Key numbers
103 verified hail storms with stones of 1.5 inches or larger reached El Paso County, which includes Colorado Springs, from 2000 to 2025 in the storm records we keep; the largest measured 4.5 inches (softball size) on July 13, 2011 (NOAA NCEI).
| Hail storms by decade, 2000 to 2025 | 2000s: 35, 2010s: 44, 2020s: 24 Source: Storm library: El Paso County hail history |
|---|---|
| Largest hail | 4.5 in. (softball), July 13, 2011 Source: NOAA NCEI |
| Costliest hail storm | $352.8 million insured losses (2016 dollars), July 28, 2016 Source: RMIIA |
| 769 | NOAA's Storm Events Database logged 769 hail reports in Colorado in 2023, including 154 of 2 inches or larger. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 2023 |
| 54.3% | According to Remodeling's 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, a metal roof replacement in the Mountain region cost $46,579 and recouped 54.3% at resale. Source: Remodeling / JLC (Zonda), 2025 |
| $5508.7 million | NOAA lists 'Midwest/Ohio Valley Hail and Tornadoes (April 2001)' (2001-04-06 to 2001-04-11) among billion-dollar disasters affecting Colorado, at $5508.7 million CPI-adjusted ($3094.8 million unadjusted). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 2001 |
A storm counts when the library lists El Paso County among the areas it hit. Each hail size is the storm's largest report, which may have fallen in a neighboring county, and insured losses cover every area the storm hit.
A major hailstorm costs a Colorado Springs homeowner with good replacement-cost coverage mainly the deductible, which on many policies is now a percentage of the home’s insured value rather than a flat dollar amount. On top of that come any upgrades you choose, depreciation you fail to recover, higher prices while contractors are in short supply after a big storm, and future premium increases that hit the whole area. Planning for those costs before hail season is the cheapest protection you have.
Your share: the deductible
The Colorado Division of Insurance warned homeowners in 2024 that many policies now have wind and hail deductibles that are a percentage of coverage, for example 1, 2 or 5 percent, and that if the damage estimate is below your deductible, the insurer will not pay anything.
| Dwelling coverage | 1 percent | 2 percent | 5 percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| $300,000 | $3,000 | $6,000 | $15,000 |
| $400,000 | $4,000 | $8,000 | $20,000 |
| $500,000 | $5,000 | $10,000 | $25,000 |
By Colorado law the deductible is yours: no roofer may pay, waive or rebate it (C.R.S. 6-22-105). We explain the trend in percentage hail deductibles in Colorado.
What insurance pays, and when
Most replacement-cost policies pay in two checks. The first is the actual cash value, which is the replacement cost minus depreciation and your deductible. The second, the recoverable depreciation, comes after the work is done and documented. If you never finish the work, or miss the deadline, that second check is money you lose. See how long you have to complete repairs and recover depreciation.
A homeowner who had already been saving toward a new roof comes out ahead: the storm turns a planned expense into the cost of a deductible. A homeowner with an older roof and an actual-cash-value policy, on the other hand, can be paid only a fraction of the replacement cost.
Prices and labor after a big storm
A large storm creates sudden demand. After the July 28, 2016 storm we watched the effects month by month:
- Prices rose. An average roof cost about $700 more in September than it had in July.
- Crews got scarce. Installers asked for 10 to 20 percent more than before the storm, and some contractors offered crews higher pay to move between jobs.
- Materials slowed. Getting shingles loaded onto a roof took from several weeks to over a month at the peak.
Insurers price claims from current market data, so a written scope early in the process helps keep the settlement in line with real costs. The full story is in our July 28, 2016 hailstorm page, and the June 6, 2012 hailstorm shows the same pattern across Colorado Springs and south Denver.
Premiums and home value
- Premiums. Rates reflect losses across an area, so a costly storm can raise premiums for homeowners who never filed. Read whether filing a hail claim raises your premium.
- Resale. A roof is one of the first things a buyer’s inspector checks. Visible hail bruising, missing shingles or a recent unclaimed storm become bargaining points at sale time.
- Upgrades. Many owners use a claim to step up to an impact-rated shingle. The difference between the insured roof and the upgrade is yours to pay; our Class 4 shingle comparison shows the options.
What a storm means for the local economy
Big storms bring a wave of out-of-town contractors. They fill hotels and restaurants for a season, then leave, sometimes with warranty calls still unanswered. The Division of Insurance urges caution with door-to-door and phone solicitations and suggests checking references and favoring Colorado-based firms. In Colorado Springs, confirm the contractor is licensed with the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department and that a permit is pulled; our guide to storm roofing and how to vet a storm roofer has the checklist. Pueblo homeowners face the same wave after their storms; see hail damage in Pueblo.
How to budget before hail season
- Read your declarations page and write down your hail deductible in dollars.
- Keep that amount in a home fund, separate from everyday savings.
- Know whether your roof is covered at replacement cost or actual cash value.
- Get your roof inspected after any storm, even when it looks fine from the ground; see what to check after a Colorado Springs hail storm.
- Ask about financing for an upgrade the claim does not cover. Our Colorado Springs financing page explains the options.
For the storms themselves, see our weather guides; for how we responded to past storm seasons, see our company news.
Talk to a local roofer
Integrity Roofing and Painting has been family-run since 1990 and is veteran-owned, with an office at 115 N Union Blvd and 650+ Google reviews. As an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, we give you a written scope with Good, Better and Best options so you know your out-of-pocket cost before you sign. Call (719) 488-2800 or book a free Colorado Springs roof inspection.
Sources: Colorado Division of Insurance, hail consumer advisory, May 22, 2024; C.R.S. 6-22-105 (unofficial reproduction); Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, Hail and Disaster Information. The 2016 price, crew and delivery figures are Integrity's own observations from that storm, not a market survey.
