Hail claim calculators

Worked example

Say your dwelling coverage is $500,000 and your wind and hail deductible is 2%.

• Your deductible is 2% of $500,000, which is $10,000.
• If the roof damage comes to $8,000, it's under the deductible. The insurer pays nothing.
• If it comes to $25,000, the insurer pays up to $15,000, subject to the rest of your policy.

A flat $2,500 deductible on the same $25,000 claim would leave $22,500. That's why the deductible type matters as much as the premium. And because the percentage rides on your coverage, the deductible grows when your coverage grows at renewal.

A roofer can't pay, waive or rebate any part of your deductible. That's illegal in Colorado under C.R.S. 6-22-105. If a roofer offers, treat it as a red flag. See hiring a roofer.

We didn't find a 2024 to 2026 Colorado law that requires insurers to show a percentage deductible in dollars. Do the math yourself, now, from your declarations page. More on deductibles in insurance in plain English.

How real adjusters do it

This tool uses one simple method: roof age divided by expected life, applied to the whole estimate. Real adjusters depreciate line items separately. Shingles may be depreciated, while labor, permits or debris removal may be handled differently, depending on the insurer and the policy. The adjuster's estimate governs. If you have one, use its depreciation figure here instead.

The expected-life numbers come from the same guideline ranges our roof report uses. They're national rules of thumb, not a Colorado standard, and hail often ends a roof's life early. Change the number to match your adjuster's estimate if it lists one.

The Division of Insurance's Bulletin B-5.1 says that on replacement-cost policies, insurers may not deduct contractor overhead and profit on top of depreciation when they figure ACV for an unrepaired structure. Bulletins are the Division's interpretation, not binding rules, but it's worth checking on your estimate.

Recovering the held-back money

Colorado law defines recoverable depreciation as the difference between replacement cost and actual cash value (C.R.S. 10-4-110.8). On an ordinary hail roof claim, your policy sets the deadline to replace the roof and claim it. The fixed statutory timelines in that law apply to wildfire total losses, not a typical partial roof claim. Put your policy's deadline in the claim timeline.

Your mortgage company and the check

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says many mortgage agreements require insurance checks to be made out to both you and your mortgage company. The lender may release the money in portions as repairs progress. Call your lender's loss department early to learn its process, before you schedule the work. More in how a hail claim works.

ACV roofs and payment schedules

If your roof is covered at actual cash value, or by a schedule that pays less as the roof ages, there's no held-back money to recover later. The gap between the estimate and the check is yours to pay. We found no Colorado statute or Division rule on roof-age payment schedules, so the schedule in your policy is what counts. Check your declarations page and endorsements.

The Colorado rules behind the tracker

Reporting. No Colorado statute sets a number of days to report hail damage. Your policy's notice clause controls, and the Division of Insurance says to report as soon as possible.

The 60-day rule. Division of Insurance Regulation 5-1-14 says property insurers must decide and pay a claim within 60 days of receiving a valid and complete claim, unless there's a reasonable dispute. That clock doesn't start when you report. A claim counts as complete only once the insurer has what it needs, has finished a reasonable investigation and coverage is established, among other conditions. If the investigation runs past that point, the insurer must tell you why the claim is unpaid and then write every 30 days explaining why it needs more time. The tracker shows day 60 from your last document as a reference point only.

Prompt handling. C.R.S. 10-3-1104(1)(h) lists unfair claim practices, such as not acknowledging and acting reasonably promptly on claim communications, not affirming or denying coverage within a reasonable time, and not promptly explaining a denial with reference to the policy. It uses "reasonable," not a day count.

Unreasonable delay. C.R.S. 10-3-1115 says an insurer may not delay or deny payment of a covered benefit without a reasonable basis. Under 10-3-1116, a homeowner whose claim was unreasonably delayed or denied can sue for attorney fees, court costs and two times the covered benefit. Whether a delay is unreasonable is a legal question for an attorney, not a date on a calendar.

The 72-hour contract right. Under C.R.S. 6-22-104, you can cancel a roofing contract within 72 hours after you receive written notice that the insurer denied the claim in whole or part. The roofer must return your payments within 10 days, minus the cost of work actually done. A phone call doesn't start this clock; written notice does.

Your policy. Colorado law says a homeowner's insurer must give you a copy of your policy, with the declarations page and endorsements, within three business days of a request, and a certified copy within 30 days (C.R.S. 10-4-110.8(10)). Since August 2025, HB25-1322 adds a $50-a-day penalty when a certified copy requested in writing through the insurer's registered agent is late.

Rules can change. These are as of October 2026; check the current text through the links in the sources below. The usual order of a claim is on how a hail claim works.

About appraisal

Many policies have an appraisal clause for disputes over the amount of a loss. Each side names an appraiser, and an umpire settles what the two can't agree on. Many clauses don't cover whether something is covered at all. Your policy's appraisal clause controls the steps, the deadlines and who pays. Read it before you send this letter.

The Division of Insurance's Bulletin B-5.26 says appraisers must be fair and competent, with no financial interest in the claim, and must disclose contingency fees. Umpires must be impartial and avoid one-sided communications. A 2026 bill, HB26-1247, would have written appraisal rules into state law; it died in committee in March 2026, so as of October 2026 the clause in your policy is still what governs.

About complaints

The Division of Insurance's Consumer Services team answers claim questions and investigates complaints. You can call first at 303-894-7490 (800-930-3745 outside the Denver metro area) or email DORA_Insurance@state.co.us. Formal complaints go through the Division's File a Complaint page.

The Division warns that AI-written complaints often get Colorado law and policy details wrong, and it asks you to describe the problem in your own words. So the complaint template here is only an outline of facts to have ready. Write the description yourself.

Public adjusters are another option on a large or disputed claim. They must be licensed by the Division, usually charge a percentage of the claim, and are optional. A roofer can't act as one. See insurance in plain English.