After a Central Texas hail storm, the first thing most people do is look up at their shingles. But while you’re checking for leaks, you might be overlooking a major part of your home’s protective shell: the siding.
At Roofing Turtle, we get asked all the time: “Can I actually include my siding in an insurance claim meant for my roof?”
The answer is a resounding YES. In fact, if you don’t, you might be stuck paying for expensive exterior repairs out of pocket later. Here is how it works.
1. Siding is Part of Your “Dwelling Coverage”
In almost all standard Texas homeowners’ policies, your siding falls under Coverage A (Dwelling), the same category as your roof. If a storm is powerful enough to bruise your shingles, it is almost certainly powerful enough to damage your siding.
Insurance companies view your home as a complete system. If the storm caused “sudden and accidental” damage to any part of that system, it’s eligible for a claim.
2. How to Spot Hail Damage on Different Siding Types
Hail doesn’t look the same on every house. Depending on what your Giddings home is wrapped in, you should look for these specific signs:
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Vinyl Siding: Look for “stars” or small cracks. High-speed hail can actually punch holes right through vinyl, especially if the siding is older and has been made brittle by the Texas sun.
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Aluminum Siding: This is the easiest to spot. Look for small dings or dents that are most visible when the sun is at an angle (early morning or late evening).
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Fiber Cement (James Hardie): While incredibly tough, large hail can cause “spalling” or chipping of the paint and the cementitious material itself.
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Wood Siding: Look for “oxidized” spots where the hail has knocked off the finish, leaving the raw wood exposed to rot.
3. The “Matching” Rule (The Secret to a Full Replacement)
One of the biggest benefits of including siding in your claim is the “matching” issue. If the hail damaged only the siding on the west side of your house, but that specific color or style of siding is no longer manufactured, the insurance company may be required to pay for a full siding replacement for the entire house to ensure a uniform appearance.
4. Why You Should Always Group Your Claims
If you file a claim for your roof today and then realize six months from now that your siding is cracked, you may have to pay a second deductible.
By having a “Turtle-Tough” inspector look at your entire exterior at once, we can document the roof, gutters, and siding as a single “occurrence.” This means you only pay your deductible once for the entire restoration of your home’s exterior.
Storm Damage Checklist: Beyond the Roof
| Item | What to Look For |
| Siding Panels | Cracks, chips, or circular “bruises.” |
| Window Wraps | Dents in the metal trim around your windows. |
| Window Screens | Small tears or “splatter” marks from hail impact. |
| Garage Doors | Small dings in the metal panels. |
Don’t Leave Money on the Table
If your Giddings or Smithville home was in the path of the recent storms, don’t settle for a “roof-only” inspection. The team at Roofing Turtle provides comprehensive exterior assessments to ensure your insurance company covers everything they owe you.
Call us today for a free, full-property storm damage inspection!