Is your hail claim worth filing?
It's worth filing when the damage costs a lot more than your wind and hail deductible. In Fort Worth, a new roof on a common home costs about $19,100. Check your own numbers below.
What a new roof costs for you
No address handy? Pick your city and home size:
Your wind and hail deductible
A percent deductible is a percent of this amount, not of the damage.
Enter your dwelling coverage to see what insurance might pay.
Simple math, not a promise: your insurer decides what it approves. If it pays only for repairs, or less for an older roof, its share is smaller. Nothing you type is saved.
What to do after hail
- Take dated photos and video of the damage. Shoot from the ground. Don't climb on the roof.
- Stop more damage. Tarp holes and keep receipts, but make no permanent repairs before the insurer sees it.
- Find your wind and hail deductible on your declarations page, and use the calculator above.
- File as soon as you can. Then be there when the adjuster comes, so they see everything.
- Get your own roofer's written estimate before you sign anything. Look up any company that knocks on your door.
Source: TDI, Hail damage to your home or car? What to do next; TDI home insurance guide.
Texas rules that protect you
- Your deductible is yours to pay.
- A roofer can't pay, waive or rebate it, or pad the estimate to cover it. That's a crime. Contracts of $1,000 or more paid by insurance must say so. Business & Commerce Code §27.02
- A roofer can't adjust your claim.
- A contractor can't act as a public adjuster on a home it works on. Insurance Code §4102.163
- Your insurer has deadlines.
- It must confirm your claim within 15 days. It must accept or deny within 15 business days of getting what it needs, or take 45 more days if it says why. A denial must be in writing. Once it agrees, it must pay within 5 business days. TDI home insurance guide
- Have a mortgage?
- The check usually goes to your mortgage company, which must contact you within 10 days. TDI
Avoid storm fraud: the state's checklist
After hail, the Texas Department of Insurance says:
- Get more than one bid. It helps you spot offers that are too high or too good to be true.
- Check references and phone numbers. Ask the Better Business Bureau about complaints.
- Don't pay in full up front. Make the last payment only when the work is done.
- Avoid roofers who offer to waive your deductible. It's illegal, and your insurer may ask for proof you paid it.
- Never sign a contract with blank spaces.
Source: TDI, Avoid fraud. Report a roofer who offers to waive a deductible to the Texas Attorney General, 800-621-0508.
If your claim is denied or the payment is low
- Get the reason in writing, then tell your insurer why you disagree. Send proof, like a roofer's written estimate.
- Ask about appraisal. You and the insurer each hire an appraiser, and an umpire settles any gap. You pay yours and half the umpire.
- Get help. A public adjuster can argue your side for a fee. Or file a complaint with TDI at 800-252-3439.
Hail season is March to June
In DFW, searches for "hail damage" run about 3 times higher from March to June than in winter (Google Trends). Roofers are busiest then too, so book early. See the chart
Questions people ask
How soon should I file a hail damage claim?
As soon as you can. The Texas Department of Insurance says some policies have a one-year deadline, so check yours.
What if the damage costs less than my deductible?
Then insurance pays nothing. In TDI's example, a 5% deductible of $7,500 pays nothing on $6,500 of roof repairs.
Can hail damage be denied as wear and tear?
Yes. Insurance pays for storm damage, not for a roof that is just old or worn out, so take dated photos soon after the storm.
What's the difference between replacement cost and actual cash value?
Replacement cost pays to fix the roof at today's prices, often in two checks. Actual cash value pays less for an older roof: in TDI's example, $5,000 instead of $8,000 on a $10,000 roof with a $2,000 deductible.
Will my insurance go up after a hail claim?
It can. TDI says filing small claims may affect how much you pay for insurance later, so ask your agent.
Can a roofer waive my insurance deductible in Texas?
No. It's illegal, and the insurer can ask for proof that you paid it.
Get 3 roof quotes
A roofer's written estimate helps you check the insurer's number. We send your request to 3 roofers with strong permit records near you.
Free. Only the roofers on your request see it, never more than 3 at a time. We never sell your number. We don't handle claims.
Roof prices are what roofers wrote on city re-roof permits, not final contracts: asphalt shingles, no wood replaced. Insurance facts: Texas Department of Insurance (your roof, deductibles, waived deductibles), read Oct. 13, 2026. Data updated Oct. 11, 2026. How it works