Glossary

Wind/hail deductible

A separate amount you pay first, flat or a percentage of the dwelling limit, on damage from wind or hail in place of the standard flat amount.

Also called: wind and hail deductible, windstorm or hail deductible

A wind/hail deductible applies to damage from wind or hail instead of the regular deductible for other losses. Insurers in hail-prone regions often use it, and it is usually larger than the all other perils deductible. It may be a flat amount such as $2,500 or more, or a percentage of Coverage A, commonly 1% to 5%.

Say your dwelling limit is $400,000 and the wind/hail deductible is 1%. That is $4,000. Hail damage to the roof, gutters and siding comes to $11,000, so the policy pays $7,000. Because roofs take most of the damage, a modest hail claim can fall below the deductible, and the practical question is often whether filing is worth it at all.

Two things interact with it. A roof payment schedule or ACV roof endorsement can shrink the payment on top of the deductible, so ask how your insurer applies both. And if a named storm brings the wind, a named storm deductible may apply instead, depending on the wording.

Our guide to wind and hail deductibles shows how insurers set them, and hail damage claims: roofs, siding and windows explains how to document a roof loss.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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