Many Texas homeowners first learn how their wind and hail deductible works on the day a hail storm takes out the roof. A line on the policy that said “2%” suddenly has to become a real number, and it is often larger than expected.
This guide explains what a wind and hail deductible in Texas is, how a percentage turns into dollars, and how it interacts with roof age, small claims and contractors. It is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Your policy and your insurer decide what applies to your home, so confirm every point with your agent.
What is a wind and hail deductible in Texas?
A deductible is the part of a claim you pay yourself before the insurer pays. A Texas home policy can set a separate deductible for wind and hail damage, and TDI warns it may mean paying more out of pocket after a storm. When hail or wind damages your roof, this is the deductible to check first.
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) describes a deductible as “an amount you must pay before your company pays.” In its guide to insurance and your roof, TDI tells homeowners to ask their agent whether the wind and hail deductible differs from the deductible for other damage. If it does, TDI notes, you might pay more out of pocket when a storm damages your roof.
TDI’s homeowners insurance guide adds that you might have different deductibles for each type of coverage. The only reliable way to know which applies to you is to read your own policy.
Where do you find your deductible on the policy?
Your deductibles are listed on the declarations page, the first page of your policy. TDI says it summarises your coverages, dollar limits and deductibles. Look for a separate line for wind and hail, and check whether it is a dollar amount or a percentage. If the page is unclear, ask your agent to state it in writing.
TDI’s homeowners guide describes the declarations page as the place where your policy summary sits. When you read it, look for three things:
- The dwelling coverage limit. The amount your house is insured for. TDI’s percentage examples are worked out from this kind of figure.
- The all other perils deductible. This is the deductible for losses that are not wind or hail.
- The wind and hail deductible. It may be shown as a dollar amount, a percentage, or both.
If you cannot tell which limit a percentage is based on, ask your agent and keep the answer in writing.
How does a percentage deductible become a dollar amount?
A percentage deductible is a share of the insured value, not a share of the repair bill. TDI’s examples use the dwelling amount the home is insured for. On a 2 percent deductible, every claim starts with you paying 2 percent of that figure. The larger the insured value, the larger the dollar deductible, whatever the damage costs.
TDI’s page What to know about deductibles gives two policies on homes insured for $150,000. In TDI’s example, Policy A has a $500 deductible, hail destroys the roof, the repair costs $6,500, and Policy A pays $6,000. In the same TDI example, Policy B has a 5 percent deductible, which TDI works out as $7,500.
In TDI’s example, Policy B pays nothing toward the $6,500 roof repair, because the repair costs less than the deductible.
| Item | Policy A (flat) | Policy B (percentage) |
|---|---|---|
| How the deductible is set | A fixed dollar amount | 5 percent of the insured value |
| Deductible in TDI’s example | $500 | $7,500 |
| What the policy pays, per TDI | $6,000 | Nothing |
TDI tells buyers to make sure they know how a percentage deductible translates into dollars before choosing a policy.
What does a 1% or 2% deductible mean in dollars?
A 1 percent deductible equals one hundredth of the insured value, and a 2 percent deductible equals two hundredths. Doubling the percentage doubles what you pay on every claim. To find your figure, multiply the dwelling limit on your declarations page by the percentage, then confirm the result with your agent before a storm.
TDI uses a 2 percent case on its page about replacement cost and actual cash value. In TDI’s example, the house is insured for $200,000 with a 2 percent deductible, which TDI states as $4,000. On that same insured value, a 1 percent deductible would be half of TDI’s figure.
Work it out for your own home now:
- Find the dwelling coverage limit on the declarations page.
- Find the wind and hail deductible percentage on the same page.
- Multiply the limit by the percentage. For 1 percent, divide the limit by 100. For 2 percent, divide by 50.
- Write the result down next to your policy number.
- Ask your agent to confirm the figure and the limit it is based on.
The deductible follows the insured value, not the damage, so a home insured for more carries a larger dollar deductible at the same percentage.
Is the deductible applied once a year or once per storm?
On a home policy, the deductible applies to each claim, not once a year. TDI contrasts this with health insurance, where a deductible usually covers a year. If hail damages your roof in April and wind damages it again later the same year, you should expect a separate deductible on each claim.
TDI makes the point on its deductibles page with a car example: two incidents in one year, the same deductible taken from each claim.
This matters in North Texas because storms repeat. NOAA’s Storm Events Database records 310 hail reports on 62 separate days in the Plano area between 2016 and 2025. Hail of 2 inches or larger was reported on 17 of those days, all of them falling in March to June or September. A homeowner in Plano, Allen or Richardson can face more than one damaging storm in a season.
Should you file a roof claim if the damage is close to the deductible?
If the repair estimate is below your deductible, the insurer pays nothing, as TDI’s Policy B example shows. If it is only slightly above, the payment may be small. TDI also warns that filing small claims may affect what you pay for insurance later. Get a written estimate and talk to your agent before deciding.
Several TDI statements bear on that decision:
- On its deductibles page, TDI says that filing small claims may affect how much you have to pay for insurance later.
- TDI’s homeowners guide lists your claims history among the things most companies consider when setting a premium, and lists “no claims for three years in a row” as a possible discount.
- The same guide says most companies use the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) to see the claims history of people and houses for the last seven years.
