Hail Damage Home Insurance Claims

When moving to a place that has hail in their weather forecasts, you need to understand how much damage hail can do. Of course, hail is different depending on where a person is living, with some areas having a high risk of damage to their home, property, and roof. Other types of insurance coverage, outside of homeowners insurance plans, can help you cover damage from hail to you as a person, your family members, or your automobile. If you decide to get homeowners insurance, you can save money by pairing that plan up with other types of plans like health insurance plans, auto insurance plans, and life insurance plans.

Hail can get to be pretty large in size, ranging from sizes of up to a quarter to much larger sizes than that. Imagine a piece of ice being hurled at your house that is the size of a small glass, as an example. Moving at a high speed, quite a bit of damage can be done. One of the things that can be damaged by hail is a person’s roof. In some years, damage from hail affects well over 10 million properties with losses that exceed $10 billion overall. These numbers are huge, giving an even larger sign that people need to be aware of whether their home insurance coverage provides protection.

After all, hail damage is one of the most common claims made by policyholders to their homeowner's insurance plans. Storm-related damage can cost an immense amount of money to repair, and around 70% of the losses that policyholders make claims for are for damage due to hail. Keep in mind, some places are not at high-risk for hail damage, though many of these places still have some risk. Make sure to have a homeowners insurance plan to help protect yourself financially, even if the risk is low. Also, remember that home insurance plans cover numerous perils, so the complete package can be vital to keeping your finances safe.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Hail Damage?

The majority of basic homeowners insurance plans cover damage from hail that is structural in nature. Hail is generally covered in a person’s dwelling protection insurance plan, which some people call Coverage A. This type of coverage, dwelling protection, helps people pay for necessary repairs and or the rebuilding of physical structures on their home if they peril named in the policy has damaged it. It also provides coverage for anything attached to your home, in the same way.

Insurance plans generally also cover fire damage, theft, damage from wind, damage from lightning, vandalism, and more. For the most part, coverage structures include the windows, attached garage, roof, appliances, porch or deck, and other things as well. In most situations, the detached structures are also covered, including sheds and garages. It is vital to know what the exclusions in your policy are, in addition to which types of insurance are included in your plan. In addition to dwelling insurance, you may need other structures insurance, personal property insurance, liability insurance, or any of a number of other types of coverages.

Each type of insurance a person purchases will have an insurance limit attached to it. This limit is the most money an insurance provider will pay if you file a claim. Many professionals recommend that you get enough dwelling insurance to cover the rebuild cost of your home completely. While it is unlikely that hail will completely destroy your home, it can result in other damages if, for example, a fire is started because of the hail hitting your home. Each type of insurance will also have a deductible to it, and this deductible affects how much you pay when filing a claim. While higher deductibles tend to have lower rates attached to them, it is also important that you can afford the deductible that you select so repairs on your home can start promptly after you file a claim.

Should I File A Claim If My Roof Is Damaged By Hail?

The coverage from hail that is included in your policy may vary from one state or location to the next. Make sure to verify what your homeowner's insurance coverage plan includes when purchasing the policy. If you are in a high-risk area, you may need to purchase an additional rider in order to get the amount of coverage that best fits your needs.

Whenever a hailstorm hits or damages your home, it is vital that you document both the date and the damages that are done. Take pictures of the damage before you do any cleanup or repairs. If possible, take photos of the hail itself, but only if it is safe to do so. These pictures can help support your claim during the process of filing.

After you have taken these pictures, and when it is safe to do so, take some time to protect your home from additional damage. If there is roof or window damage, as an example, you will want to attach a waterproof tarp to them to prevent additional water damage to your dwelling.

Many people choose to contact their insurance company immediately, which is valid, and others hire a reputable roofing professional to come out and inspect. Many insurance claims pros recommend doing both. There are benefits to each of these, but you should file your claim as soon as you can. The longer it takes you to file your claim, the longer it can take before repairs can begin. If you have information from your own independent roofer, with recommendations of what repairs are needed, this can be helpful.

The homeowner's insurance company will send out their own adjuster to assess the damage and provide an estimate for repairs to damage or replacement costs. His job is to create an estimate, but it can be hugely beneficial to have an independent roofer or public home insurance adjuster to help point out the damage to the insurance company. In some cases, independent roofers will inspect homes for free, hoping you will hire them for the repairs when the time comes. Getting a claim that is the right size for your situation can make a huge difference, and many homeowners insurance providers to offer lower claims initially. They assume that people are going to negotiate or that they have hired their own public insurance adjuster to assist them.

Does A Hail Damage Claim Raise Home Insurance Rates?

Home insurance plans have limits to them, and some of these limits are based on the types of damage that happen to the home. It is possible that your roof may be damaged, but that the damage may be considered cosmetic. In some cases, this can be included under the exclusion section of a policy, so make sure that you read your full policy and the exclusions so that you are aware of that are included in your plan.

Due to hail not being a preventable hazard, your insurance rates should not go up if you file a claim for it. If you file multiple small claims or live in an area where there is a high-risk of making claims year after year, your homeowner's insurance premiums could increase. If there are multiple claims in the area, the insurance company may decide that they need to raise rates for everyone, which is different than raising rates due to a claim being made. When looking for a home insurance plan, take the time to shop around using the tools on the site. There is no reason to pay more money than you need to on a homeowners insurance policy, and Homeowners is here to assist.