Hail is the main reason Austin roofs get replaced before they wear out. This page covers when hail hits the three counties, what damage looks like, how to tell whether it reached your house, and what a legitimate roofer does next: document, meet the adjuster at your request, and give you a written scope. Not negotiate your claim, and not touch your deductible.
Austin Roofs is a referral service, not a roofing contractor. Your inspection and estimate come from our partner roofer, an independent contractor. Our partner roofer is checked against the standard on this page before we send a single request. How this works.
Austin’s hail seasons, by the numbers
National Weather Service local storm reports for Travis, Williamson and Hays counties from 2014 through 2026 total 790 hail reports on 145 storm days. By month:
| Month | Reports | Month | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5 | July | 1 |
| February | 16 | August | 4 |
| March | 120 | September | 125 |
| April | 232 | October | 6 |
| May | 211 | November | 9 |
| June | 47 | December | 14 |
April and May account for 56 percent of all reports. March through May is 71 percent. September is the second season, with more reports than June. The NWS Austin/San Antonio office describes the area’s severe weather season as primarily March through May, driven by large hail and strong wind.
The costliest hailstorm in Austin’s history was March 25, 2009, with hail up to 3 inches and more than $160 million in damage. [VERIFY] More recently: the March 25, 2021 swath through central and northeast Austin, the September 24, 2023 Round Rock and north Austin storm, and the May 9, 2024 large-hail event.
Did it hit your street? The free Austin Hail Map plots every NWS spotter report since 2014 and overlays NOAA radar hail estimates. Radar estimates are a guide, not proof; roofers who canvass neighborhoods are working from the same radar. Spotter reports are the verifiable record. Use both, then get the roof looked at.
What hail damage looks like
On asphalt shingles:
- Bruises. Soft, dark spots the size of a fingertip to a half dollar, where the granules were knocked loose and the mat underneath was crushed. They feel like a bruise on an apple.
- Granule loss in a splatter pattern. Fresh asphalt shows through, usually black and shiny, randomly placed, with no pattern tied to the shingle’s age.
- Cracked or fractured mat. Larger hail splits the fiberglass mat. These leak within a season or two. [VERIFY]
- Collateral hits. Dents in gutters, downspouts, vent caps, AC fins, window screens, and the paint on a wood fence. Adjusters look at these first because they are easy to read.
On metal roofs: dents, mostly cosmetic, and chipped coatings. Many policies exclude cosmetic metal damage. [VERIFY]
What is not hail: blistering (small raised pops with granules still attached, caused by heat and trapped moisture), nail pops, and uniform granule wear along the bottom edge of shingles. A good inspector will tell you the difference, and a good adjuster will too. Our partner standard requires the roofer to report what is there, not call wear hail.
What it costs
If you pay out of pocket, a localized hail repair prices like any other repair: a written quote after an inspection. A full replacement from hail damage prices like any other replacement, and the typical Austin range is $8,000 to $30,000 and up (Google AI Overview range). On an approved insurance claim, your cost is the deductible plus any upgrades you choose, such as Class 4 shingles. In Texas, no roofer can legally reduce that deductible for you.
How it works
- Check the map, then send the request. The Austin Hail Map tells you if a storm reached your area. Then request an inspection. We pass it to our partner roofer.
- Inspection and documentation. The partner walks every slope, marks 10-by-10-foot test squares, counts hits, photographs everything, and checks collateral damage on gutters and vents. You get the full report with photos. It is yours. See roof inspection.
- You decide whether to file. Not every hit is worth a claim. If the damage is a few hits on one slope, a repair may cost less than your deductible. If the damage is widespread, you file with your insurer directly. Nobody files for you.
- Adjuster meeting, if you want the roofer there. The partner shows the adjuster what was documented. They do not argue your claim, estimate your loss for the insurer, or advise on policy coverage. Texas Insurance Code §4102.163 bars contractors from acting as adjusters on roofs they work on.
- Written scope and estimate from the partner, in line-item form so it can be compared to the insurer’s.
- You choose who does the work. No obligation to the partner. If you hire them, Class 4 shingles are an option, and the contractor completes TDI form PC068 after install so you can ask your insurer about a discount.
The partner roofer pays us a referral fee on completed jobs. You never pay us, and the fee doesn’t change your price.
The rules that protect you after a storm
Storm-chasing crews arrive within days of big hail. Three Texas rules matter when one knocks:
- No deductible deals. Business & Commerce Code §27.02: a contractor cannot pay, waive, absorb, rebate or credit your deductible. Class B misdemeanor. Any contract of $1,000 or more expected to be paid from an insurance claim must carry a deductible notice in 12-point bold type. TDI explains the law at tdi.texas.gov under “Roofing and insurance: know the law.”
- Three days to cancel a door-knock contract. Business & Commerce Code §601.051: a sale of $25 or more solicited and signed away from the seller’s place of business (your porch counts) can be canceled until midnight of the third business day after signing. The FTC Cooling-Off Rule provides a similar right.
- Your roofer is not your adjuster. Insurance Code §4102.163. If a roofer says they will “handle the claim,” that is the law they are promising to break.
More on the insurance claims page, including the insurer’s deadlines to respond and pay.
Wind damage is a separate question
Austin’s storms bring wind too, including the May 28, 2025 microburst. Wind damage looks different: creased, lifted or missing shingles on the windward slopes and at edges and ridges. It is a covered cause on most policies, same as hail. A good inspection documents both.
FAQ
How much does it cost to replace a roof from hail damage?
The same as any full replacement: typically $8,000 to $30,000 and up in Austin, depending on size, pitch and material. If insurance approves the claim, your out-of-pocket cost is your deductible plus any upgrades you choose. Texas law (Business & Commerce Code §27.02) prohibits any contractor from paying or waiving that deductible.
Will insurance cover roof damage from hail?
Hail is a covered cause on nearly all Texas homeowners policies. What varies is how much you get. A replacement-cost policy pays to replace the roof minus your deductible. A policy that has moved the roof to actual cash value pays the depreciated value, which on an old roof can be less than the deductible. TDI’s example: a $10,000 roof with a $4,000 deductible pays $4,500 at 5 years and $0 at 20 years under ACV.
Will insurance cover a 20 year old roof in Texas?
Hail damage on a 20-year-old roof is still a covered event, but TDI notes that many insurers move older roofs to actual cash value at renewal, and some will not cover a roof in poor condition at all. Check your declarations page for “ACV” or a roof schedule before you file. Since January 1, 2026, Texas insurers must give you a written reason if they decline, cancel or nonrenew (HB 2067).
Is it worth going through insurance for hail damage?
If the damage is widespread and your roof is on a replacement-cost policy, usually yes. If it is a handful of hits on one slope, the repair may cost less than your deductible and a claim buys you nothing but a claim on your record. A dated inspection report with hit counts lets you make that call before you file.
How long is too long ago to claim hail damage in Texas?
Check your policy. TDI says some Texas policies set a one-year deadline from the date of damage; others allow longer. Beyond that, the practical problem is proving which storm caused the damage. The Austin Hail Map with dated NWS reports helps establish the date; an inspection establishes the damage.
Had hail? Get it documented
Call or text (512) 000-0000, email hello@austinroofs.com, or request an inspection. Austin Roofs is a referral service, not a roofing contractor. Your inspection and estimate come from our partner roofer, an independent contractor. Start with the Austin Hail Map to see which storms reached your address.