On May 24, 2025, residents of Lehigh Acres near Fort Myers, Florida, were surprised by a sudden storm that blanketed the area with hailstones as large as golf balls. Local meteorologists described the storm as one of the most intense weather events of the season so far, and residents flooded social media with images of dented cars, shattered windows, and damaged roofs.
If your home or property has been damaged by hail, here’s what you need to know about hail damage and how an attorney can help you protect your rights if your insurance company refuses to pay.
Is Hail Normal in Florida?
For many living in Florida, this sudden hailstorm came as a shock. Florida may be known for its hurricanes and its summer thunderstorms, but while hailstorms do occur, they’re not common, especially not with larger hailstones. Most hail in Florida is dime-sized at its largest, making the golf ball-sized hail from this past weekend’s storm highly unusual.
How Does Hail Occur?
In spring, the warm, moist air from the Gulf collides with cold fronts in the upper atmosphere. This creates volatile conditions in which strong updrafts can form–it’s here where hailstones are produced.
The Real Cost of Hail: How It Can Damage Your Home
Hailstorms may last only a few moments, but that’s plenty of time for them to cause a lot of expensive damage to homes and property. The danger of hail damage is that it often creates pathways for water to intrude into a home or a vehicle, which can lead to even more damage that can be very costly to clean up and repair.
Some of the most common forms of hail damage occur to the biggest investments that we can own: our homes and vehicles.
- Roof (shingles, tiles, and even metal roofs)
- Windows
- Screens
- Gutters
- Siding
- Vehicles
- HVAC units
Often, the damage is obvious: a cracked window or a dented car. But that’s not always the case. Especially if there are cracks that let water in, the true extent of the damage could be hidden. That’s why it’s so important to immediately inspect your home following a hailstorm.
Does My Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Hail Damage?
Most homeowners’ insurance policies do cover hail damage, including:
- Roof, siding, and other exterior damage caused directly by the hail
- Broken windows, HVAC units, and other exterior systems
- Interior damage from hail or water if it entered the home due to damage like cracks caused by the hail
However, there are some possible limitations to this coverage that could affect homeowners when it comes time for the insurance company to cover the repairs. The deductible could be high for windstorms and hurricanes, for example, which, depending on the wording of the policy, could also include hail damage. Depending on the policy, it’s possible for hail damage to be excluded entirely.
How Can a Property Damage Attorney Help Me?
If your insurance company has denied your claim, tried to lowball the offer by claiming that it was pre-existing damage, or otherwise tried to get out of paying what they owe, a property damage attorney can help. We can review your policy, document the damage, and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. If necessary, we can file a lawsuit as well. Contact us today for a free consultation. We’re here for you.
