General information about how home insurance claims commonly work in Alberta. Your own policy wording decides what's covered, so read it and ask your insurer or broker to confirm anything that matters to you.
Don't assume your hail deductible matches your regular deductible, or that it's the same as it was a few years ago. Many Alberta policies now set a separate deductible for hail. Industry reports in 2026 describe a hail deductible of $1,000 that was once standard in Calgary rising to $2,500 to $5,000 with many insurers, and figures as high as $10,000 for homes that aren't built to resist hail. Some policies use a percentage of the dwelling limit instead, though that's less common in Alberta.
This guide explains how flat and percentage deductibles work, where to find yours, what the numbers look like in practice, and why a contractor's offer to take care of it is a trap. It's general information. Your own policy wording decides what your deductible is and how it applies.
Flat versus percentage deductibles
The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada defines a deductible as the amount of your claim that you agree to pay before your insurance company pays the rest. When you make a claim, you're responsible for it.
A flat deductible is a fixed dollar amount, such as $2,500. A percentage deductible is a percentage of a coverage limit, usually the dwelling limit. A wind or hail deductible, where a policy has one, is a separate deductible that applies to damage from those perils. In Alberta these are most often flat amounts. Some policies use a percentage instead. Your policy wording is the only place to confirm which you have.
| Flat deductible | Percentage deductible | |
|---|---|---|
| Calculated from | A set dollar amount | A percentage of a coverage limit, usually the dwelling limit |
| Changes when your coverage goes up | No | Yes. A higher limit means a higher deductible |
| Changes with the size of the claim | No | No. It's based on the limit, not the damage |
| Where it's used | Most perils, and most separate hail deductibles in Alberta | Some policies, for wind or hail. Less common in Alberta |
How to find yours on the declarations page
Your declarations page is the summary at the front of your policy that lists your coverages, limits and deductibles. Look for these things:
- Find the main or all perils deductible. This is what applies to most claims.
- Look for a separate line mentioning hail, wind, windstorm or hail and wind. That's the one for storm claims.
- Check whether it shows a dollar sign or a percent sign.
- If it's a percentage, find out what it's a percentage of. Usually that's the dwelling coverage limit (sometimes called Coverage A), not your home's market value and not the claim.
- Check whether the roof has its own terms, such as a separate deductible or settlement based on roof age.
- Ask your broker to confirm in writing: the amount, what it applies to, and whether it applies per occurrence.
Worked examples
The table below shows what the insurer would pay on three claim sizes at hail deductibles in the range reported for Calgary. Your own deductible is on your declarations page.
- Example 1, a $5,000 hail deductible. Your roof claim is valued at $18,000. Before any depreciation, the insurer's share is $13,000.
- Example 2, a $10,000 hail deductible. Same $18,000 claim on a home without hail-resistant construction, where the insurer has set a $10,000 hail deductible. The insurer's share is $8,000.
- Example 3, below the deductible. Hail damages your eavestroughs and a few vents, valued at $4,500. With a $5,000 hail deductible, the claim pays nothing.
- Example 4, a hypothetical percentage deductible. This isn't meant to suggest a typical Alberta policy. It only shows how the arithmetic works. If a policy set a 1% hail deductible on a $600,000 dwelling limit, the deductible would be $6,000 whatever the size of the claim, so the same $18,000 claim would pay $12,000.
| Claim value | $2,500 deductible | $5,000 deductible | $10,000 deductible |
|---|---|---|---|
| $4,500 | $2,000 | $0 | $0 |
| $12,000 | $9,500 | $7,000 | $2,000 |
| $18,000 | $15,500 | $13,000 | $8,000 |
Why hail deductibles have gone up in Alberta
The short version is losses. IBC reports that Alberta has had at least one major hailstorm every year for two decades, adding up to more than $11 billion in insured damage, with $6 billion of that in the last five years. The August 2024 Calgary storm alone caused $3.35 billion in insured damage (CatIQ final estimate, August 2026).
Insurers price that risk into their policies, and the deductible is one of the places it shows. Insurance Business Canada reported in June 2026 that hail deductibles with many carriers have risen from a previous standard of $1,000 to $2,500 to $5,000. The Journal of Commerce reported the same move in Calgary in September 2026, citing Intact, and noted that the regulator has suggested deductibles as high as $10,000 on construction that isn't hail-resilient.
