Key numbers
77 verified hail storms with stones of 1.75 inches or larger reached Travis County, which includes Austin, from 1984 to 2025 in the storm records we keep; the largest measured 5 inches (softball size) on May 20, 2011 (NOAA NCEI).
| Hail storms by decade, 1984 to 2025 | 1980s: 8, 1990s: 16, 2000s: 24, 2010s: 13, 2020s: 16 Source: NOAA NCEI |
|---|---|
| Largest hail | 5 in. (softball), May 20, 2011 Source: NOAA NCEI |
| Costliest hail storm | $160 million insured losses (2006 dollars), April 20, 2006 Source: Insurance Journal |
| About 48.3% | Hail made up about 48.3% of Texas homeowners paid losses in 2024 (4,932.98 of 10,207.87 across all perils TDI charts). Source: Texas Department of Insurance, 2024 |
| 24% | In 2023, improvement spending on U.S. homes built before 1980 was 24% higher than on homes built since 2010, and maintenance spending was 76% higher. Source: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, 2023 |
| $4.6 billion | NOAA lists the April 10-12, 2016 North/Central Texas hailstorm as a $4.6 billion disaster (CPI-adjusted; $3.5 billion unadjusted). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 2016 |
A storm counts when NOAA lists a report in Travis County. Each hail size is the storm's largest report in the seven Austin-area counties, which may have fallen in a neighboring county, and insured losses cover every area the storm hit.
After a hailstorm, file a roof claim in this order: protect the house from more damage, get the roof inspected, find your deductible, report the claim to your insurer, meet the adjuster, then review the written estimate before any work starts. The steps are the same in Colorado and Texas. What changes is the law around them: Texas sets specific deadlines for your insurer, while Colorado gives you specific rights to your policy and against unreasonable delay.
The first 72 hours
- Stay off the roof. Look from the ground. Damaged gutters, dented downspouts, torn window screens and chipped paint on the side that faced the storm suggest the roof was hit too.
- Stop water. Cover holes or broken windows with a tarp or plastic and keep the receipts. The Texas Department of Insurance notes your policy may pay for temporary repairs, and the Colorado Division of Insurance tells homeowners to limit further damage.
- Photograph everything before anything is cleaned up or thrown away.
- Get an inspection to confirm the roof has functional storm damage. Our article on whether to call your insurer or a roofer first explains why the order matters.
- Find your declarations page and note both deductibles. Many Colorado policies now carry a wind and hail deductible of 1, 2 or 5 percent of coverage.
Filing the claim
Call your agent or the insurer’s claims line, or use the insurer’s app. Expect questions about the date and time of the storm. Write down three things: the claim number, the adjuster’s name and the adjuster’s direct phone number. Our insurance company contact directory lists claims numbers for the major carriers.
During a busy storm season, adjuster visits can take a while. Keep the house protected in the meantime.
The adjuster visit
The adjuster inspects the roof and other damaged items and writes an estimate. You can have your roofer present. A roofer on the roof with the adjuster is an extra set of eyes so nothing gets missed in the scope. It does not make the roofer your adjuster: Colorado (C.R.S. 6-22-105) and Texas both bar roofing contractors from acting as public adjusters. The claim stays yours.
The estimate and the checks
The insurer sends a written estimate or claim summary. Read it line by line; our guide to reading a claim summary explains each line. On a replacement cost policy you will usually get:
- a first check for the replacement cost minus depreciation and deductible, often made out to you and your mortgage company (see mortgage endorsements on insurance checks);
- a second check for the held-back depreciation after the work is finished and invoiced. Do not let that money lapse; see how homeowners lose recoverable depreciation.
If you disagree with the estimate, the Colorado Division of Insurance advises asking the adjuster for an itemized explanation and the specific policy language, and for any denial in writing with the reasons. Next steps are on what to do when an adjuster denies roof damage.
The rules side by side
| Texas | Colorado | |
|---|---|---|
| Insurer acknowledges the claim | Within 15 days | No set day count |
| Insurer approves or denies | 15 business days after it has what it needs; up to 45 days with notice | Must not unreasonably delay or deny (C.R.S. 10-3-1115) |
| Payment after approval | Within 5 business days | Same unreasonable-delay standard; remedy of two times the covered benefit plus fees (C.R.S. 10-3-1116) |
| Copy of your policy | Ask your insurer | Within 3 business days of a request (C.R.S. 10-4-110.8) |
| Roofer may waive your deductible | No | No (C.R.S. 6-22-105) |
| Where to complain | TDI, 800-252-3439 | Division of Insurance, 303-894-7490 |
Does filing raise your rates? Read whether a hail claim raises your premium. Wondering which carriers handle claims well? See how to judge an insurer’s claims department. After a fire or tornado that destroys the home, follow our disaster recovery guide instead.
Start with a free inspection
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews, with offices in Colorado Springs, Denver and Austin. Book a free inspection in Colorado Springs at (719) 488-2800, Denver at (303) 209-0152, or Austin at (512) 610-5897, or read how Austin storm damage repair works.
Sources: Texas Department of Insurance, Home insurance guide; TDI, Hail damage to your home or car?; TDI, Roofing and insurance: know the law; Colorado Division of Insurance, hail consumer advisory (May 22, 2024); C.R.S. 10-3-1115, 10-3-1116, 10-4-110.8, 6-22-105 (unofficial reproduction).
