Hailstorms are quietly reshaping home insurance costs for millions of American homeowners, with insurers increasingly shifting financial risk through higher wind and hail deductibles, according to new data from Insurify.
Texas, Massachusetts, and New Jersey carry the highest average wind and hail deductibles in the country, all exceeding $7,700, Insurify found. Texas leads the nation with an average wind and hail deductible of $7,761, representing 2.24% of the state’s average dwelling coverage amount. The state accounted for 16.7% of all U.S. hail events between 2023 and 2025 and leads the nation in properties with moderate or greater hail exposure, with nearly 8 million properties representing $3.1 trillion in exposed reconstruction cost value, according to Cotality.
Severe convective storms, which include hail, thunderstorms, and tornadoes, rank among the largest drivers of insurance losses. Hail accounts for an estimated 50% to 80% of all losses from those storms.
To assess where homeowners face the greatest financial burden, Insurify ranked wind and hail deductibles as a percentage of average dwelling coverage by state. Louisiana ranked second at 2.01%, followed by Oklahoma at 1.97%. New Jersey’s average deductible of $7,857 was the highest nationally, despite the state’s below-average annual premiums of $1,767.
Premiums Also Rising in Hard-Hit States
Nebraska illustrates how a damaging storm season can quickly translate into higher premiums. The state recorded 676 severe hail events in 2023 and 448 in 2024, producing $128 million in combined property damage. Home insurers in Nebraska paid out $1.36 for every $1 collected in premiums, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Average home insurance costs in the state rose 25% in 2025, and Insurify projects an additional 13% increase in 2026. Kansas similarly saw about a 15% premium increase in 2025, with insurers paying more than $612 million on 56,778 storm claims in 2024 alone.
Survey Findings Point to Coverage Gaps
Insurify surveyed 1,000 insured homeowners in counties with historic or recent severe storm risk. Nearly two-thirds, or 65%, reported that severe weather had damaged their roofs. Among those, severe thunderstorms caused damage 50% of the time, and hail 43% of the time.
Of those who experienced roof damage, 31% said repairs cost between $5,001 and $15,000. Notably, 10% said they did not file a claim because their deductible was too high, and 25% said they would reduce their coverage to lower their premiums.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced changes in March that reduce roof coverage requirements for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans from replacement cost value to actual cash value, affecting roughly 30 million mortgages. Replacing a roof costs approximately $30,000 to $50,000, depending on materials, according to the Journal of Light Construction. Insurify’s survey found 72% of homeowners would face financial or housing insecurity if insurance did not fully cover a roof replacement.
Colorado, Nevada, Tennessee, Alabama, and Missouri also posted wind and hail deductibles above 1.25% of average dwelling coverage.
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