File it promptly, document it before anything gets repaired, and know the deadlines that run against both you and your insurer. Texas gives homeowners a specific, enforceable claims timeline under Insurance Code Chapter 542 — and gives insurers a contractual reporting window that is shorter than most people expect.
Here is the process from the storm to the final check.
Step 1: Confirm the storm date, not the discovery date
Most Texas homeowners policies now include a hail endorsement requiring you to report the loss within one year of the date the storm hit. The clock starts on the weather event, not on the day you noticed a stain on the ceiling or a roofer knocked on your door. Because that is a contract term rather than a statute, the exact language varies — check your declarations page and endorsements.
Write down the date of the storm. If you are not certain which storm caused it, National Weather Service and NOAA storm reports for your ZIP code establish which qualifying events occurred and when.
Step 2: Document the damage before you repair anything
Photograph everything from multiple angles: the roof if you can do it safely, gutters, downspouts, window screens, fencing, air conditioner fins, siding, and any interior water intrusion. Hail signatures on soft metal — gutters, vents, AC condenser fins — are often what an adjuster uses to date and confirm the event.
Make a written list of damaged personal property with approximate purchase dates and values. Keep receipts for anything you buy to prevent further damage, such as tarps or plywood. Those are typically reimbursable.
You are allowed to make emergency repairs to stop ongoing damage, and you should — but do not begin permanent repairs before the adjuster inspects. Once the evidence is gone, the dispute becomes your word against an estimate.
Step 3: Report the claim to your agent or carrier
Call it in and get a claim number. TDI’s guidance is to contact your agent or company right away to start the process.
Before you do, run one calculation: your Coverage A dwelling limit multiplied by your wind and hail deductible percentage. In Texas that deductible is a percentage of what the house is insured for, not of the loss, so a $9,000 deductible against $8,000 of damage means the claim pays nothing. A claim that closes with no payment still appears in your claims history. We explain the math in detail in What Is a Wind and Hail Deductible in Texas?
Step 4: Know the deadlines your insurer has to meet
Chapter 542 of the Texas Insurance Code sets hard timeframes:
- 15 days — the insurer must acknowledge receipt of your claim, begin investigating, and request everything it reasonably believes it will need from you (§542.055). For eligible surplus lines insurers, 30 business days.
- 15 business days — after receiving all requested items, statements, and forms, the insurer must notify you in writing that the claim is accepted or rejected, and a rejection must state the reasons (§542.056). Certain circumstances extend this.
- 5 business days — after notifying you it will pay, the insurer must pay (§542.057).
If the insurer blows those deadlines, §542.060 provides for statutory interest plus attorney’s fees. You do not have to prove bad faith to be owed the penalty — the deadline itself is the standard.
Step 5: Meet the adjuster prepared
Be present for the inspection if you can. Walk the property with the adjuster and point out every item on your list, including the ones that are easy to overlook — gutters, screens, the AC unit, detached structures, fencing. It is reasonable to ask for a copy of the adjuster’s estimate and the scope of damage they wrote.
If you hire a public adjuster, verify the license first. TDI licenses public adjusters and you can check status through their Help Line at 800-252-3439 or the agent lookup on their site. Public adjusters cannot give legal advice or participate in repairing your property.
Step 6: Understand the two checks
Most Texas homeowners claims pay in two parts. The first check, issued after the adjuster’s inspection, is for the estimated cost of repairs minus depreciation and your deductible — the actual cash value. The second check, for the withheld depreciation, comes after you show proof the work was completed, generally within 365 days of the date of loss.
Two traps here. If your policy settles the roof at actual cash value rather than replacement cost, there is no second check — the depreciation is simply not recoverable. And if you owe money on the house, the mortgage company will be named on the check; TDI notes the mortgage company must contact you within 10 days of receiving the check and, once you have met its requirements, has 10 days to release funds.
Talk to your carrier before signing any check. Some treat an endorsed check as a final settlement of the claim.
What if the offer is too low?
Ask for the estimate in writing and compare it line by line against a contractor’s scope. Differences usually trace to a handful of items: the number of damaged slopes, whether the decking is included, code upgrade costs, and whether the damage was called cosmetic.
If you and the insurer disagree on the amount of the loss but not on coverage, your policy’s appraisal clause is the mechanism. Each side names an appraiser, the appraisers select an umpire, and the award sets the amount. TDI’s 2024 Appraisal Experience Data Call found the average residential award was $33,949 — about $22,600 above the insurer’s initial offer — and that 97 to 98 percent of awards exceeded the first offer. Texas is currently rewriting the procedural rules around appraisal under Senate Bill 458 and proposed rules at 28 TAC §§5.9800–5.9806, which we cover in this article.
If the dispute is about whether the loss is covered at all, appraisal does not resolve it. Chapter 542A then governs: a claimant must give written presuit notice at least 61 days before filing suit, stating the acts complained of, the specific amount alleged to be owed, and attorney’s fees incurred to date (§542A.003). Claims under Chapter 541 generally must be brought within two years (§541.162). You can also file a complaint with TDI at 800-252-3439.
What not to do
Do not sign a contract that assigns your claim or your policy benefits to a roofing contractor before you understand what you are giving up. Do not let anyone create damage or exaggerate a scope — that is fraud, and it is the reason everyone’s premium is higher. Do not throw away damaged materials until the claim is closed. And do not let the one-year reporting window lapse while you decide.
Before the next storm
The best time to learn how your policy settles a roof claim is before you file one. Pull your declarations page and check four things: the Coverage A limit, the wind and hail percentage, whether roof surfacing settles at replacement cost or actual cash value, and whether a cosmetic damage exclusion is attached.
If you want a second set of eyes on it, we will read your policy and tell you plainly what a hail claim would pay. Call 830-303-8300, or start with our Texas roof and hail insurance guide and our home insurance page.
Sources
- TDI — How do I file a homeowners insurance claim?
- TDI — FAQ: Homeowners insurance and disaster claims
- Texas Insurance Code Chapter 542 — Processing and Settlement of Claims
- Texas Insurance Code Chapter 542A — Certain Consumer Actions Related to Claims for Property Damage
- TDI — 2024 Appraisal Experience Data Call Report
