How Roof and Storm Insurance Claims Work in Arkansas
Spring hail and straight-line wind regularly damage roofs in Northwest Arkansas. Most homeowners learn the process while they are in the middle of it. Here it is in order, with the Arkansas rules that apply once you file.
Which insurance company do you file a storm claim with?
File with the company that insured your home on the date the damage happened. Homeowners policies cover losses that occur during the policy period, so the storm date picks the insurer, not today’s declarations page.
The storm date decides the insurer
If hail hit in April while you were with one company and you switched in June, the April storm belongs to the April policy. Your new company did not insure the home that day, so a decline from it is not a coverage dispute. It is the wrong address for the claim.
Keep old policy numbers and dates
Save prior declarations pages, policy numbers and effective dates where you can find them. If you are unsure who insured you during a particular storm, your agency can usually trace it from its own records. Ours can for policies placed through Cribb.
Pin down the date of loss
Local news, National Weather Service storm reports and your own photos help fix when a storm hit your neighborhood. Dented gutters, vents and soft metals often date an event more clearly than shingles do.
Do not wait on it
The longer the gap between storm and report, the harder it becomes to tie the damage to that storm instead of the weather that followed. Early reporting protects the claim and the evidence at the same time.
Switched companies recently?
Before you shop or switch, have the roof looked at after a storm season. Damage found later still belongs to the policy in force when it happened, and documenting it first keeps that claim clean.
How long do you have to file a storm claim in Arkansas?
No Arkansas statute sets one fixed reporting deadline for a home claim. Your policy asks for prompt notice, and the Arkansas Insurance Department has published its position on late wind and hail claims. Suing over a disputed claim runs on a separate, longer clock.
Report promptly, as the policy asks
Homeowners policies list duties after a loss: prompt notice, protecting the property from further damage and keeping repair records. Some policies also state a set reporting window for wind and hail. Read yours, then report as soon as you reasonably can.
The Department’s 365-day and 24-month position
In Bulletin 19A-2020 the Arkansas Insurance Department said a wind or hail claim reported more than 365 days after the loss can be denied under a policy deadline, but the policyholder must get a chance to show good cause for the delay. It treats denial of a claim reported more than 24 months after the loss as reasonable.
A shorter suit clause is void for property policies
Ark. Code § 23-79-202 lets a policyholder sue on a property policy within the period Arkansas allows for written contracts, and it voids any policy clause requiring a shorter time. Arkansas courts apply a five-year limit to written obligations under § 16-56-111. Confirm the deadline for your situation with an attorney.
Why Northwest Arkansas claims bunch up
One spring storm can cross Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville in an afternoon. Insurers, adjusters and roofers then work many claims at once, so reporting early and keeping your own written record of the report puts you ahead of the queue, not behind it.
How quickly does an Arkansas insurer have to respond to a claim?
Arkansas Insurance Department Rule 43, the unfair claims settlement practices rule, sets minimum response times once you report a claim. Ark. Code § 23-79-126 adds a proof-of-loss rule with teeth.
| The insurer must | By when |
|---|---|
| Acknowledge it received your claim | Within 15 working days of notice, unless it pays within that time (Rule 43, section 7) |
| Send proof-of-loss forms | Within 20 days after the loss is reported. If it does not, it waives the proof-of-loss requirement (§ 23-79-126) |
| Finish its investigation | Within 45 calendar days of notice, unless it reasonably cannot, and then it must tell you why (Rule 43, section 8) |
| Accept or deny the claim | Within 15 working days after it receives properly completed proofs of loss (Rule 43, section 9) |
| Explain a delay | In writing within those 15 working days, then at least every 45 calendar days while it investigates |
| Warn you before a time limit runs | At least 30 working days before a policy or legal deadline expires, if you are not represented by a lawyer |
A denial based on a policy provision, condition or exclusion has to be in writing and has to name that provision. Rule 43 also bars an insurer from making you calculate the depreciated value of your personal property on a proof-of-loss form.
Should you file a roof claim at all?
File when a written estimate of storm damage clearly exceeds your wind and hail deductible. When it does not, the policy has nothing to pay. Arkansas law (Ark. Code § 23-63-110) bars your insurer from cancelling or raising your premium solely because of a claim that paid nothing, and asking whether something is covered is not a claim. A reported claim can still appear in loss-history reports other insurers review.
