The short answer
Hail damage to a house is usually covered under the wind and hail part of a home policy, but the details vary: which deductible applies, whether the roof is paid at full replacement or a depreciated value, and how mismatched materials are handled. Cars parked outside are a separate claim on the auto policy. Gather the roof age and material, photos and any earlier storm claims, and a licensed broker can compare how insurers handle hail.
- Homeowners in Calgary, Airdrie, Okotoks and other hail-prone parts of southern Alberta
- Owners who have just been through a storm and are deciding whether to claim
- Anyone replacing a roof and weighing impact-rated materials
- Buyers looking at a house with a patched or aging roof in hail country
- Landlords with several properties hit by the same storm
4 licensed brokers in the network handle this. In Alberta, Canada, a request for hail damage insurance can be offered to up to three of them, chosen because they are licensed for this line and place. They are test brokers while we are in demo.
See the brokers → Outside Alberta, Canada you can prepare and save a request today; sending opens place by place. Brokers answer with their own quotes. Broker.insure does not quote, advise or take commission.
01 / What it covers
The parts worth understanding
The roof
Shingles, underlay, flashing, vents and skylights struck by hailstones. Insurers look at age and material, and some settle older roofs at a depreciated value rather than the cost of new roofing.
Siding, eavestroughs and trim
Cracked vinyl, dented aluminum and chipped stucco. Cosmetic denting with no loss of function is treated differently from one insurer to the next, so ask how the wording reads.
Windows, screens and skylights
Broken glass, torn screens and damaged frames. Rain that gets in through a window broken in the same storm is usually part of the same claim, but confirm it.
Decks, fences, sheds and detached garages
Outdoor structures often fall under a separate, smaller limit for detached buildings, while patio furniture or a hot tub cover may sit under contents.
A wind and hail deductible
Some insurers apply a separate deductible to wind and hail, which may be larger than the standard one or set as a share of the insured amount instead of a fixed figure. Read it before storm season.
Vehicles parked outside
Hail damage to a car, truck or trailer is claimed under the comprehensive part of an auto policy, not the home policy. The auto page explains how that part works.
02 / Get ready
Bring this, and expect these questions
Gather
- Roof material, the year it was installed, and the roofer's invoice if you have it
- Any impact rating on the shingles or panels, shown on the product label or the invoice
- Siding type and colour, and the manufacturer or product line if it is known
- Dated photos of the roof, siding and windows taken before storm season
- Photos and video taken after the storm, including hailstones beside a coin or ruler for scale
- The date and time of the storm, and any temporary repairs such as tarps or boarded windows
- Earlier hail or wind claims on the property, with dates and what was replaced
- Your policy wording or renewal notice, showing the deductible that applies to wind and hail
- Any contract or form a contractor has asked you to sign
A broker will ask
- How old is the roof, and what is it made of?
- Have you claimed for hail or wind at this address before, and what was replaced?
- Is the roof rated for impact resistance, and can you show the product details?
- Is there a separate deductible for wind and hail on your current policy?
- Are there detached buildings, a deck or a fence that should be listed?
- Has anything been patched since a previous storm without being fully replaced?
- Where are your vehicles parked during summer storms?
- Has a contractor already inspected the damage or asked you to sign anything?
Not sure of an answer? Leave it. "Not known yet" is a fine answer, and a broker will help you fill it in.
03 / Build your request
Answer a few questions. Get your own list.
Pick what fits. Your answers shape the list beside them, and they are saved to your request as plain facts a broker can read. "Not sure yet" is always a fine answer.
04 / Three situations
See which one sounds like yours
A northeast Calgary family after a summer storm
A July evening storm drops golf-ball sized hail across the neighbourhood. The family finds cracked vinyl siding on the west wall, two broken basement windows and shingle granules washing out of the downspouts, and by morning roofers are knocking on doors.
First steps. Photograph every side of the house and the hailstones before cleaning up, cover the broken windows to keep rain out, and keep receipts for the materials. Report the loss to the broker or insurer before signing any contractor paperwork, and ask what the wind and hail deductible is.
An Airdrie owner replacing a twice-damaged roof
A homeowner's asphalt roof was replaced after one storm and patched after another. It now needs replacing again, and the owner is weighing a higher impact-rated shingle against matching the product used last time.
