Humans have always had an uneasy relationship with hail. Ice balls from above have wreaked havoc on crops, houses and automobiles, and in some cases have even resulted in death.
In the late 1800s, we tried to take measures into our own hands with the invention of the hail cannon, a megaphone-shaped device that sends a shock wave through thunderclouds and—in theory anyway—disrupts the formation of hailstones.
At first, we thought it worked. Thousands of hail cannons were used throughout Europe. But hailstorms eventually destroyed the hail cannons. By 1905, the practice was largely abandoned.
You can’t control the weather. But you can buy the best home insurance.
What Are Hailstorms?
Hailstorms are formed when thunderstorm updrafts carry raindrops into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere. The raindrops freeze and when the updraft cannot support the weight of the hailstones, they fall to the ground.
A severe thunderstorm typically drops hail that ranges between 1 to 1.75 inches in diameter, about the size of a quarter and golf ball, respectively. But hailstones can get much bigger (and smaller) than that. They typically range from the size of a pea (¼ inch) to a grapefruit (4½ inches) and have a fall speed between 44 mph and 72 mph, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Severe Storms Laboratory.
Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming have the most hailstorms and earned the nickname “Hail Alley.” But a hailstorm can happen anywhere in the United States. February to July are the most active months for the Plains and Southeast regions, while the West Coast gets more severe hailstorms during cooler months.
More than 6.2 million properties in the U.S. were affected by one or more damaging hailstorms in 2020, according to Verisk, a data analytics company that assesses insurance risk. Nearly a quarter of the 6.2 million properties were in Texas and 8% were in Illinois.
Top 10 States for Hailstorms
| State | Hailstorms in 2020 |
|---|---|
|
Texas
|
$601
|
|
South Dakota
|
$377
|
|
Kansas
|
$341
|
|
Oklahoma
|
$341
|
|
Nebraska
|
$313
|
|
Minnesota
|
$268
|
|
North Dakota
|
$226
|
|
Missouri
|
$200
|
|
Colorado
|
$168
|
Home Insurance for Hailstorms
A standard homeowners insurance policy typically covers wind and hail damage. This includes damage to your home (such as your roof, siding and windows) and wind-driven rain damage that gets in when a roof or wall is damaged.
Your home insurance “dwelling coverage” pays to repair or replace hail-related damage to your home (dwelling), such as the roof or siding. It also includes other structures such as a back porch or garage. Detached structures like a shed or fence will fall under the “other structures coverage” portion of your policy.
Most home insurance policies come with “replacement cost coverage,” but your insurer might limit roof coverage to “actual cash value” (ACV) coverage for wind and hail damage if the roof is above a certain age.
ACV takes the depreciated value of the roof into account, which means you could get a substantially smaller settlement if you need to replace your roof. If your roof is newer, you may be able to buy replacement cost coverage.
Your insurer might not cover structures made of certain materials, such as aluminum awnings and aluminum-framed carports.
If hail gets inside and actually damages belongings, that’s covered under home insurance.
Watch Out for Windstorm Deductibles
You might have a “wind deductible” on your home insurance claims, depending on where you live and your insurance company. A windstorm deductible typically applies to any kind of wind damage. A windstorm deductible can be a flat dollar amount or a certain percentage of your home’s insured value. For example, if your home is insured for $250,000 and you have a 5% windstorm deductible, you would have to pay $12,500 if you filed an insurance claim.
What “triggers” your windstorm deductible depends on your state. For example, in Delaware and South Carolina, insurers are required to provide a clear explanation on what will trigger the windstorm deductible. In other states, such as Louisiana and Texas, the windstorm deductible will apply to any type of windstorm, including hurricanes, tropical storms and tornadoes.
Wind and Hail Insurance Exclusions
In certain areas, wind and hail damage might be partially or completely excluded from a home insurance policy. This means you won’t be covered for damage caused by hail and windstorms. For example, homeowners who live on the Texas coast will likely need to buy a separate wind and hail policy.
If wind and hail damage is partially or completely excluded from your home insurance policy, you can typically get wind insurance as:
- An endorsement to your home insurance. Your current insurer might offer windstorm coverage as an endorsement to your policy. Windstorm coverage may have a separate wind and hail deductible.
- A separate windstorm and hail policy. In some states, you may be able to buy a windstorm insurance policy in the voluntary market.
- Your state’s FAIR plan. If you can’t get wind insurance on the voluntary market, you may be eligible for wind insurance through your state’s Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) plan. FAIR plans are often an “insurer of last resort.”
- Your state’s Beach plan. Similar to the FAIR plan, seven Atlantic and Gulf states offer a Beach plan for windstorm coverage. Beach plans are available in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. To be eligible for a Beach plan in New York, your coverage application must be rejected by at least three private insurers.
Here are some examples of FAIR and Beach plans:
- The Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association (Beach plan) offers wind and hail-only policies for houses, condos and mobile homes located in the Beach, Seacoast and Gulf Front territories of Baldwin and Mobile counties.
- The Delaware FAIR plan offers windstorm and hail coverage to homeowners who cannot find it on the voluntary market.
- Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corporation offers wind insurance to homeowners who are not able to get windstorm coverage from a Florida-authorized insurance company or if premiums are more than 15% higher than comparable coverage from Citizens.
- The Georgia Underwriting Association offers windstorm insurance for homeowners who live on offshore islands and certain counties.
- The Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation offers wind and hail-only policies for homeowners who cannot buy a policy on the voluntary market.
- The Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association offers windstorm and hail coverage for homeowners in the coastal counties of George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River and Stone.
- The New Jersey Insurance Underwriting Association can provide wind insurance for one- to four-family homes for homeowners who have not been able to get coverage on the voluntary market.
- The New York Property Insurance Underwriting Association includes windstorm coverage as part of its “extended coverage.” The Coastal Market Assistance Plan offers windstorm and hail coverage for homes on the south shore of Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island’s forks that are within one mile of the shoreline, and property on the north shore of Long Island, in the Bronx and Westchester within 2,500 feet of the shoreline.
- North Carolina’s Coastal Property Insurance Pool offers windstorm and hail coverage for homeowners located in 18 eligible coastal communities.
- The South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association provides windstorm and hail coverage for homeowners who cannot find coverage on the voluntary market.
- The Texas Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Association offers windstorm and hail coverage for eligible homeowners. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association offers wind and hail coverage in five communities in Harris County and 14 coastal counties.
Car Insurance for Hail Damage
If your car is damaged by hail, you’ll need comprehensive car insurance in order to have coverage. Comprehensive coverage has a deductible. For example, if you have a $500 deductible and the repair bill is $2,000, you’ll get a $1,500 insurance check.
Related: You need this coverage when hail dents your car
Hail Safety Tips
- Stay inside. Large hailstones can cause serious injury.
- Stay away from windows and skylights. Hailstones can shatter glass and break through windows.
- Find temporary shelter. If you are driving, find a temporary shelter such as a parking garage.
- Don’t drive a car with a shattered windshield. It’s a good idea to call for a tow instead of driving with a cracked windshield.
More: How to make a home insurance claim for roof damage.
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