Both reports describe insurers treating homes differently depending on how well they resist hail: a resilient property might attract a $2,500 hail deductible and a non-resilient one $10,000. Practices vary from one insurer to the next. The reliable way to know how yours works is to read your policy and ask your broker.
How your deductible shapes the decision to claim
A higher deductible changes the maths on smaller claims. Before you decide, it helps to know roughly what the damage will cost to fix.
- Confirm your hail deductible and whether it's a flat amount or a percentage.
- Get a documented inspection and an itemised estimate for the storm damage.
- Compare the estimate with the deductible. If the damage is clearly below it, a claim won't pay anything.
- If it's close, remember that a full inspection can turn up items a quick look misses, and that depreciation may reduce the first payment.
- Talk to your broker about your options, and check what your policy requires you to report.
Why an offer to cover your deductible is a red flag
After big storms, some contractors pitch the same offer: we'll take care of your deductible, you'll pay nothing out of pocket. Aviva Canada has warned Albertans about exactly this, describing contractors who promise to waive deductibles and then try to bulk up the scope of damage to cover the money. As hail deductibles climb, the offer gets more tempting, which is why it's worth recognising.
Be wary of any version of it. The contractor still has to get paid, so the difference often ends up hidden in the claim: an inflated invoice, work that wasn't done, or a rebate that isn't disclosed to the insurer. That's a false statement to your insurer about the loss. Under Alberta's statutory conditions, any fraud or wilfully false statement in your proof of loss invalidates the claim of the person who made it. That person is you, not the contractor.
- "We'll cover your deductible" or "we'll absorb it."
- A cash rebate, gift card or "discount" equal to your deductible.
- An invoice to the insurer that's higher than the price you agreed to.
- Being asked to sign a completion form for work that isn't finished.
How much is a hail deductible in Calgary?
It depends on your insurer and your home. Industry reports in 2026 describe Calgary hail deductibles rising from a previous standard of $1,000 to $2,500 to $5,000 with many insurers, and as high as $10,000 for homes without hail-resistant construction. Your declarations page shows yours.
What is a percentage deductible on home insurance?
A deductible calculated as a percentage of a coverage limit, usually your dwelling limit, rather than a fixed dollar amount. Some policies use one, though flat amounts are more common in Alberta. As an illustration of the arithmetic, 1% of a $500,000 dwelling limit is $5,000, whatever the size of the claim.
Is a percentage deductible based on my claim or my home's value?
Usually on the dwelling coverage limit shown on your declarations page. It's not based on the size of the claim, and it isn't based on market value unless your policy says so. Confirm with your broker.
Why is my hail deductible higher than my regular deductible?
Insurers can set hail deductibles separately from other claims, and Alberta's losses help explain why: IBC reports more than $11 billion in insured damage from Alberta hailstorms over two decades, and 2026 industry reports describe hail deductibles moving from $1,000 to $2,500 to $5,000 with many insurers. Your broker can tell you how your policy sets yours.
Can a roofer pay my deductible in Alberta?
Treat the offer as a red flag. The money usually has to come from overstating the claim to your insurer. Under Alberta's statutory conditions, a wilfully false statement in your proof of loss invalidates your claim, so say no.
Should I claim if the damage is close to my deductible?
Get an itemised estimate first. If the damage is clearly below the deductible, a claim pays nothing. If it's close, talk to your broker, since a full inspection can find damage a quick look misses, and depreciation may affect the first payment.
Where the facts on this page come from. If a source has changed since we last checked, tell us and we'll fix the page.
- Home insurance · Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
- Insurance Act, RSA 2000, c I-3 (ss. 526, 540 and 543) · Alberta King's Printer
- Alberta hail insurance market fractures as government stalls on building code reform (Jhoanna Hines, June 24, 2026) · Insurance Business Canada
- Alberta insurance companies ramp up costs on non-hail-resistant construction (Jean Sorensen, September 11, 2026) · Journal of Commerce (ConstructConnect)
- Latest hailstorm in Calgary causes $92 million in insured damage · Insurance Bureau of Canada
- Final industry loss estimate, 2024 Calgary hailstorm · CatIQ
- Alberta hail storm (press release) · Aviva Canada