HomeRoof Insurance Claims in South Dakota
Roof insurance claims in South Dakota
South Dakota bans roofers from paying your deductible and lets you cancel a storm roofing contract within 72 hours. Here is how a roof claim runs, from the first photo to the new shingles, and what an older roof is likely to get paid. This is general information, not legal or insurance advice.
How do I file a roof insurance claim?
Document the damage, read your policy, get the roof inspected, then call your insurer. In order:
- Photograph the damage the same day. Shoot from the ground: every side of the house, gutters, vents, screens and anything dented. Keep receipts for tarps and other emergency fixes.
- Read your policy. Find the deadline for reporting damage, the wind and hail deductible, and whether the roof is paid at replacement cost or actual cash value. If any of it is unclear, ask your agent before you file.
- Get the roof inspected. A roof inspection with a written report tells you whether the damage is worth claiming against your deductible.
- Report the claim. Your insurer opens a claim and sends an adjuster to look at the roof.
- Be home for the adjuster. Walk the house together and point out everything in your photos. Your roofer can be there too.
- Read the settlement. Check what the insurer agreed to pay for, and what it left out.
- Hire the roofer and sign a written contract. In Sioux Falls, the roofer pulls a city reshingle permit, a flat $40 under the 2026 fee schedule.
Will insurance replace a 10-year-old roof?
Maybe not at full price. One South Dakota insurer’s 2024 bulletin says wind and hail losses on its Form 3 and Form 5 homeowner policies settle at actual cash value once the roof is 10 years or older.
Actual cash value pays what your worn roof was worth on the day of the storm. Replacement cost pays for a new one. You cover the gap.
That insurer is not alone. An Upper Midwest insurance broker said in June 2026 that every carrier it works with now handles roofs differently, and that roof and siding claims of $10,000 to $15,000 a few years ago now reach $40,000 to $60,000.
We found no South Dakota Division of Insurance rule on roof age or cash value settlement, so your own policy decides. Look for an endorsement with “actual cash value” and “roof surfacing” in its title. Those endorsements can also leave out cosmetic damage, wear and tear and poor installation.
Wear and tear is where small hail gets argued over. Read about what years of small hail do to shingles before you talk to the adjuster.
How do wind and hail deductibles work in South Dakota?
Some policies set a separate deductible for wind and hail, figured as a percentage of the home’s insured value rather than a flat dollar amount. At 1% on a $400,000 home, you pay the first $4,000. At 2%, $8,000.
Here is the same math on the median Sioux Falls home value of $292,400 (Census, 2020 to 2024):
| Deductible | Home insured at $292,400 | Home insured at $400,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | $2,924 | $4,000 |
| 2% | $5,848 | $8,000 |
Consumer guides put South Dakota wind and hail deductibles at 1% to 2%. A Rapid City roofer says that range comes from the South Dakota Division of Insurance. We could not confirm that with the Division.
Your number is on your declarations page. Multiply it by your dwelling coverage and you know what the storm costs you before the insurer pays a cent.
Can a roofer pay or waive my deductible?
No. Under SDCL 37-24-50, a residential roofer may not advertise or promise to pay or rebate all or part of your insurance deductible. A contract that breaks the rule is void. If a roofer offers, find another roofer.
Can I cancel a storm roofing contract in South Dakota?
Yes, within 72 hours. SDCL 37-24-51 lets you cancel a written storm damage roofing contract within 72 hours of signing it, or within 72 hours of learning your insurer denied the claim in whole or in part.
Cancel in writing, sent to the contractor’s address in the contract. It takes effect when you mail it. You still owe a reasonable, documented restocking fee for materials and the cost of any emergency repairs already done. The contractor has ten days to refund what you paid for work not done.
The contract has to spell out this right in bold type and come with a detachable Notice of Cancellation form, in duplicate. If yours has neither, ask why before you sign.
A second rule covers door-to-door sales of $25 or more: you can cancel until midnight of the third business day (SDCL 37-24-5.3). The law does not say how the two rights work together when a storm contract is signed at your door, so keep both deadlines in mind.
Do I need a public adjuster?
We could not confirm the rules for public adjusters in South Dakota. Sources disagree on whether the state licenses them, and we did not find the state law.
Before you hire one, or let a roofer act as one, call the South Dakota Division of Insurance and ask what license they need.
How do I avoid storm repair scams?
Slow down when someone knocks after a storm. The South Dakota Attorney General’s office warns about traveling storm repair crews after big storms, most recently in June 2026. Its advice:
- Get a written quote with the business name and the price.
- Ask to see the contractor’s South Dakota sales tax license. The Department of Revenue can confirm it.
- Do not pay in full before the job is done, and be wary of cash-only terms.
- Make sure suppliers are paid, so no one puts a lien on your house.
Inside Sioux Falls city limits, ask for the city roofing license too, because the state tax license does not count there. Here is how to check a roofer before you sign.
Questions about roof insurance claims in South Dakota
Will insurance replace a 10 year old roof in South Dakota?
Not always at full price. One South Dakota insurer settles wind and hail roof losses at actual cash value once the roof is 10 years or older (2024), so check your policy’s roof endorsement.
Can a roofer pay my deductible in South Dakota?
No. SDCL 37-24-50 bars residential roofers from advertising or promising to pay or rebate any part of your deductible, and a contract that does is void.
How much is a wind and hail deductible?
Check your declarations page. It may be a percentage of your home’s insured value. At 1% on a $400,000 home you pay the first $4,000; at 2% you pay $8,000.
Does homeowners insurance cover roof replacement?
It can, when a covered storm damages the roof. Wear and tear, cosmetic damage and poor installation can be excluded, and older roofs may be paid at actual cash value.
Get a free roof quote for your claim
Tell us about the job, with the date of the storm, and a local roofing contractor will call, text or email to set up a visit. The quote is free.