The single biggest source of confusion in roof insurance claims isn't damage assessment. It's deductibles — how they work, what they cost, and what a contractor is legally allowed to do about them.
Here's what Texas homeowners should understand before filing.
Flat vs percentage deductibles
Older policies commonly carried a flat deductible — a fixed dollar amount regardless of claim size.
Many Texas policies now use a percentage deductible for wind and hail, calculated against your dwelling coverage rather than the claim amount. A 2% wind/hail deductible on a home insured for $500,000 is $10,000, not 2% of the repair cost.
That's a meaningful difference, and a lot of homeowners discover it only after a storm. Look at your declarations page now, before you need it, and specifically find the wind/hail deductible line — it's often separate from your all-other-perils deductible.
Deductible waiving is illegal in Texas
If a contractor offers to "eat your deductible," "waive it," or "work it into the numbers," walk away.
Under Texas law it is illegal for a contractor to pay, waive, rebate, or absorb an insurance deductible. It's insurance fraud, and it exposes the homeowner as well as the contractor.
Beyond the legal exposure, it's a reliable signal about how the rest of the job will go. A company willing to commit fraud to win your business is not a company that will do right by you on flashing details you'll never see.
ACV vs RCV — the difference that matters most
This determines what your policy actually pays.
- Actual Cash Value (ACV) pays replacement cost minus depreciation. A 15-year-old roof has depreciated substantially, so an ACV policy can leave a large gap you cover yourself.
- Replacement Cost Value (RCV) pays the full cost to replace at current prices, typically in two payments.
Most homeowners should want RCV, and many don't know which they have until they file. Check your policy.
How the RCV two-payment process works
This surprises people, so it's worth spelling out:
- First payment (ACV): issued after the claim is approved. It's the replacement cost minus depreciation minus your deductible.
- Work gets completed. Your contractor invoices the full amount.
- Second payment (recoverable depreciation): released after you submit proof the work was completed, usually the final invoice.
The important implication: the first check is not the total. Homeowners sometimes see the ACV amount, conclude insurance is underpaying, and give up on the claim — leaving the recoverable depreciation unclaimed. If you don't complete the work, you don't get that second payment.
Supplements are normal
Adjusters work fast and sometimes miss line items — additional layers discovered at tear-off, code-required upgrades, decking replacement, or ventilation components.
A supplement is a formal request to the carrier for those additional covered items. It's a routine part of the process, not an adversarial one, and a contractor experienced with claims will handle it as a matter of course.
Code upgrade coverage
Building codes change. If current code requires something your original roof didn't have, replacing to code can cost more than replacing like-for-like.
Some policies include ordinance or law coverage for exactly this. Others don't. It's worth checking, because on some roofs the gap is significant.
What to do before you file
- Pull your declarations page and find your wind/hail deductible and whether you have ACV or RCV.
- Get an independent inspection with photo documentation so you know what damage you actually have.
- Note the storm date — claims are tied to a date of loss and policies have filing windows.
- Don't sign anything that lets a contractor negotiate on your behalf without understanding exactly what you're authorizing.
Our full Texas hail claim guide covers the inspection and adjuster process in detail.
We work insurance claims across Boerne, San Antonio, and the Hill Country, and we'll tell you honestly whether you have a claim worth filing. Get in touch or call (210) 245-4125.