First steps. Ask the roofer for the impact rating, the product name and a dated invoice, and keep a shingle wrapper with the label. Before work starts, ask the broker whether the insurers they deal with recognise impact-rated roofs and what proof they want after installation.
A landlord with three rentals in one hail path
A landlord owns three older bungalows a few blocks apart, all hit by the same storm. Tenants are calling about leaks through damaged roofs, and each property sits on a separate policy with a different deductible.
First steps. List each address with its damage, photos and what the tenant reported, and arrange temporary repairs to stop more water coming in. Ask the broker how each deductible applies, whether tenants should contact their own insurers about belongings, and in what order to report.
05 / Words you will hear
The jargon, in plain words
- Wind and hail deductible
- A separate deductible some insurers apply only to wind and hail losses. It can differ from the standard one, so find it on the declarations page before storm season.
- Impact rating
- A class given to roofing after a test that drops steel balls onto samples. Higher classes withstood larger balls without cracking, and Class 4 is the top of the common scale.
- Depreciation
- An amount taken off a claim for the age and wear of what was damaged. On a roof it can mean the payment covers less than new roofing costs.
- Direction to pay
- A form asking the insurer to send claim money straight to a contractor. Read it carefully, because it can limit your say over the repair and the payment.
- Proof of loss
- A formal statement of what was damaged and the amount claimed, which an insurer may ask you to sign. Keep a copy alongside the supporting photos and estimates.
06 / Common mistakes
What trips people up
- Waiting weeks to report, so it becomes hard to show which storm caused the damage.
- Signing a contractor's authorisation or direction-to-pay form on the doorstep before speaking to the insurer.
- Sweeping up hailstones and debris before photographing them.
- Assuming the home policy pays for the car that was in the driveway.
- Learning about the wind and hail deductible only when the adjuster mentions it.
- Patching storm damage without telling the insurer, then finding it questioned on the next claim.
Ready when you are
Turn this into one clear request.
Save it, add what you know, and choose when to send it. A licensed broker who handles hail damage insurance takes it from there.
07 / Questions people ask
Straight answers
Does home insurance cover hail damage?
Most home policies in Canada cover sudden damage from hail as part of the wind and hail peril. What differs is the deductible that applies, how an older roof is valued, whether cosmetic dents count, and what is paid for outbuildings and fences. Ask the broker to walk through each of those for the policy you hold or are considering.
Is it worth claiming for minor hail damage?
That depends on the repair estimate compared with your deductible, and on how a claim could affect future terms. Get a written estimate from a reputable contractor first, and ask the broker how insurers treat small claims and whether purely cosmetic damage would be paid at all. Bruised shingles can show up later, so document the damage either way.
What is an impact-resistant roof?
Some shingles, metal panels and other roofing are tested by dropping steel balls of increasing size onto samples and rated in classes, with Class 4 the highest under a commonly used standard. A rated roof may hold up better in a storm. Some insurers take the rating into account; ask the broker which ones do and what proof they need, such as the invoice and product label.
Will insurance match my siding or shingles after hail?
If only part of a wall or roof is damaged and the original product is discontinued, an exact match may not exist. Insurers handle that differently: some replace a full wall or roof slope, others repair only the damaged area. The wording and the adjuster's assessment decide it. Keep the product name and colour on file, and ask how matching is treated before a storm arrives.
How do I spot a roofing scam after a hailstorm?
Be wary of anyone who knocks right after a storm, wants a large deposit, offers to cover your deductible, or asks you to sign a form sending your insurance payment straight to them. Check the contractor's business licence, local address and references. Report the loss to your insurer yourself, and let the adjuster see the damage before work begins.
Does home insurance cover hail damage to my car?
No. A vehicle damaged by hail is claimed under the comprehensive part of its auto policy, even if it was parked on your own driveway. The home policy may cover the roof of a detached garage, but not the car inside or beside it. Without comprehensive on the auto policy, hail damage to the vehicle is generally not covered.
What is a wind and hail deductible?
Some insurers, particularly in hail-prone areas, apply a separate deductible to wind and hail losses. It may be higher than the standard deductible, and occasionally it is calculated as a share of the insured value of the home rather than a fixed amount. Not every policy has one. Look for it on the declarations page, or ask the broker to point to it.
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General information, not insurance advice. Broker.insure is a directory and request service: it is not an insurer and does not quote, bind or advise. Policy terms, availability and what is required where you live depend on your situation and on licensed professionals. Updated 2026-10-31.