The cost of wind and hail insurance is made up of two parts: the monthly premium you pay to keep your coverage, and the deductible amount that you pay after filing a claim on the policy. The total cost will vary with your state of residence and the type of home being insured.
How often do Americans use their wind and hail insurance?
American homeowners make claims on their wind and hail insurance policies at almost double the rate of the next most frequent claim. The steadily increasing rate at which this specific group of claims continues to grow means that insurance companies frequently pass part of the cost of those claims off to the consumer through the use of percentage deductibles and increased premiums.
Wind and hail insurance claims are the most frequent type of property damage claim filed in the U.S., representing approximately 40% of the home insurance claims made each year.
Is wind insurance different from homeowners insurance?
Home insurance is a broad coverage for a home against a range of perils named in the contract while wind insurance provides coverage for one specific peril.
Wind insurance covers damage caused by high winds, hail, and flying or falling objects.
Homeowners insurance covers damage from the other named perils written into the policy, and may include or exclude wind and hail coverage. Excluded wind/hail coverage is the usual practice in coastal areas with high risk of named storms and other severe weather events.
Premium Cost Example
Example: Home insurance premiums in the U.S. average $208/month or $2,490/year, according to NerdWallet data from 2026. A substantial portion of the homeowners policy’s premium goes to cover the included wind and hail insurance. In cases where wind/hail coverage has been excluded from the larger policy, separate wind insurance premiums can range from $1,000 to $3,000/year, or up to $4,000/year for coastal states.
Does wind/hail insurance have a deductible?
When it’s included in a home insurance policy, wind and hail coverage will always have a deductible. That could be the flat-rate deductible for the entire policy, or it could be priced at a separate wind and hail rate. Wind and hail deductibles are often calculated as a percentage of the total insured value. Deductibles equivalent to 1-2% of the home value are the most common, but rates up to 5% are used in some areas.
Deductible Cost Example
Example: If your home is valued at $400,000 and the wind and hail deductible is calculated at 2% of the home’s value, you would be responsible for contributing $8,000 toward the repairs provided by the policy before the insurance company paid out the remainder of the costs.
How can I pay less for wind/hail insurance?
There are ways to get a lower cost premium for your wind and hail policy if the price you have been offered does not fit your budget.
Homeowners can become eligible for lower rates by incorporating improved or reinforced materials and approved construction techniques when they make home improvements. When specific standards are met, insurers are sometimes willing to offer a lower premium to the homeowner.
Another option is to accept a higher wind and hail deductible in exchange for a lower premium. One way to approach this is to buy a standalone wind and hail deductible buyback policy or a parametric hybrid wind and hail policy that can help you cover the cost of the new, higher deductible after a claim.
This added coverage can eliminate any out-of-pocket costs that would generally follow a homeowners wind and hail claim. Part of the savings from the new, lower premium could be used to cover the additional policy, while still resulting in a lower insurance bill overall.
Contact your insurance agent to see if this is an option for you.
Does the cost of wind/hail insurance vary by state?
Differences in risk from state to state do affect insurance rates. In the Midwestern, Plains, and Southeastern states, including the areas known as Tornado Alley and Hail Alley, wind and hail threats are especially high. This means wind/hail deductibles across the southern and central U.S. are consistently higher than those in other states.
These areas are also the most likely ones to use percentage deductibles to pass on risk to the consumer, allowing insurers to continue offering coverage in higher-risk states.
The risk of a tornado or damaging hail is a possibility in almost every state, but the great majority of these storm types and claims on wind/hail policies are seen in the regions mentioned above.
Sources:
Schlichter, Sarah. “The Average Home Insurance Cost in the U.S. for 2026” Nerdwallet, May 06, 2026, https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners/learn/average-homeowners-insurance-cost
Gray is the Senior Content Specialist at Sola Insurance, working with the Sales and Marketing teams to provide helpful, valuable content for homeowners and agents. Gray has worked previously in finance, logistics, and advertising.