You may have two deductibles
Many Arkansas homeowners policies carry one deductible for most losses and a separate one for wind and hail, which applies to hail and windstorm damage to the roof. The wind and hail deductible is often a percentage of the dwelling limit. Our wind and hail deductible guide walks through the arithmetic.
Arkansas puts the dollar figure on your paperwork
For owner-occupied homes, Arkansas law puts the dollar amount of a percentage deductible on the declarations page or renewal notice; our deductible guide explains the rule. Find that number before you report.
Know your settlement method, too
Whether your roof settles at replacement cost or under a roof payment schedule is already written into the policy. Our guide to replacement cost and roof payment schedules shows how each one pays, so the adjuster’s figure is not a surprise.
How is hail and wind damage to a roof evaluated?
The adjuster works for the insurance company and is deciding two things: whether a covered storm caused the damage, and what the policy pays for it. Knowing the vocabulary helps you read the estimate.
Functional or cosmetic
Functional damage shortens the roof’s life or lets water in. Cosmetic damage changes how it looks without changing how it works. Some policies limit or exclude cosmetic damage, often on metal roofs, so check how yours defines it.
Hail signatures
Bruised or fractured shingles, granule loss that exposes the mat, and dents in vents, gutters and other soft metals. A pattern across the roof points to an event rather than age.
Wind signatures
Creased, lifted, torn or missing shingles. Wind can also break the seal between shingle courses without removing anything you can see from the ground.
Matching and partial repairs
If replacement shingles cannot match the rest of the roof, how your policy handles matching can decide between a repair and a replacement. Policies differ on this, so read the language before a storm, not during one.
What should you do after a hailstorm damages your roof?
A documented, unhurried process protects a claim better than a fast phone call. Work through these in order.
- Fix the date and the insurer.
Note when the storm hit and which company insured you that day.
- Document before anything is touched.
Take dated photos and video, write down what happened and when, and keep a few hailstones in the freezer if you can.
- Prevent further damage.
Tarp openings and stop water where it is safe to do so. Policies ask you to protect the property, and reasonable temporary repairs are generally reimbursable. Keep the receipts.
- Get a written damage estimate.
You want a written opinion on whether the damage is functional and a figure to set against your deductible.
- Compare it with your wind and hail deductible.
This is the go or no-go decision. Make it before you report, not after.
- Report and keep your own record.
Write down the date and time you reported, who you spoke with and the claim number. Rule 43’s clocks start from notice.
- Vet any contractor before you sign.
Arkansas requires home improvement contractors to be licensed unless exempt (Ark. Code § 17-25-505). Check the license with the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board, get more than one bid, and do not sign anything that hands over your claim payment or has blank spaces.
Be careful with storm chasers
A contractor who offers to waive or absorb your deductible, or to describe old damage as new, is asking you to misstate a claim. Knowingly giving an insurer false information with intent to deceive is a fraudulent insurance act under Ark. Code § 23-66-501. Your deductible is your share under the policy.
What can you do if your Arkansas roof claim is denied or underpaid?
Start by reading the denial letter against your policy. Rule 43 requires it to name the provision it relies on, which tells you whether the dispute is about cause, about the amount, or about policy language.
Ask your agency to read it with you
An independent agency can explain what the letter turns on, follow up with the claims unit and chase a file that has gone quiet. It does not adjust the claim or decide coverage. The insurance company does that.
Use the insurer’s own process
Ask for a re-inspection, send new evidence such as dated photos or an independent roof report, and ask for the appraisal provision if your policy has one and the disagreement is only about the amount.
File a complaint with the Insurance Department
The Arkansas Insurance Department’s Consumer Services Division takes complaints about claim handling through an online form. Under Ark. Code § 23-66-206, failing to act promptly on claims or to affirm or deny coverage within a reasonable time is an unfair claims practice when done as a general business practice.
Talk with an attorney about amount or deadlines
Arkansas law has no license for public adjusters; its adjuster license covers people who adjust claims for insurers (Ark. Code § 23-64-102). For a disputed amount or a deadline question, talk with an Arkansas attorney. Ark. Code § 23-79-208 can add 12 percent damages and attorney’s fees when an insurer fails to pay a covered loss on time after demand.
Call us before the roofer and before the claim line.
Cribb Insurance Group is an independent agency in Bentonville serving Northwest Arkansas. We can tell you which company insured you on the storm date, what your wind and hail deductible is in dollars, and how your roof settles. We can report the loss on your behalf and follow the file. We do not adjust claims or make coverage decisions; the insurance company does. When it is time to review your coverage, we compare options from multiple insurance companies.
