If you feel like there are more hailstorms and a need for hail damage repair in Illinois than in other areas, you aren’t wrong.
A recent article in the Chicago Tribune shared the results of a recent report on the result of climate change and an expected increase in future hailstorms and hail damage repair. As a result of the warming temperature of the Earth, researchers believe larger, more damaging hailstorms will become more common in the coming years, including the occurrence of larger hail.
Hail Damage Risks
Already, among all the states, Illinois ranked #27 in hail damage, logging 37 hailstorms between 2012 and 2021. The increasing size of hail predicted by researchers is of great concern to insurance companies because larger hail creates more damage. This year, 2-inch hail balls were reported in Livingston County, and Batavia even experienced tennis-ball size hail in June, denting metal roofing and damaging flashing.
Hail damage is obviously extremely detrimental to your home’s exterior, especially if your roofing or siding is aging or of a lower quality. Older roofing and roofing shingles do not stand up to a storm’s ferocity and often will require hail damage repair. Illinois is ranked eighth highest in annual property damage from hailstorms at $93.49 per 100 residents, largely due to the severity of the hail damage and need for hail damage repair we have in Chicagoland during the Spring and Summer months.
Insurance companies are also paying attention to researcher predictions for increased storms, hail damage, and hail damage repair claims in Illinois, even as they react to what they are experiencing. State Farm reports that they have issued $638 million in hail damage for repairs or replacements to homeowners in 2024. The company has seen “unsustainable “ losses in 13 of the 15 past years, and claims they have paid out $1.26 per $1 spent on premiums, necessitating a rate hike. In 2025, while State Farm instituted a homeowners insurance price hike of 27.2%, Allstate also raised their rates 14.3%.
Besides raising rates, insurance companies are also finding creative ways to continue offering homeowners coverage for hail damage repair or replacement while remaining financially solvent. In many cases, this involves scaling back their response to hail damage claims.
Changes in Insurance for Hail Damage Repair
There are a number of ways home insurance insurers are changing the way they respond to claims of hail damage repair.
Introduction of Wind/Hail-Specific Deductibles
Some insurance policies now apply a deductible for wind and hail damage rather than covering the entire repair or replacement for the homeowner. For example, they may set a deductible of 1-2% of the home value. If your home is valued at $200,00 at the deductible is 1%, you may be required to pay $2,000 towards the replacement or repair. That means you can expect to pay more out-of-pocket expenses for any repair or replacement you may need. The insurance companies hope this cuts down on the unnecessary “full roof replacements” and exaggerated claims by roofing company “storm chasers” that prey on vulnerable homeowners to completely replace their roofs for minor damage, thereby defrauding insurance companies.
Roof Schedules & Age-Based Depreciation
Many insurance companies are also applying “roof schedules” to determine the payout for hail damage repair. In other words, homeowners may be offered cash value payouts for their roof repair or replacement, depending on the age of the roof itself. These may range from full coverage for a newer roof to partial coverage for a roof repair or replacement for older roofs in the 10+ year and 15+ year range. In many cases, homeowners will be responsible for the balance, which could be considerable.
Cosmetic Damage Exclusions
Some insurance companies covering homeowner hail damage repair have begun excluding damage that is merely cosmetic, and not functional, in their coverage. So if your hail damage only causes an unsightly appearance but is not causing any leaks or other problems, the insurance company can deny your claim. In some cases, damage must meet severity thresholds to qualify.
Different sizes of hail cause different extents of hail damage repair. However, most roofing professionals agree that any hail can do damage depending on the age of the roof and the condition of the shingles.
Claim Denials Without Payment
A report from Weiss Ratings showed that 14 of the largest U.S. property insurers closed 40-51% of their claims with no payment last year. That is doubled from over the last decade, when 24.9% were denied in 2004. Homeowners making a claim for hail damage repair should be aware of what their homeowner policies cover and don’t cover, and be prepared when they need to make a claim.
Tighter Underwriting & Selective Coverage
In areas where natural disasters are common and often imminent, like Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, some homeowner insurers are pulling back from offering coverage at all. In this regard, we are lucky in Illinois to still be able to find homeowner insurance in the state that will cover the types of disasters we see in the Midwest, like severe thunderstorms and tornados.
How to Minimize Your Risk
The only way a homeowner can protect themselves from events of nature is to ensure that their homes have roofing and siding made of materials that can stand up against Mother Nature’s fury. It’s one of the reasons Pro-Home Services is committed to installing Fortified Roofs that are installed systematically with stronger edges, a sealed roof deck, upgraded roof deck attachments, and impact-resistant shingles. Fortified roofs prevent the need for hail damage repair claims in any state prone to severe weather.
The fortified roof’s high-quality, impact-resistant roofing materials reduces the likelihood of damage, lowers long-term costs, and can help with insurance savings. Impact‑resistant shingles and durable materials minimize claims for hail damage in Illinois. Proper installation ensures your roof performs as intended under stress. Overall, it’s a wise investment in both protection and peace of mind.
Here are some top contenders for strong hail resistance:
- Class 4 Impact‑Resistant Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt roofing shingles with a Class 4 impact rating can withstand a 2‑inch steel ball without cracking and are often backed by insurance discounts. At Pro-Home Services, we offer many shingles carrying this rating, along with only high-quality shingles that offer high impact resistance and ultimately reduce claims for hail damage repair.
- Metal Roofing
Metal roofing is relatively impervious to aggressive hail and resists splitting or cracking of any kind. Although denting may be significant, hail typically does not damage the structure, and your metal roof will remain intact.
- Synthetic/Composite Roofing
Composite products are built-to-last and offer outstanding hail resistance and durability. Roofing systems that offer an engineered alternative to wood shake or asphalt, like DaVinci, offer outstanding fire ratings in addition to exceptional Class 4 impact resistance, reducing hail damage repair claims in Illinois.
While homeowners cannot control when the next severe thunderstorm or hailstorm will occur, we can control how we respond to it by taking steps to protect our home. If your home and roof are aging and in need of repair or replacement to get ready for storm season, call Pro-Home Services. We begin with a roof inspection and offer honest options within your budget so your home can survive the strongest of storms.
To repair or replace your roof because of hail damage in Chicagoland, call us for a free inspection today at 630-790-0800