Hailstorms, which can be devastating natural disasters, can cause costly damage to your home and vehicle. Hail can dent vehicle exteriors, crack windshields and damage your home’s roof, gutters and windows.
According to State Farm's hail damage insurance claim data, the average homeowner claim in 2020 was nearly $12,000, while vehicle damage claims averaged about $4,300.
Fortunately, your home and auto insurance policies can help cover some of the costs of repairing your home or vehicle. To maximize your insurance payout, you’ll need to be sure to meet your insurer’s claim requirements.
In some cases, it may make more sense to pay for the damage out of pocket, so before you file a hail damage claim, take a moment to review whether it will pay off.
Is a hail damage insurance claim worth it?
Before you file a hail damage claim, start by reviewing your insurance policy. Most homeowners insurance policies and comprehensive auto insurance policies cover hail damage. Confirm that you have coverage for hail damage but also review your deductible to decide if you should file the claim.
If you have an insurance deductible, you will need to pay that deductible and it will go toward the cost of repairing your property. Your deductible might be as small as a few hundred dollars or it could be several thousand dollars.
Consider whether the cost of the claim will exceed the deductible. For example, if you have a $4,000 deductible and your home has sustained only minor damage, it may make sense not to file a claim and to pay for the repair costs out of pocket.
You’ll also need to consider potential rate increases and long-term implications of filing a claim. If you’ve filed several other claims in a short period, filing another claim might prompt your insurance provider to cancel your coverage.
Filing a claim can also cause an insurer to increase your premiums. Insurers can raise your premiums after claims for damage from natural causes, like weather, and those premiums can stay high for years.
Generally speaking, it makes sense to file a hail damage insurance claim when the damage is substantial and will cost more than your deductible to repair.
If you have minimal damage and the repairs are affordable, you may decide to pay for the repairs yourself, avoiding any insurance premium increases.
How to file a hail damage insurance claim
If you decide to file a hail damage claim, immediately document the damage to your home or vehicle right away. Take clear, detailed photos and videos from different angles and include a timestamp.
Try to estimate the size of the hail and take photos of the hail with a common object, like a dollar bill, for a size reference. Keep your photos and videos organized and label them so you can easily access them, and write down the date and time when the damage occurred.
Next, file the claim with your insurance company. To get an insurer to pay your claim after a natural disaster, it's important to file quickly. Many insurance companies now have apps that you can use to file a claim, and you can often upload photos right within the app.
If you have questions about the claims process, you can also file a claim over the phone. Be sure to record the representative’s name and date of the call, and take detailed notes about any next steps.
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Tips for working with adjusters on your hail damage insurance claim
Once you’ve filed a claim, your insurance company will usually schedule a time for an adjuster to come out and review the damage in person. In the meantime, contact local contractors or auto repair specialists to get quotes of your own. Try to gather three quotes in writing for the repair costs.
During your appointment with the adjuster, you can share your photos and videos and the repair quotes that you’ve gathered. The adjuster will review the damage, estimate the repair costs, and prepare an initial claim offer.
You don’t have to accept the initial claim offer if it doesn’t cover all of the work and expenses that the contractors included in your estimates. You can contact the adjuster again and highlight the differences in cost, and they may be willing to increase the offer.
If you don’t reach an agreement with the adjuster, you have several other options:
- Hire a public adjuster: A public adjuster works to help you get the claim amount that you're entitled to. When hiring a public adjuster, look for someone local and research the company's reputation. Public adjusters charge a percentage of the claim payout that you receive in exchange for their service.
- Contact your state’s insurance commissioner’s office to file a dispute: Your insurance commissioner can advocate for you and can work to reach a claim payout agreement that’s fair.
- Hire a lawyer to represent you: A lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf and may be able to secure an agreement that covers your repair costs. If the lawyer can’t reach that agreement through negotiation, they can represent you in court. Hiring a lawyer can be very expensive, so this option makes the most sense if your house has sustained extensive damage and you have a very expensive claim.
How to complete the insurance claim process
Once you’ve agreed on a payout amount, sign the claim agreement to finalize the claim. Your insurance agent will inform you how you’ll receive payments, whether you’ll receive one or more checks in the mail or the insurer plans to pay the contractor directly.
Your insurance company may recommend local professionals who can repair your home or car. But you have the right to choose your own contractor or repair shop. You might decide that one of the contractors you received a quote from is right for the job, or you can continue speaking with local contractors until you find one you trust. Be sure to ask the contractors about their timelines, including when they’ll be able to start and finish work.
Dealing with hail damage is an inconvenience but filing a claim with your insurance company can help pay for many of the costs involved. By properly documenting the damage and being prepared to work with the adjuster, you can maximize your claim payout to cover most of your repair costs.
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