Hail damage: what insurance covers and why compensation is often insufficient

Hailstorms can cause severe damage in just a few minutes. Vehicles, roofs, solar panels and businesses can suffer significant losses that are not always reflected in the initial insurance assessment.

Hail is not considered an extraordinary risk, which means it is not covered by the Insurance Compensation Consortium. Instead, it is usually covered by private insurers, depending on the policy.

The main issue is not coverage, but damage valuation.

Who pays for hail damage?

Hail damage is generally covered by private insurance policies for homes, vehicles and businesses.

The Insurance Compensation Consortium only intervenes in extraordinary risks such as floods or earthquakes: Insurance Compensation Consortium

Solar panels and hail: hidden damage

Solar panels may appear intact after hail, but often suffer:

• Microcracks
• Performance loss
• Reduced lifespan
• Long-term failure risk

Many insurance assessments overlook these factors.

Roofs, buildings and businesses

Hail can compromise roofs, industrial buildings and business operations. Partial repairs do not always restore the property to its pre-loss condition, leading to undercompensation.

Conclusion

Hail damage is usually covered, but compensation is often insufficient if the damage is not properly assessed.

Insurance claims specialists