Is Hail Resistant Roofing Really Hail-Proof?
"it's all marketing just to charge the customer more."
A homeowner who started an r/Roofing thread wrote that. The fear is half right. Impact-resistant shingles are not hail-proof, but the Class 3 and Class 4 labels are real test results: steel balls dropped on a new shingle1, not a promise about your roof in a storm. So treat the class as one input, not proof. Before you pay extra, find the class written on the quote and ask your insurer whether a discount exists.
Quick answer:
- Ask your insurer whether it gives a discount for impact-resistant shingles, for which class, and what paperwork it needs2, before you buy.
- Get the product name, the class and an itemized price written on every quote.
- Check whether your wind and hail deductible is different3 from your other deductibles.
- After a hail storm, photograph and list the damage4 from the ground, with dates, before anything is repaired.
On this page
None of this asks you to judge a roof yourself. You ask for the class and the price in writing, and you ask the insurer what it accepts.
Does "hail resistant" mean hail-proof?
No. In lab ratings of 24 impact-resistant shingle products, most earned a "Good" rating and none earned "Excellent"5. The label is a step up, not a shield.
A commenter in a roofing thread wondered: "Gotta get the impact resistant ones next time, right? Or was the hail that big?" Both questions are fair, and the rating answers neither one, because it describes a test, not your storm.
What Class 3 and Class 4 actually test
The class comes from UL 2218, a lab test that drops steel balls of varying sizes from a fixed height to replicate the energy of real hailstones1. A shingle passes a size class if, after two impacts in the same spot, no crack is visible on its back1.
Two limits matter. The steel balls stand in for hail; they are not real hail. And the standard evaluates new products and does not account for weathering, temperature or aging1, so the class describes the shingle when it is new, not your roof years later.
After the shingles are on, what does a warranty promise you? What a roof warranty actually covers.
Will my insurer give a discount?
Maybe, and the insurer decides. Some insurers in some states offer a discount for hail-resistant roofs6, or add a surcharge for roofs that are not.
In Texas, a Class 4 roof covering would receive the highest premium credit, but each company sets the amount2. A premium credit is a discount on the price of your policy. Each insurer also decides which test criteria it accepts, how materials are labeled for verification, and what paperwork you and the contractor must submit2. That is why the paperwork question comes before the purchase, not after. If hail damaged your roof and you have a claim, ask your insurer whether it would pay for the class you want or only for a standard shingle. Ask for the answer in writing before you sign with a roofer.
If impact-resistant shingles cost more than you planned, how could you cover the difference? How to pay for a new roof.
If hail just hit: what to do from the ground
Hail damage on asphalt shingles shows as a random pattern of impact marks, soft spots you can feel when pressing, and cracks or breaks7. Pressing on shingles means standing on the roof, so leave that check to a professional.
From the ground, look for spatter marks or dents on A/C units, gutters, metal flashing, downspouts or patio furniture7. Flashing is the metal that seals joints on the roof. Some normal wear could be mistaken for hail damage, and those marks help you tell the two apart.
- Take pictures and video of the damage4, and list what is damaged inside and outside the house. Keep the dates with them.
- Remove standing water and cover broken windows and holes to keep rain out4. If the hole is in the roof, a tarp put on by a roofer you chose beats climbing up yourself.
- Your policy may pay for temporary repairs4, so save the receipts.
- Read your policy to see exactly what your responsibilities are8. A deductible is the amount you pay before insurance pays, and if the loss is lower than the deductible, filing may not be worth it8.
One reply in a roofing forum put the worry bluntly: "They will literally say anything is hail damage." Ask any roofer to show you a photo of every problem they point to.
Checklist before you pay for impact-resistant shingles
Do these in order. Each one makes the next one easier.
- Ask your insurer or agent whether it gives a discount, for which class, and what paperwork it needs. Ask whether your wind and hail deductible differs too.
- Get the product name, the class and an itemized price on each quote. Itemized means each item and its cost on its own line.
- Ask how the class is verified. Independent lab ratings of impact-resistant shingles are published5, so you can set them beside what a roofer's label says.
- Compare the quotes. Don't automatically choose the lowest bidder, and ask for an explanation if there is a big difference among the estimates9.
Ask each roofer to put the class and the price of each item in writing. You can send this:
Please write on your quote the product name and impact class of the shingles, and the price of each item on its own line. Please also tell me what paperwork my insurer would need from you to confirm the class.
If a roofer won't put this in writing, that is an answer too: weigh it against the quotes that do.
Beyond the shingle class, what else should a replacement quote spell out? What is included in a roof replacement.
Quick questions
What is the cost difference between Class 3 and Class 4 shingles?
It depends on the product and your roof. Ask each roofer to price the class you want as its own line on the quote, so a gap between two quotes is something you can see.
How do I know if my existing shingles are Class 3 or 4?
Look for the product name on the contract or invoice from whoever installed the roof. Then ask the installer or the maker to confirm the class in writing.
Can a roofer waive my deductible?
In Texas, it is illegal for contractors to waive your deductible or help you avoid paying it10. Wherever you live, treat any such offer as a reason to slow down.
Is it worth it if hail is rare where I live?
That depends on what the insurer would take off your policy and what the roofer charges for the upgrade. Get both in writing, then set one against the other before you decide.
Sources
1. Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), Roof 101
2. Texas Department of Insurance, Products qualifying for impact-resistant roofing credits
3. Texas Department of Insurance, Insurance and your roof
4. Texas Department of Insurance, Hail damage to your home or car? What to do next
5. IBHS, IBHS Releases Its Most Expansive Impact-Resistant Shingle Ratings to Date
6. Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), Spotlight on: Catastrophes - Insurance issues
8. Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), How to file a homeowners claim
9. Federal Trade Commission, How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam
10. Texas Department of Insurance, Is it OK for a contractor to waive my deductible?
Found an error on this page? Email [email protected].