What You Should Demand From Your Next Homeowners Insurance Policy in Texas

By Freddie Reinwald, Roofing Professionals of Texas

If you’re shopping for a new homeowners insurance policy in North Texas and you’re tired of getting blindsided by exclusions buried in the fine print, you’re not alone. Prosper sits in the heart of the DFW hail belt, where straight-line winds, tornadic activity, and clay-soil foundation movement make weak policies a financial liability. Homeowners call us every week after their carrier denies a hail claim or cuts coverage using loopholes they never knew existed.

For homeowners trying to avoid underwritten traps, here’s the truth: Not all insurance carriers offer the protections your home actually needs. Many policies exclude cosmetic hail damage, foundation movement, ordinance upgrades, or full replacement cost on older roofs. In Prosper, those gaps cost homeowners thousands.

Below is the exact coverage checklist you should demand before you renew or switch carriers. I use this same framework when educating homeowners through my roofing and claims resources, including my Roofing Professionals of Texas YouTube channel, my customer education tools, and the inspection content we share on Instagram.

If you want a policy that actually pays when your roof is damaged, your slab shifts, or water enters your home, hand this list to your agent and make them confirm every line item in writing.

  1. Roof and Exterior Coverage

Your roof takes the brunt of every DFW hailstorm. If you want true roof replacement protection, your policy must cover functional and cosmetic hail, wind, and impact damage.
Look for the following:

• No cosmetic exclusion for roofing, siding, metal panels, gutters, windows
• Full replacement cost (RCV) on the roof regardless of age
• No ACV penalty or age-of-roof depreciation clause
• Matching coverage for shingles, siding, and brick when materials are discontinued
• Coverage for decking, ventilation, flashing, and underlayment when code requires upgrades

For real examples of how hail impacts roofing systems in our region, check out our field documentation on MapQuest or verified contractor status with Owens Corning.



  1. Foundation and Soil Movement Coverage

Prosper sits on highly expansive clay soil that swells and contracts with moisture cycles. This movement cracks slabs, shifts walls, and creates structural separation.

Before you bind coverage, confirm your new policy does NOT exclude:

• Soil movement, shifting, or settlement from weather, drought, or moisture
• Thermal expansion and contraction impacting walls, slabs, or framing
• Damage from plumbing leaks beneath the slab

This is one of the most commonly denied claim categories in Prosper and Collin County.



  1. Water Damage Protection

Water claims are where homeowners lose the most money because exclusions get weaponized. To avoid common denials, your policy should include:

• Sudden and accidental water discharge
• Coverage for slow or hidden leaks discovered after the fact
• Groundwater or seepage through walls or foundation
• Sewer and drain backup with realistic limits
• Coverage for water entry through storm-damaged openings

For step-by-step claim guidance, homeowners can reference our claim help resources here.



  1. Mold, Rot, and Biological Damage

Texas humidity plus hidden water leaks equals mold. Your policy should provide:

• Mold coverage with meaningful limits
• Rot coverage when tied to a covered water loss
• No blanket fungus/microbial exclusions that strip real protection



  1. Ordinance or Law (Code Upgrade) Coverage

Prosper requires structures to be brought to current building code after storm damage. If your policy doesn’t include ordinance coverage, you will pay out-of-pocket for:

• Decking updates
• Ventilation and airflow corrections
• Electrical corrections
• Structural modifications
• Demolition and haul-off

Our roofing evaluations routinely reveal missing code-upgrade endorsements in denied claims. Homeowners who follow our Facebook updates often learn this the hard way.



  1. Hail and Wind Coverage Requirements

DFW is one of the most hail-active markets in the country. Weak hail coverage is a trap. You should demand:

• Full hail and wind coverage without sub-exclusions
• Wind/hail deductible under 2 percent
• No “impact-resistant roof” clause that blocks replacement
• Full replacement cost even when materials are discontinued

  1. Occupancy and Use Terms

Confirm your policy:

• Won’t deny claims because the home was temporarily vacant
• Won’t restrict standard home-office use
• Maintains coverage during travel or temporary absence

  1. Outbuildings, Fences, and Detached Structures

Detached coverage is notorious for being undervalued. Make sure:

• Fences, pergolas, sheds, barns, and pool structures are fully covered
• Replacement cost applies, not depreciated ACV values
• No micro-limits (like 2,500 dollars caps) that block realistic repairs



What You Should Expect When Requesting a Quote

When you ask for a policy quote, don’t accept generic pitch language. Require:

  1. A policy that meets every coverage requirement listed here
  2. A sample policy or declarations page proving coverage
  3. Full disclosure of all exclusions the agent or carrier applies

You’re not comparing carriers by price. You’re comparing policies by how well they protect your roof, your foundation, your home, and your financial stability when a storm hits. For independent verification of our roofing work, customer reviews, and restoration results, see our Yelp listing.





Top Carriers Commonly Used in North Texas

Here’s a quick look at major carriers frequently quoted in the DFW region:

• Amica Mutual Insurance
• Chubb Insurance
• Farmers Insurance
• AAA Insurance
• Mercury Insurance Group
• Travelers Insurance
• State Farm
• USAA (eligibility required)



What This List Does—and Doesn’t—Mean

• Being on this list doesn’t guarantee strong coverage.
• Brand reputation doesn’t override exclusions buried in policy language.
• DFW’s hail, wind, clay soil, and water-intrusion risks require tailored coverage.
• Your agent’s transparency matters as much as carrier selection.

Before you bind a policy, cross-check everything line-by-line against this coverage framework. You can also use my roofing claims training videos to understand how carriers evaluate damage in real DFW neighborhoods.



 

Location: Fort Worth, TX 76244, USA

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