What should Colorado Springs homeowners check before filing a hail claim?
Quick answer: Check three things on your homeowners policy before hail season: whether your wind/hail deductible is a flat dollar amount or a percentage of your dwelling limit (a 2% deductible on a $400,000 dwelling is $8,000), whether your roof is paid at replacement cost or depreciated (actual cash value) once it passes a certain age, and whether you have matching or unmatched-siding coverage. After a storm, get a free inspection from a reputable roofer before you file, and know your policy’s deadline for reporting it. Colorado law doesn’t set one; many policies allow one year for wind or hail.
The deductible surprise we see most
Several of our clients found out at claim time that their wind/hail deductible had changed, often from a flat $2,500 to 2% of the dwelling limit at a renewal. Because it’s hard to know what was communicated, we ran a renewal campaign to tell clients ahead of time. Most homeowners in our book have already moved to a percentage deductible, so the question now is whether a flat deductible still matters to you.
What we shop for
Flat vs. percentage wind/hail deductible: if a flat deductible is important to you, we check which carriers will still offer one and what it costs. It isn’t always available.
Unmatched siding / matching coverage: so a partial siding repair doesn’t leave you with mismatched panels you pay to fix.
Roof settlement by age: many carriers start depreciating roofs past roughly 10 years, which can turn a replacement into a partial payout. We check where your roof sits on that schedule.
Impact-resistant roofing: many claims clients upgrade to Class 4 impact-resistant shingles when the roof is replaced, which may qualify for a carrier discount.
Who inspects your roof matters
Some roofers assume that if they get on your roof, you need a new one. We work with reputable partners who give free estimates and only recommend a replacement when the damage warrants it.
It also works the other way. My own father had a hail claim denied after his first roofer sent photos that didn’t appear to match the most recent storm. Our roofer partner went out, documented the actual impact damage, and the claim was approved. Work started that same week. The first roofer came out on a Wednesday, and by Friday the job was underway.
Timing after a storm
Colorado law doesn’t set a deadline to report hail damage. Your policy does, and many Colorado policies say wind or hail damage must be reported within one year of the storm. In an active hail stretch, get a reputable roofer to inspect and document the damage, then call us before you file so we can look at your deductible and timing together. Don’t sit on an active leak, though. Your policy expects you to prevent further damage, so tarp or repair leaks right away and keep the receipts. The deadline to collect held-back replacement-cost money is also set by your policy, so check it or ask us.
What we can and can’t promise
We shop multiple carriers and explain what each policy actually does with hail. We can’t guarantee a flat deductible, a specific roof settlement, or that any claim will be paid. That’s always up to the carrier and your policy language.
CTA: Not sure what your wind/hail deductible is? Send us your declarations page and we’ll walk you through it, or call (719) 309-6439.