TDI’s page on checking a property’s claim history adds a useful detail. Companies are not supposed to report questions you ask about your policy or your deductible. TDI advises being clear with your agent about whether you are filing a claim or only asking a question.
That gives you a sensible order of work. First, get a written inspection and estimate of the damage. Second, compare it with your deductible in dollars. Third, ask your agent, as a question and not a claim, how the policy would treat it. TDI’s guide also notes that most companies have deadlines for filing a claim, so do not leave the decision for months.
Does a higher deductible save money?
Generally, yes. TDI says the higher the deductible, the lower the cost of the policy. The trade-off is what you pay when a storm hits. TDI’s advice is to think about how much you could afford to pay if your property were damaged, and choose a deductible you could cover without strain.
TDI gives one figure for the saving. On its deductibles page, TDI states that switching from a $500 deductible to a $1,000 deductible can save as much as 20 percent on premium payments. That is TDI’s general statement, not a promise about any particular policy or insurer.
Before you accept a higher percentage at renewal, convert it to dollars using the steps above, and ask whether you could pay that amount after a spring hail storm, possibly more than once a year.
How does roof age change what you actually receive?
The deductible is only one subtraction. If your roof coverage pays actual cash value, the insurer also subtracts depreciation for the roof’s age and wear before taking off the deductible. TDI’s examples show an older roof can leave the homeowner with nothing after both subtractions, even on a covered storm loss.
TDI’s roof insurance page says that as roofs age, some companies switch roof coverage to actual cash value, and that a roof in poor condition might not be covered at all. TDI also says your company should tell you when it changes your coverage, and advises checking for roof changes at every renewal.
In TDI’s replacement cost and actual cash value example, the $4,000 deductible is taken from a $10,000 roof replacement. On a replacement cost policy, TDI shows the policy paying $6,000. On an actual cash value policy with a 20-year-old roof, TDI shows the policy paying $0, because the depreciated value equals the deductible.
The two subtractions stack. Our guide to ACV vs RCV roof coverage in Texas walks through TDI’s full age table and where the depreciation goes.
Can a contractor pay or waive your deductible?
No. TDI states plainly that it is illegal for contractors to waive your deductible or help you avoid paying it. That includes inflating an estimate so the insurer covers the gap, and offering rebates or credits equal to the deductible. Your insurer can ask for proof you paid it before paying the full claim.
TDI’s page Is it OK for a contractor to waive my deductible? explains why it matters to the homeowner. A contractor who waives a deductible might be sending false information to your insurer, which TDI calls fraud. TDI adds that such a contractor is likely making up the difference by cutting corners or using lower quality products.
TDI lists the kinds of proof an insurer may ask for: a cancelled check, a money order receipt, a credit card statement, or a copy of the payment plan with your contractor. If a contractor offers to waive your deductible, TDI says to talk to your insurance company first. You can also report it to the Texas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline.
If you would like a written roof assessment you can share with your adjuster, Roofing Repair Plano explains how it works on its roof insurance claim help page. The amount the insurer pays is still decided by your policy and your adjuster.
What should you ask your agent before the next storm?
Ask your agent to state, in writing, every deductible on your policy in dollars, which limit a percentage is based on, and whether your roof is covered at replacement cost or actual cash value. Ask whether anything changed at the last renewal. A short email now saves a difficult surprise after the next hail storm.
A practical list of questions:
- Is my wind and hail deductible different from my all other perils deductible?
- Is it a flat amount or a percentage, and what is it in dollars today?
- Which limit on the declarations page is the percentage applied to?
- Is my roof covered at replacement cost or actual cash value, and did that change at renewal?
- What lower or higher deductible options do you offer, and what would each cost?
- What is the deadline for filing a claim after storm damage?
For the wider picture on preparing a home for hail season, see our guide to protecting a Plano home from hail and insurance surprises. If a claim has already been turned down, our guide to what to do when a roof claim is denied in Texas covers the next steps TDI describes.
Frequently asked questions
What is a wind and hail deductible?
It is the amount you pay yourself on a claim for wind or hail damage before the insurer pays. TDI tells homeowners to ask whether it differs from the deductible for other damage, because a separate, larger wind and hail deductible can mean paying more out of pocket after a storm. Your declarations page lists it.
How is a 2% wind and hail deductible calculated?
It is 2 percent of the insured value on your policy, usually the dwelling limit, not 2 percent of the repair bill. In TDI’s example, a house insured for $200,000 with a 2 percent deductible has a $4,000 deductible. Check with your agent which limit your policy uses, then multiply that limit by the percentage.
Is the wind and hail deductible applied per storm or per year?
TDI says home and auto deductibles apply to each claim, unlike health insurance deductibles, which usually cover a year. If your roof is damaged by two separate storms and you file two claims, you should expect the deductible to be subtracted from each one. Confirm how your own policy handles this with your agent.
Will my insurance pay if the roof damage is less than my deductible?
No. In TDI’s example, a policy with a $7,500 deductible pays nothing toward a $6,500 roof repair, because the repair costs less than the deductible. TDI also warns that small claims may affect future premiums. Get a written estimate and ask your agent how the policy would treat it before filing.
Can a roofer cover my deductible for me?
No. TDI says it is illegal for a contractor to waive your deductible or help you avoid paying it, including by raising the estimate or offering a rebate. Your insurer can ask for proof that you paid. If a contractor offers this, TDI says to talk to your insurance company first.
