AUSTIN, Texas — Central Texas storms can bring rain, high winds and hail that could cause damage to homes.
Hail damage spikes from March through June in Texas, according to a release from State Farm. Hail often causes damage to a home's roofing and siding, which can result in leaks.
The good news is, here in Texas, hail is usually covered in homeowners insurance policies.
"You have policies that cover that hail image," said Brent Allen, an insurance agent with State Farm. "Some are different than others. Some have a depreciation schedule, which means that you wouldn't necessarily get the whole roof covered."
Knowing you're fully covered can bring you peace of mind.
"Obviously, there are deductibles that apply to homeowner's policies," Allen said. "The most normal deductible is 1%. So, if your home has a $300,000 house that you insure, for $300,000, [the deductible] is going to be $3,000. So, just keep that in mind."
Some other things homeowners insurance usually covers are tornadoes, hurricanes, fires and windstorms.
Heavy winds can often cause trees and branches to break off and damage homes. However, some insurance companies won't cover damage to a home if the tree that fell was unhealthy before the storm and the owner failed to maintain it. If a healthy tree fell, insurance will likely kick in.
Allen recommends trying to prevent additional damage from happening by removing what you can or tying things down. However, remember to always be safe when doing so.
"Don't try to be Superman," he said. "Don't go out there and try to, you know, get on your roof yourself. Don't go out there and try to protect your car from this tree falling. Let it happen. Everything's going to be okay. That's why you have insurance. Let us take care of it for you and help you through that process and just stay safe ... Because stuff is just stuff."
Everyone's insurance policies are different, so contact your agent to ask them what yours covers.