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Should you file an insurance claim?
Tool · Claim Decision

Should you file
an insurance claim?

Repair cost + deductible + premium + claim history → 5-year net dollar position. The file-vs-don't-file math, told straight.

When does filing a homeowner's insurance claim for storm damage pencil out?

When expected repair cost exceeds your deductible plus a 20-30% premium-bump cushion. Most carriers raise wind/hail premium 8-12% for 3-5 years after a paid claim. A $4,000 claim with a $2,500 deductible nets ~$1,500 today against ~$1,600-$2,400 of future premium — typically a marginal-to-negative net. The math flips clearly above ~$8,000 expected repair on a typical homeowner deductible.

From a contractor damage report on letterhead, or use the cost calculator for a regional median.

Deductible type

Wind/hail percentage deductibles are increasingly standard in storm-belt states (CO, TX, OK, FL, LA). Verify yours on your policy declarations page.

Used as the floor when wind/hail percentage applies (whichever is greater).

The full HO-3 annual; affects projected 5-year premium impact.

Premium impact is capped at 5 years (carriers bump for 3-5 years post-claim).

Recent claim history
File the claim

Claim payout ($5,500) exceeds projected premium impact ($1,100) by $4,400 over 5 years. The math supports filing — get a contractor damage report on letterhead and submit within 72 hours of the loss.

5-year net position if filed+$4,400
Repair cost$8,000
Effective deductible$2,500
Claim payout$5,500
Annual premium × 10% bump × 5 yr−$1,100

Reference, not legal or financial advice. Premium-bump rates vary by carrier and state — 8-12% is typical, but a major loss in a soft market can hit 15-25%. C.L.U.E. database flags filed claims for 5-7 years and follows you across carriers. Two claims in three years is non-renewal territory in storm-belt soft markets regardless of net math.

Common questions

Three inputs: (1) expected repair cost (from contractor estimate or our regional cost calculator), (2) your deductible (flat or wind/hail percentage), (3) your carrier's typical 3-5 year premium-bump pattern. Output: net dollar position over a 5-year horizon. We recommend filing only when expected net is positive after the cushion.
NOAA Storm Events database — every confirmed hail event in the US since 1955 is in there with date, lat/long, and stone-size estimate. We cross-reference your zip with NOAA records over the past 24 months. If a confirmed event hit within 5 miles of your address, that's the foundation of your claim.
Increasingly common in storm-belt states (CO, TX, OK, FL, LA). Instead of a flat $1,000-2,500 deductible, the wind/hail peril uses 1-5% of dwelling coverage — on a $400k home, that's $4,000-20,000 specifically for storm claims. Materially shifts the file-vs-don't-file math. Verify your specific deductible in your policy declarations before relying on this tool's output.
When the carrier's scope is 40%+ below the contractor estimate AND the carrier won't supplement after a written request, yes. Public adjusters charge 10-15% of the recovered claim and typically recover 2-4× their fee on contested claims. Free initial consultations are standard — interview two before signing.
Document the damage

Get a vetted roofer to write the damage report.

A roofer's damage report on letterhead is the single highest-leverage document in any contested claim. Free from most reputable roofers.

Find a roofer →Read the storms hub