Most monsoon storms in Northern Arizona produce both wind and hail in the
same 10–15 minute window. Your roof gets hit by both. But your insurance
policy almost certainly treats them as separate perils — with different
coverages, deductibles, and claim windows.
Here's what changes between microburst and hail under typical 2026 AZ
homeowner policies.
The peril definitions
Wind / microburst
- Pressure-based damage (lifted shingles, tile slippage, fascia loss)
- Defined wind speed thresholds vary by carrier (typically 50+ mph)
- Coverage: usually under "windstorm" peril
- Deductible: often the standard policy deductible
- Filing window: 12–24 months in 2026
Hail
- Impact damage (bruises, granule loss, cracked tile, dented metal)
- No specific size threshold required for coverage
- Coverage: usually under "hail" peril (often grouped with wind)
- Deductible: often a separate hail deductible (1–2 % of dwelling)
- Filing window: 24 months in 2026
7 of the 10 top AZ carriers added a separate hail deductible in
2025–2026. On a $450k home, this often means $4,500–$9,000 out of
pocket before any hail claim pays.
How adjusters split them
The adjuster will assign every line item to one peril:
- Cracked tiles → hail
- Missing tiles or shingles → wind
- Bruised shingle mats → hail
- Bent gutters/fascia → wind
- Broken vent boots → wind (impact, not hail)
The split matters because:
- Wind damage applies the standard deductible
- Hail damage applies the (often higher) hail deductible
- The two can't be combined — you pay both deductibles
What to document
For wind / microburst:
- NWS storm reports for that date and location
- Wind speed estimates from local airports (KPRC, KFLG)
- Photos of horizontal debris, downed trees, fence damage in your yard
- Wide shots of missing shingles or tiles
For hail:
- Hail size from NCEI Storm Events
- Photos of dented soft metals (your AC fins, gutters, downspouts)
- Photos of bruised shingles with marker rings around impacts
- Note the direction of impact (north/west/south/east — hail comes in
at an angle)
The single most important hail evidence is soft metal damage.
AZ adjusters in 2026 are trained to require it. AC fins, gutters,
and downspouts dent at 0.75-inch hail; if there's no soft metal
damage, claims often deny.
Combined storm strategy
If your roof has both wind AND hail damage from the same storm:
- File both perils in the same claim — most carriers allow this
- Document each peril's damage separately with the adjuster
- Ask which deductible applies to each line item — get it in writing
- If the carrier tries to apply only the higher deductible: appeal
Some 2026 policies have begun applying the higher of the two
deductibles to the entire claim. This is policy-dependent — read your
declarations page.
"Wind-driven rain" — the third category
A few AZ carriers carve out "wind-driven rain" as a third peril,
typically excluded from coverage. This is the one to watch:
- Your roof is intact
- Wind blows rain horizontally into a soffit vent
- Water saturates attic insulation
- Drywall stains on second-floor ceilings
If your policy excludes wind-driven rain, your only coverage is for
the resulting interior damage if you can prove a covered roof failure
caused the entry.
The 2026 trend: hail deductible separations
Looking forward, expect more AZ carriers to:
- Separate hail from wind in deductible structure
- Require minimum hail size (often 1.0 inch) for coverage
- Add cosmetic damage exclusions on tile and metal roofs
- Require contractor reports for claims over $7,500
Your policy is changing under you. Pull the declarations page before
the next monsoon and read every endorsement.
Match with a NAZ contractor through our wizard — they'll review your
policy in their pre-claim inspection at no charge.