Ask Cribby about a storm claim
Cribby is Cribb Insurance Group’s AI assistant for general insurance questions. Start with one of these, or ask your own. For your own policy, talk with our team.
Want to see what your current policy says? Upload your homeowners declarations page to Coverage Compare. It pulls out your wind and hail deductible and your other coverages so you know what a roof claim would leave you with before the next storm.
Use Coverage CompareRoof and storm claim questions
I switched insurance companies. Which one do I file my roof claim with?
The one that insured your home on the date the damage happened. Homeowners policies cover losses that occur during the policy period, so the policy in force when the storm hit is the one that answers for it, even if you have moved to another company since. If you are unsure who insured you during a particular storm, your agency can usually trace it from its records.
How long do I have to report a storm claim in Arkansas?
No Arkansas statute sets a single reporting deadline. Your policy asks for prompt notice, so report as soon as you reasonably can. The Arkansas Insurance Department’s Bulletin 19A-2020 says a wind or hail claim reported more than 365 days after the loss can be denied under a policy deadline, but you must get a chance to show good cause, and it treats denial after 24 months as reasonable.
How long do I have to sue my insurer over a roof claim?
Ark. Code § 23-79-202 allows a suit on a property policy within the period Arkansas sets for written contracts and voids any policy clause requiring a shorter time. Arkansas applies a five-year limit to written obligations under § 16-56-111. When the clock starts depends on your facts, so confirm the deadline with an Arkansas attorney before relying on it.
How quickly does my insurer have to respond once I file?
Under Arkansas Insurance Department Rule 43 the insurer must acknowledge your claim within 15 working days, send proof-of-loss forms within 20 days, and accept or deny within 15 working days of receiving completed proofs of loss. If it needs longer it must tell you why in writing and update you at least every 45 days.
Does a claim denial have to explain itself?
Yes. Rule 43 does not let an insurer deny a claim on a policy provision, condition or exclusion unless the denial names it, and the denial must be in writing. A letter that does not say what it relies on is worth questioning with the insurer and with your agency.
Will filing a hail claim raise my homeowners premium?
It can, but Arkansas limits it. Ark. Code § 23-63-110 bars your insurer from cancelling or raising your premium solely because of a claim that paid nothing, and asking whether something is covered is not a claim. A reported claim can still appear in loss-history reports other insurers review. That is why you compare a written estimate with your deductible before filing.
Can a roofer handle my claim or pay my deductible for me?
A roofer can inspect, estimate and do the repair, but your deductible is your share under the policy. Be wary of anyone offering to waive or absorb it, or to call old damage new: knowingly giving an insurer false information with intent to deceive is a fraudulent insurance act under Ark. Code § 23-66-501. Check the contractor’s Arkansas license before you sign.
Sources we checked for this guide:
- Arkansas Rule 43, Unfair Claims Settlement Practices (Cornell LII)
- Ark. Code § 23-79-126, proof-of-loss forms
- Ark. Code § 23-79-202, suits on property policies
- Arkansas Insurance Department Bulletin 19A-2020, windstorm and hail claims
- Ark. Code § 23-63-110, no cancellation or increase for claims with no loss
- Ark. Code § 23-66-206, unfair claims settlement practices
- Ark. Code § 17-25-505, contractor licensing
Insurance answers you can understand. From a local agency you can know.
We believe good insurance decisions start with clear information. Our Northwest Arkansas insurance guides explain coverage, pricing considerations and policy differences in everyday language, so you can shop with greater confidence.
Know where you stand before the next storm.
Send us your declarations page. Our Northwest Arkansas team will tell you your wind and hail deductible in dollars and how your roof settles, and compare options from multiple insurance companies while the sky is still clear.
A quote is an estimate. It is not a guarantee of final premium, coverage or eligibility. The insurance company sets the actual rate and the actual coverage terms after its underwriting review, and they may differ from any figure shown here. Cribb Insurance Group Inc is an independent insurance agency, not an insurance company. Your insurance company issues the policy and pays covered claims. Coverage cannot be bound, changed or cancelled through this website, email, social media or voicemail, and is not in force until Cribb Insurance Group Inc or the insurance company confirms it in writing. Coverage, eligibility, discounts and prices vary by insurance company, policy and individual situation. Cribb Insurance Group Inc, 1601 SW Regional Airport Blvd, Bentonville, AR 72713, (479) 286-1066.