The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) and Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) have a long-standing partnership in helping to protect Canadians from natural hazards. Together, they’ve collaborated on this series of IN Focus articles, which share tips to help you protect your home and property from some of Canada’s most damaging weather.
ICLR specializes in disaster prevention and has conducted extensive research to identify the most impactful steps homeowners can take to withstand winter storms, wildfire, severe wind, earthquake, basement flooding and hail.
In the second edition of the “Good, Better, Best Protection” IN Focus series, ICLR and IBC share tips and info on protecting your property from hail damage.
Top hail protection tips
June to September is hail season in Alberta and the Prairies. Until last year, the Calgary hailstorm on June 13, 2020, had been the costliest hailstorm in Canadian history, with approximately 70,000 claims and over $1.3 billion in insured damages. The majority of the insured damage was to homes and vehicles, with a smaller percentage to commercial property. Then in 2024, another hailstorm in Calgary took the 2020 storm’s place, resulting in over $3 billion in insured damage.
The “good, better, best” tiered approach helps homeowners know what improvements to prioritize. While homeowners should take every possible essential precaution to avoid damage, time and budget constraints can get in the way of doing more. The enhanced measures are for those able to take their home’s hail resilience to the next level, and the comprehensive steps are for those who need the best possible protection.
Be ready for hail before it hits: Once hailstones are about the size of a quarter or larger, they can cause extensive damage to vehicles, homes and other structures. Here are ICLR’s recommendations to protect your home and outdoor property.
Essential (good): Minimize the risk of damage
Install roof cover that is designed for resilience to protect from the impact of large objects.
Use stronger siding like wood, engineered wood, brick, stone, stucco, or board and batten.
Replace acrylic skylights with skylights made of more durable materials, such as multi-pane glass.
Ensure that solar panels comply with the minimum hail testing guidelines outlined in relevant standards.
Move vehicle(s) into or under shelter when a storm is forecast or approaching.
Enhanced (better): Upgrade your protection with strategic installations
Install a secondary water barrier on the entire roof deck (self-adhering waterproof underlayment) or tape all roof sheathing joints and penetrations (structure that breaches the roof's surface) with flashing tape.
Request asphalt roofing products that are rated as having excellent or good impact resistance by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.
Opt for aluminum (not vinyl) gutters and downspouts and metal gutter guards on your eavestroughs.
Install solar panels that have been tested for heavy hail events.
Install or replace acrylic or glass skylights with polycarbonate skylights or skylights with an exterior pane of tempered glass.
Comprehensive (best): Build a hail-proof fortress
Install high-end, highly hail-resistant roofing products like recycled rubber, slate or concrete tile.
Use impact-resistant roof vents.
Ask your window installer about high-wind, missile-resistant windows.
Install heavy, rolled-steel gutters and metal gutter guards.
Explore impact resistant siding materials to protect your home.
Check out ICLR’s Good/better/best hail protection checklist, or go deeper with the “Protect Your Home from Hail” booklet, and HailSmart program.
Know what hail damage your insurance covers.
Most home and business insurance policies cover damage caused by hail and wind. This includes damage caused by flying debris or falling branches or trees, or damage to your home and its contents from water entering through openings suddenly caused by wind or hail. Pre-existing damage is not covered.
Not all vehicle insurance policies cover hail damage. Confirm with your insurance representative that you have optional comprehensive coverage, which protects your vehicle from damage caused by common insurance perils including fire, high winds and hail.
Water damage in a basement due to a sewer backup is only covered if you have purchased specific optional sewer backup coverage.
Damage to mobile homes or trailers from hail or wind may be covered. Speak with your insurance representative about whether your policy covers this damage.
In certain circumstances, homeowners who are unable to stay in their homes because of insured damage may be entitled to additional living expenses until the repairs are complete. Check with your insurance representative to find out what your policy covers.
Explore your options. Many insurance providers are now offering ‘resilient’ endorsements that pay for the increased cost of impact resistant products if you file a claim.
More tips
For more information on how to navigate the upcoming hail season, watch IBC’s “Stay Protected” video on hail.
See the other “Good, Better, Best Protection” articles:
