Does my homeowners policy cover my roof after hail?

Almost certainly yes. Hail is a covered peril on nearly every homeowners policy written in Colorado. The real question is not whether your roof is covered but how much of the repair the policy will actually pay for, and that comes down to three details most people have never looked up.

First, your deductible. Many Colorado policies now carry a wind and hail deductible set as a percentage of the dwelling limit rather than a flat dollar amount. On a $600,000 house, a 2% deductible means the first $12,000 of roof damage is yours. That alone can swallow most of a roof claim.

Second, how the roof is valued. Replacement cost coverage pays to put a new roof on. Actual cash value pays what your old roof was worth after depreciation for age. On a fifteen year old roof, depreciation can eat most of the check, leaving you with a payment that covers a fraction of the new roof you still have to buy.

Third, whether there is a cosmetic damage exclusion. Some policies won't pay for hail dents that don't cause leaks. That can be a reasonable trade for a lower premium or a bad surprise at resale time, depending on your roof and your plans, but it should be a choice you made rather than a clause you discover.

All three of these live on your declarations page, usually in the first page or two. We walk through where to find each one on our hail and your deductible page. Look them up before storm season, because after the storm the only thing left to do is file.