Roof Hail Insurance Claim McKinney TX: A Step-by-Step Guide for Homeowners

On the evening of March 25, 2025, hail moved across Collin County for hours. Storm spotters reported 2-inch hail in southeast Allen, 2.25-inch hail in Parker, 1.5-inch hail near McKinney and 1-inch hail in Plano. Near Sachse, hail piled up 4 to 6 inches deep.

Thinking about a roof hail insurance claim? McKinney, TX homeowners go through the same process as everyone else in Texas: confirm the damage, document it, file promptly, meet the adjuster and keep every receipt. Here is how it works, step by step, including the deadlines the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) lays out for your insurance company.

This is a roofer's guide, not legal or insurance advice. Your policy and your agent have the final word, and TDI is the place to go with questions about your rights.

Hail around McKinney, Allen and Plano

North Texas hail does not hit every street the same way. These are spotter reports from specific locations, not measurements for every neighborhood:

• March 25, 2025: 2-inch hail in southeast Allen, 2.25-inch hail in Parker, 1.75-inch hail in Lucas, 1.5-inch hail near McKinney, 1.5-inch hail in Wylie with winds around 60 mph, and 1-inch hail in Plano.
• April 27, 2026: 1.75-inch hail measured in Richardson and 1-inch hail in Murphy.

If your roof took hail in one of these storms and you never had it checked, do it now. Deadlines for filing vary by policy, and TDI notes that some policies have deadlines of one year, so an older storm may or may not still be claimable. Your agent can tell you where you stand.

Before you file: confirm and document the damage

Step 1: Get a roof inspection first

The first step in any roof hail insurance claim in McKinney, TX is finding out what is actually on your roof, before you call your insurance company. A lot of hail damage cannot be seen from the ground, and some of what looks like damage is just wear. Duane's inspection is free, with no obligation. He gets on the roof, checks the shingles, vents, flashing and gutters, and shows you photos of what he finds. If you want to know what he is looking for, our guide to a hail damage roof inspection in Rockwall explains what hail does to shingles.

Step 2: Take photos and video

TDI's guide for after hail or windstorms tells homeowners to take photos and video of the damage. Do it as soon as it is safe, and keep the files with their original dates. Good documentation includes:

• Wide shots of each side of the house, then close-ups of anything damaged
• Dents in gutters, downspouts, roof vents, the AC unit and outdoor furniture
• Shingle pieces or piles of granules on the ground
• Any water stains on ceilings or walls inside, and in the attic
• A short note with the date and time of the storm

Stay off the roof. Leave the up-close roof photos to your roofer.

Step 3: Stop further damage and save receipts

TDI also says to cover holes to prevent more damage and to save the receipts, and it notes that "your policy may pay for temporary repairs." A tarp over a hole or a damaged section is a temporary repair. Ask your insurer before you make anything permanent, so the adjuster can still see the original damage.

Roof Hail Insurance Claim, McKinney TX: Filing and Deadlines

Step 4: File as soon as you can

TDI's advice is direct: "File an insurance claim as soon as you can if hail or strong winds damaged your home." There is no single statewide deadline for homeowners. Deadlines vary by policy, which is one more reason not to wait. When you call, have your policy number, the date of the storm, your photos and your roofer's findings ready, and write down your claim number and the name of everyone you talk to.

Step 5: Know what your insurer has to do, and when

Texas sets deadlines for your insurance company, too. According to TDI's guide to getting your claim paid:

1. Your insurer has 15 business days to acknowledge your claim.
2. After it receives everything it needs from you, it has 15 business days to accept or deny the claim in writing.
3. It can extend that decision by 45 days, and TDI can add 15 more days after a weather catastrophe.
4. Once it agrees to pay, payment is due within 5 business days.

Keep a simple log of dates. If a deadline passes and you have not heard anything, call your adjuster and ask, in writing if you can.

Meeting the adjuster: have your roofer there

The adjuster's inspection is a big part of how your claim gets decided. Your insurance company usually sends an adjuster to look at the roof, measure it and write up what they find. You can ask to have your own roofer there when they do.

When Duane meets the adjuster, he walks the roof with them, points out the damage he documented, and makes sure nothing gets missed, like a dented vent on the back slope or damaged flashing around a chimney. He is not there to argue. He is there so the adjuster sees the whole roof, not just the front.

After the inspection, ask for a copy of the adjuster's estimate. Go through it with your roofer line by line. If something is missing, like gutters, vents or a damaged slope, tell your adjuster and send your photos.

If your claim is approved for a full replacement, our roof replacement page explains what that looks like. For smaller damage, it may be a roof repair instead.

Your deductible and the storm chasers

Plan on paying your deductible. Under a 2019 Texas law (HB 2102), it is illegal for a contractor or roofer to waive, rebate or promise to cover your deductible. Penalties go up to a $2,000 fine and 6 months in jail. If a roofer offers to "take care of" your deductible, that is a red flag, and you can report it to the Texas Attorney General at 800-621-0508.

After a big hailstorm, out-of-town crews show up fast. TDI's advice for hiring:

• Get at least three bids.
• Hire local and check references.
• Do not sign anything with blank spaces.
• Watch out for "estimates" that are really contracts.
• Be wary of large or full down payments. After a disaster, it is against the law for out-of-town contractors to ask for a down payment before they start.

Our post on finding a reliable roofing contractor in DFW goes deeper on vetting a roofer, and the storm damage page covers how Total Pro handles storm work.

Get help with your roof hail insurance claim from Duane

If you are weighing a roof hail insurance claim in McKinney, TX, you are in Duane's service area, along with Allen, Plano and the rest of Collin County. Call Duane Huddleston at (214) 545-8133 or request a free inspection. He will inspect your roof, show you photos of what he finds, and tell you straight whether it looks like a claim. If you file, he can help you document the damage and meet your adjuster. The inspection is free, with no obligation.

Total Pro Roofing is locally based in the Rockwall and Royse City area and works on homes and businesses across the DFW Metroplex. See our service areas.