Compare and find the lowest property insurance rates, save an average of 31%.*
Get 50+ quotes in 3 minutes.
Compare rates from Canada's leading home insurance providers
have compared rates and saved money over the last 24 hours
First, we need to know about you and your home. It only takes 3 minutes, and it’s 100% confidential.
Next, we’ll show you quotes from 50+ Canadian providers. It’s free, with no commitment.
When you find the best quote, secure your rate by talking to a licensed broker or agent.
It was a dark and stormy night. And you were wondering if your home insurance covers hail damage on your roof. Kidding aside, this is the sort of scenario that you want to avoid. When a storm hits, it’s best to know, rather than have to ask yourself in the middle of the night: does my home insurance cover hail damage?
That’s especially true considering that we know hail and wind damage causes millions of dollars' worth of damage every year in Canada.
Like all things related to your property, try contemplating the worst-case scenarios and then working backwards toward what you think you could – or could not – afford to cover yourself, should disaster strike.
Off the top of your head, do you know whether your homeowners insurance covers hail damage, for example?
The good news is that it probably does, but, you don’t want to be caught off guard if it doesn’t.
Your home insurance policy will be customized to suit your needs and the property you are insuring.
Home insurance premiums are determined by dwelling type (is it a single-detached home, a house with a basement tenant suite, or a condo?). Insurance companies also try to predict the kind and size of claim you might make in the future.
Here are some of the criteria insurance companies look at when calculating your premium.
Use our free, online tool for a quick and easy comparison of quotes for high risk home insurance.
Most comprehensive home insurance policies cover hail and wind damage. This includes protection against damage from flying debris as well as falling branches and trees.
In general, damage to the interior of your home will also be covered if the hail or windstorm created the opening. Coverage usually extends to damage caused by water or snow that entered the home ibecause of hail or wind.
If the storm has severely damaged your home, preventing you from returning, a comprehensive home insurance policy will also provide additional living expenses to cover relocation costs.
Many home insurance policies also cover damage to contents. To ease your difficulties following a disaster, it helps to have access to an inventory of your belongings. A spreadsheet will do, or, several apps are available to help you keep track of your belongings before disaster strikes.
Some parts of Canada are more prone to hail, windstorms and tornadoes. For example, if you live in Southern Ontario, Southern Quebec, Atlantic Canada or the Prairies, it makes sense that you prepare for the possibility of such a storm hitting your community.
Home insurance covers hail and wind damage in almost all situations. For example, if hail hits, your home insurance will likely protect you. When it comes to home insurance for hail in Canada, an analysis by the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction reflects that Alberta is the province most susceptible to hailstorms. There, hailstorms damage houses as often as they damage vehicles.
Similarly, if a massive windstorm sweeps through your community and leaves a trail of destruction in its wake – think toppled tree branches, roofs peeled off like a tin can — that’s the kind of damage that would also be covered by most comprehensive home insurance.
Regardless of where you live, don’t be lulled into a state of complacency. We recommend that you read the fine print of your policy so you don’t encounter any surprises when it comes time to make a claim. Take the time to confirm how extensive your home insurance coverage for hail and wind damage is.
Since the cost of insuring against a range of perils is folded into most comprehensive homeowners policies, it may be tricky to determine precisely how much hail and wind insurance costs. Many providers consider coverage for these perils to be part of the overall package.
Many factors go into determining its cost. For example:
For homeowners based in an area where windstorms are common, it’s possible that an insurance provider will exclude coverage from your home insurance for incidents like wind damage to your roof or fence.
Some home insurance providers may have a separate wind or hail deductible, which is as it sounds: a deductible that applies directly to wind or hail damage. It may be higher and appear as a percentage of the value of your property.
That will depend on what coverage you need and what kind of premiums you are looking to pay. We will connect you with several providers so that you can assess the options.
Most homeowners insurance is likely to cover roof damage from wind but it does make sense to clarify coverage details with your provider.
This is especially easy to do when you’re shopping for a new policy. Use our free, online tool to get quotes from dozens of the best insurance providers in the country. Next, you’ll be able to connect with a broker who can review the policy details and answer any questions you have about hail and wind protection, or any other detail of your coverage.
Shopping around for the best rate is the single most effective way to reduce your insurance costs.
You may also be able to find savings by bundling your home insurance with your car insurance.
Other things you can do to protect your property as much as possible from wind or hail damage and reduce a home insurance claim, have to do with prevention.
They include:
The cost of your home insurance for hail damage or homeowners insurance for wind damage will also depend on the deductible that you agree to. Deductibles are one of the main ways that you can reduce your monthly premiums on home insurance for a windstorm, but it means that you will have to pay more if the gusts turn wicked and leave a trail of destruction behind them.
Finally, it’s ideal if you can keep your home in a good state of repair. Even though home insurance covers roof wind damage, who wants to go through the pain of having to replace a damaged roof. If there is something else you could have done to prevent that, you’ll be kicking yourself for that missed opportunity later.
The main factors that will contribute to home insurance premiums are the location of your home and its condition.
In some provinces, a good credit score can lead to a reduction in your premiums. Though, the reverse is not true: your premium cannot be increased due to a bad credit score.
Use our online quote tool to get quotes from dozens of the best insurance providers in Canada. In addition to helping you secure a rate, a broker is immediately available over the phone to answer any questions.
Our quoter is fast, easy to use and is free.
RentingIn the rapidly evolving and competitive real estate landscape of Ontario, renting within budget can be a herculean task....
Home InsuranceThis article has been updated from a previous version. During the early hours of a Sunday in 1666, a massive fir...
*Shoppers who obtained a property quote on LowestRates.ca from January to December 2021 saved an average of 31%. The average savings percentage represents the difference between the shoppers’ average lowest quoted premium and the average of the second and third lowest quoted premiums generated by LowestRates.ca. Excludes tenant and condo insurance.