If you live in Texas, you're living in the hail capital of America. In 2024 alone, Texas experienced 878 major hail events—more than any other state in the nation. Those storms caused over $1.1 billion in insured losses, and chances are, your home or a neighbor's home has been hit. Understanding how hail damage insurance works in Texas isn't just helpful—it's essential to protecting your biggest investment.
Here's the thing about hail damage that surprises most Texas homeowners: your insurance probably covers it, but the deductible might be much higher than you expect. And with insurance companies increasingly pulling out of hail-prone areas or raising deductibles to 3% or more, knowing exactly what you're covered for—and what you'll pay out of pocket—matters more than ever.
What Does Hail Insurance Actually Cover?
Good news first: most standard Texas homeowners insurance policies cover hail damage as a named peril. That means if hail damages your property, your insurance should step in to help with repairs or replacement.
Your policy typically covers damage to your roof, siding, windows, gutters, garage, and other attached structures. If hail creates an opening in your roof and water damages your interior—ruining ceilings, walls, or furniture—that's usually covered too. Even your HVAC unit sitting outside can be covered if it takes a beating from golf ball-sized hail.
If you have replacement cost coverage (which most modern policies include), your insurance company will pay to replace damaged items with new ones of similar quality. However, they typically issue payment in two checks: the first covers the actual cash value minus depreciation and your deductible, and the second comes after you complete the repairs.
Understanding Your Hail Deductible
This is where many Texas homeowners get surprised. Most home insurance policies sold in Texas have separate deductibles—one for wind and hail damage, and a different (usually lower) one for everything else.
While your standard deductible might be a flat $1,000 or $2,500, your wind and hail deductible is typically calculated as a percentage of your home's insured value—commonly between 1% and 5%. Here's what that means in real dollars: if your home is insured for $400,000 and you have a 2% hail deductible, you'll pay $8,000 out of pocket before insurance covers a dime. A 3% deductible on that same home? That's $12,000.
Due to the surge in hail claims, insurance companies in Texas have been steadily increasing these deductibles. Many carriers now require 3% wind and hail deductibles in North Texas (the Dallas-Fort Worth area gets hammered particularly hard) and 2% in other parts of the state. Some companies have even raised deductibles to 5% in the highest-risk areas.
Check your policy declaration page right now to see what percentage you're actually carrying. If you can't find it or don't understand it, call your insurance agent. This number matters enormously when a storm hits.
How to File a Hail Damage Claim the Right Way
After a hailstorm rolls through your neighborhood, you'll probably notice contractors canvassing the area within days, offering free roof inspections. Before you sign anything or file a claim, take these steps:
First, document everything. Take photos and videos of any visible damage to your roof, siding, windows, gutters, AC unit, fence, and landscaping. Get shots from multiple angles. If you see dents in your metal mailbox or outdoor furniture, photograph those too—they help establish the severity of the storm.
Second, file your claim as soon as possible. Texas insurance policies typically allow one year from the date of loss to file a claim, but don't wait. Claims filed shortly after storms have much higher approval rates because the connection between the storm and the damage is obvious. The longer you wait, the more your insurance company might question whether the damage came from that specific storm or from general wear and tear.
Here's something unique to Texas that trips people up: Texas law requires you—not your insurance company—to prove which specific storm caused each element of damage. In every other state, once you show there was damage, the insurer has to prove it wasn't covered. But in Texas, that burden falls on you. This makes documentation absolutely critical.
Third, get multiple repair estimates—at least two or three. This helps you understand what's reasonable and protects you from inflated quotes. Be present when the insurance adjuster inspects your property. Walk around with them and point out all damage. Adjusters are human and can miss things, especially on roofs they're viewing from the ground.
Fourth, be extremely cautious about contractors who offer to waive your deductible or promise to "work with your insurance." In Texas, it's illegal for contractors to waive your homeowners deductible, and doing so can actually void your claim. Insurance companies are legally allowed to request proof that you paid your deductible, such as a receipt or canceled check. Save all payment documentation.
Why Texas Hail Coverage Is Getting Harder to Find
The hard truth: insurance companies are retreating from hail-prone areas of Texas or dramatically increasing deductibles. Consumer complaints about policy nonrenewals more than doubled from 79 in 2023 to 190 in 2024, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. Some homeowners are receiving nonrenewal notices simply because they live in areas with high hail risk—even if they've never filed a claim.
Why the exodus? The numbers are staggering. A single severe weather event in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in June 2023 caused an estimated $7 billion to $10 billion in insured losses, with 95% of that damage from hail alone. In 2023, hailstorms affected over 2 million Texas homes. Insurance companies are shifting financial risk back to homeowners through higher deductibles because they simply can't sustain these loss levels.
If you receive a nonrenewal notice, don't panic, but do act quickly. Texas law requires insurance companies to give you at least 60 days' notice for policies bought or renewed in 2024 (30 days for older policies from 2023). Use that time to shop around. You may need to work with an independent insurance agent who can access multiple carriers, or you might end up with a policy from the Texas FAIR Plan, the state's insurer of last resort.
Protecting Your Coverage and Your Home
The best way to keep your insurance coverage in Texas is to maintain your home and think carefully about filing claims. Insurance companies are tracking claim frequency closely. If your roof is aging, consider replacing it before storm season rather than waiting for damage—a proactive replacement won't count against your claims history.
Impact-resistant roofing materials can also make a difference. Some insurance companies offer discounts for Class 4 impact-resistant shingles, which are designed to withstand larger hailstones. While they cost more upfront, they may reduce your premiums and help you keep coverage when others are losing theirs.
Review your policy annually—especially as renewal approaches. Check your deductibles, coverage limits, and any changes to your policy terms. If your insurer increased your wind and hail deductible from 1% to 3%, that's a massive change in your potential out-of-pocket costs. Shop around if you see dramatic increases, because rates vary significantly between carriers.
Living in Texas means accepting that hailstorms are part of life, but you don't have to be caught off guard when they hit. Understanding your coverage, knowing your deductibles, and documenting damage properly gives you the best chance of a successful claim. If you haven't reviewed your policy recently or don't know your wind and hail deductible, today is the day to find out. When the next storm rolls through—and in Texas, it will—you'll be prepared.
