Free 2026 decision tool
Should I file my storm damage claim?
Most "storm damage calculators" estimate repair cost. This one answers the question you're actually googling: given my deductible and policy type, is filing the claim even worth it? Real ACV vs RCV math, real 5-year premium-impact factor, no email gate to see results.
Your situation
From your declarations page — typically equals home rebuild cost.
Usually 1-5% of dwelling. Hurricane policies (FL/LA/MS/TX coast) often 2-10%.
Verdict
FILE
Estimated net recovery (~$6,500) is meaningfully greater than the 5-year premium-impact estimate (~$1,953). The claim is likely worth filing.
The numbers
- Estimated repair cost (range)
- $9,500 – $17,500
- Your 2% wind/hail deductible
- $7,000
- Expected insurance payout (after deductible)
- $2,500 – $10,500
- Est. 5-yr premium increase from filing (~11%/yr)
- -$1,953
Insights & warnings
- ✓ Your RCV policy will pay the full replacement cost minus deductible (no depreciation hit) — once the work is complete and you submit final paperwork, you'll recover the full ~$6,500 for this damage.
- ✓ Your roof is recent enough (8 years) that your insurer is unlikely to challenge the claim on age grounds.
- ✓ Your 2% wind/hail deductible is reasonable for this dwelling coverage — keeps the file/don't-file math favorable on moderate damage.
Get a free contractor inspection to confirm
Our calculator gives you the math. A licensed roofer in your state confirms it with a free 30-min inspection — and tells you whether the damage will hold up to an adjuster's scrutiny. No spam, no sales calls.
Read next
Embed this calculator on your site
Free under CC-BY 4.0. Bloggers, contractors, agents — drop this iframe into any post. Math stays in sync (we ship a fresh build every 2 weeks) and you get a working tool without the build cost. Each embed includes a "Powered by HavenCostGuide" attribution link.
Copy-paste iframe
Preview the embed at /embed/storm-damage-calculator. Read the full embed license.
Where this calculator helps
- •You just got hit by hail/wind/tornado/hurricane and don't know whether filing actually nets out positive after deductible + 5-year premium hike.
- •Your roof is 10+ years old and the policy is ACV — model the depreciation hit before assuming insurance will pay for a full replacement.
- •A storm-chaser roofer is pressuring you to file same-day — run the math first so you know whether you're being upsold into a no-win claim.
- •You're shopping a new policy and want to understand how a recent claim affects your renewal pricing across carriers.
- •You're a renter or owner of a 2nd home with a high deductible — the calculator quantifies when the deductible alone makes filing irrational.
FAQ
What math is this calculator running?
It computes Net Recovery = Damage Cost − Deductible − ACV Depreciation (if applicable) − 5-Year Premium Impact. If Net Recovery is positive AND meaningfully larger than the deductible alone, we recommend FILE. If it's marginal or negative, we recommend DO NOT FILE.
What's the ACV vs RCV difference and why does it matter so much?
RCV (Replacement Cost Value) policies pay the cost of a brand-new roof. ACV (Actual Cash Value) policies pay the depreciated value — so on a 15-year-old roof with a 25-year rated lifespan, you only get 40% of the replacement cost. Most homeowners don't know which they have until they file. The calculator surfaces this gap before you commit.
Why does filing a claim raise my premium for 5 years?
Per CLUE database conventions, a claim stays on your record for 5–7 years and most carriers apply a 7–15% surcharge during that window. The calculator estimates this dollar amount based on your state's average premium and bakes it into Net Recovery so you see the true cost of filing.
When should I always file regardless of math?
Three scenarios: (1) damage exceeds 30% of your home's value (catastrophic loss); (2) there's any structural damage to load-bearing elements; (3) you can document an active water intrusion that will worsen. In those cases the claim is about protecting the asset, not extracting net value.
Can I trust a free contractor inspection after a storm?
Be careful. Storm-chaser contractors often inflate damage to drive a claim filing, then collect the insurance proceeds. Always cross-reference with your insurer's preferred inspector + verify the contractor's state license + 5+ recent reviews before signing anything. The calculator's verdict gives you the math to push back against high-pressure sales.
What if my state has a separate wind/hail deductible?
30+ states allow carriers to apply a separate percentage-based wind/hail deductible (often 1–5% of home value, not a fixed dollar amount). The calculator asks for your effective deductible — make sure you're using the correct one for storm damage, which is almost always higher than your standard deductible.
How this calculator works
Repair cost range uses national-average mid-market damage cost estimates by type + severity, multiplied by your state's labor + materials cost index (same arithmetic as our 550 state roofing calculators). Expected payout applies your wind/hail deductible (% of dwelling coverage) and, for ACV policies, an age-based depreciation factor (0% for <5yr roofs, 25% for 6-10, 50% for 11-15, 70% for 16-20, 85% for 21+). 5-year premium impact estimates a conservative ~11%/year increase applied to a rough annual-premium baseline (industry-typical 8-15% range per filed claim, regardless of approval).
This calculator is informational only — actual payouts depend on your specific insurer, policy endorsements, jurisdiction code requirements, and adjuster assessment. Get a written contractor estimate + a careful read of your declarations page before making the file/don't-file decision. We don't sell your data; lead submissions go only to local licensed roofers in your state.