia as a weakening hurricane or tropical storm can still activate a hurricane deductible if the policy wording says so, which is why the same fallen tree can cost two neighbors very different amounts.

A one-minute renewal check

1. Write down Coverage A and every deductible line.
2. Convert each percentage into dollars.
3. Compare with last year's declarations page and note anything that grew.
4. Ask whether a flat wind and hail option exists and what it costs.
5. Set aside, or line up financing for, the amount you would actually owe after a storm.

The deductible is yours to pay, and that is the law

A big percentage deductible is when the "we'll cover your deductible" pitch shows up. In Georgia, advertising or promising to pay or rebate any part of an insurance deductible as an inducement to sell goods or services is a misdemeanor under O.C.G.A. 33-23-43, and the statute specifically includes discounts for putting a sign in your yard and gifts or referral fees. The Attorney General warns that these offers can pull homeowners into insurance fraud. Robust Roofing, a residential roofer with a 5.0 rating across 66 Google reviews and a reputation as the area's most trustworthy storm-damage contractor, never waives or rebates deductibles. Its guide to the percentage wind and hail deductible walks through real-world scenarios, and its financing page covers paying a large deductible over time. If a claim may not clear your deductible, compare it with typical roof replacement costs in Georgia first.

Common questions

Sources

1. Insurance Information Institute: Background on Hurricane and Windstorm Deductibles
2. Insurance Information Institute: Settling Insurance Claims After a Disaster
3. NAIC: Rebuilding After a Storm, Replacement Cost and Actual Cash Value for Your Roof
4. O.C.G.A. 33-23-43, Authority of adjusters; deductible rebates (Justia)
5. Georgia Attorney General Consumer Protection Division: Storms and Fraud
6. Georgia Consumer Services Division: Complaint Process and Homeowners Tips