Hail Ratings and Your Roof

Hail Proof Roof?

No roofing material is fully hail proof.  If anyone was involved in the hailstorms that went through Minnesota this summer, you know what we’re talking about.  There are hail-RESISTANT roofs.  These products have Class 1 through Class 4 hail-resistance ratings, 4 being the highest.  The ratings are given by taking a steel ball and dropping it from a pre-determined height and measuring the damage the roof has sustained.  The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) perform the tests.

Many roofs carry this rating.  For steep slope, these roofs include some metal roofs, some tile and some composition shingles.  For flat roofs, these are some gravel-surfaced built-up, and some spray foam (with the right coating system), and just a few others.

Installing a Class IV hail resistant roof may qualify you for lower insurance premiums, depending on where you live.  Call your agent for verification.  Keep this in mind, too, not many agents and adjusters will know the specifics about hail resistant roofs. Consult a reliable Minnesota roofing contractor.

Impact Resistant Roofs Reduces Hailstorm Damage

The potential benefits of installing impact-resistant roofing products include:

  • Reducing roof damage caused by a hail event
  • Decreasing the risk of water damage to your home and its contents, property, etc.
  • Avoiding disruptions caused by roof system replacements
  • Increasing the useful life of your roof, especially if you are in a high-risk area; the longer the useful life of your roof system, the less it costs you per year to own
  • Increasing your home’s value
  • Realizing several additional financial benefits, including potential insurance premium discounts; potential Department of Insurance cash rebates; and, if your roof is damaged by hail, low-interest government-backed loans (to qualified homeowners)

Also, for specific warranty information, ask your roofing contractor to provide a sample warranty of the materials he installs.

Impact Resistant Roof Discount

Rewarding your investment

Your roof is typically the least looked after structure in your house.  It is also exposed to maximum stress and strain from weather and other external environmental conditions—hail, snow and wind gusts, for example.  That is why protection with impact resistant roofing materials is so important.  Your investment in these materials should be rewarded, which is why insurance companies offer Impact Resistant Roof Discount for qualifying roofs.

Who Qualifies for the Discount?

The discount is for homeowner’s insurance policyholders who protect their homes with impact resistant roofing materials.  If you plan to replace your roof, using these materials may help you qualify for the discount.  If your roof is currently made of these materials, you may also qualify to receive this discount at your next renewal.

Why Use Impact Resistant Roofing Materials

Roofs made of impact resistant materials may help prevent damage to your home. Damage can come from nearly anything, but some common causes include:

• Extreme environmental conditions (e.g., impact from hail or flying debris)

• Ongoing exposure to water and direct sunlight

• Natural disasters and related damage

Protection from these means fewer repairs, which means fewer claims and may lower your premium. Homeowners who protect their homes with impact resistant roofing materials can enjoy significant savings.

Does My Roof Qualify?

Your roof must be made of approved impact resistant roofing materials and meet other requirements to be eligible for this discount.  Several Underwriters Laboratories’ (UL) 2218 and Factory Mutual Standard’s (FM) 4473 Class 3 and Class 4 roofing materials are eligible.

Standing Seam metal roofing provides many advantages to the residential consumer. Water tightness and color selection are two significant advantages. Metal roofs also possess excellent impact resistance properties. When applying the discount to metal roofs, you must add an endorsement that excludes coverage for appearance loss caused by hail.

Cost-Saving Technology for Insurers and Policyholders

To find out if you qualify, Check the list of Approved Impact Resistant Roofing Products

To certify your eligibility, print and complete the appropriate certification form:
Roofing Installation Information and Certification Form (PDF 66 KB)

Hail: Emerging Research and Impact-Resistant Roofing Resources annualconferencehail-101206080643-phpapp02.pdf
3466K  Download

Of course, the choice of roofing materials used on your home is up to you. It’s always a good idea to discuss roof safety and impact resistance with a reliable Minnesota roofing contractor.