Make Sure Your Property Is Insured for Hail Damage

An all-perils property insurance policy covers your roof and the cost of replacing it if it gets damaged. But you are covered only if the damage resulted from a sudden accident or act of nature. Problems that occurred from age, wear, and tear is not eligible for coverage because they fall under the general maintenance responsibility of the property owner and are typically excluded within the policy.

Your roof is part of the structure and falls under the building coverage section of your insurance policy which typically protects you from perils such as hail, wind damage, wind-driven rain, tree damage, ice dams, and the weight of snow just to name a few. These damages would qualify the policyholder for a total or partial replacement of the roof.

You will have to pay your deductible before your coverage kicks in. Some policies have a higher deductible for damages that occur from hurricanes or hailstorms. In certain areas, property owners will have to purchase additional coverage, or a separate windstorm insurance policy. Some other stipulations associated with hail claims is that property owners may have 6 months to a year to file the claim, the policy may also exclude cosmetic damages. Understanding, how to read your insurance policy is crucial to a fair settlement. We are the experts in reading insurance policies to help determine what is and isn’t covered and what your duties are after a loss.

When the damage is less significant, is when issues can start to arise with your insurance company. Let’s say a windstorm breaks only the seals on a bunch of your roof's shingles. The insurance company may classify that as cosmetic damage, and not cover it. Or after the storm, you notice your roof is leaking. Even though it occurred from the rain, the insurance company might claim that it is a wear and tear problem from your roof's gradual deterioration due to age, which is never covered. The roof would then be excluded, but the resulting water damage covered.

Crop-hail insurance is a type of insurance that provides coverage for damage and destruction by hail and fire. Purchased by farmers, it is designed to protect agricultural products while they are still in the field and have yet to be harvested.

Crop-hail insurance protects the livelihood of farmers, who are often at the mercy of weather events. Hail is singled out because it has the unique ability to destroy a significant part of a planted field while leaving the rest undamaged.