05/23/2026
With all of the hail claims coming in, I am seeing so many claims with astronomical deductibles and just terrible policies.
Most say they had no idea their deductible was so high. Or that they didn’t know they were on an actual cash value policy for the roof.
The actual cash value depreciation factor and high deductibles are eating up nearly the whole payout of some of these claims. Leaving the homeowner to pay huge amounts out of pocket to get their roof replaced.
Sure choosing a high deductible will make the yearly premiums less, but in the event you have to file a claim, then all that money saved on premiums is spent on the deductible.
$500 and $1,000 deductibles on roofs are a thing of the past. Most carriers have gone to 1%, 2%, and 3% deductibles on roofs. That’s the percentage of what you have the dwelling insured for. So for example, if you have a 1% deductible and you have your dwelling insured for $250,000 then your deductible on the roof would be $2,500.
Also seeing a lot of metal marring exclusions written in to policies. Meaning they do not owe for cosmetic metal damages to your home. So some of these gutters that have huge dents from hail, are not covered. Metal awnings, copper finials and cupolas, metal porch covers, etc.
I feel terrible for some of these homeowners.
You shouldn’t have to take out a loan or finance your roof replacement to pay for something that insurance should cover.
I have attached a photo of one I’m working on that the full replacement estimate from the carrier on the roof was nearly $30,000. After the $12,075 of depreciation and $13,460 deductible, they paid the homeowner $3,700. That was a very very hard pill for that customer to swallow.
This is a reminder to review your policy. If you don’t understand how to read your policy, ask your agent.
Don’t choose a deductible higher than 1%.
Ask them if they can quote you a policy through a carrier that offers full replacement cost on the roof for the life of the roof.
Make sure that you have a cosmetic metal damage endorsement in the policy. Especially if you have gutters on the home.
That endorsement is generally a minimal cost.
Filing a claim for the first time can be stressful and confusing for some.
Often times adjusters miss or overlook items that are owed for that can bring more money to the claim.
If you need help with your insurance claim, feel free to reach out to me. Been doing claims for 15 years and I genuinely love to help homeowners with them. I will go through the adjuster’s estimate with a fine toothed comb and walk around the property and roof to make sure everything that is owed for is included in the claim.
Tim Nichol
918-260-4075
Capital Roofing delivers expert roof repair, replacement, and installation services to Claremore homeowners and businesses with free estimates and quality materials.
