Do Class 4 Impact-Resistant Shingles Lower Insurance Premiums in Texas?

Texas homeowners insurers commonly offer a premium credit for roofs that carry a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating, and the Texas Department of Insurance publishes the installation form your roofer completes so you can request it. The discount is not a fixed statewide percentage, it does not apply automatically, and it only applies to the wind and hail portion of your premium. Here is how it works in East Texas, what to submit, and how to decide whether a Class 4 roof is worth it for your home.

What Are Class 4 Impact-Resistant Shingles?

Class 4 is the highest rating under UL 2218, the Underwriters Laboratories standard for impact resistance of prepared roof coverings. In the test, steel balls of increasing size are dropped onto the shingle from set heights, and the shingle is checked for cracks on the back side. Products that withstand a 2-inch steel ball dropped from 20 feet earn Class 4. Classes 1 through 3 use smaller balls.

Most Class 4 shingles are asphalt shingles made with a modified (SBS or polymer) asphalt that stays flexible and absorbs impact instead of cracking. Some metal roofing panels and tiles also carry Class 4 ratings. Redline Roofing is certified to install Malarkey and Atlas shingles, both of which offer Class 4 products, and we install Class 4 roofs across Tyler, Longview, Kilgore and the rest of East Texas.

How the Texas Impact-Resistant Roof Discount Works

Texas has had a formal framework for impact-resistant roof credits since 1998. TDI Commissioner’s Bulletin B-0024-98 set up premium credits for roof coverings meeting UL 2218 Classes 1 through 4, with larger credits for higher classes, and required that “a certificate of installation, promulgated by the Texas Department of Insurance, must be provided to the policyholder by the installer.”

That bulletin was written for the rate system Texas used at the time. Under the current system, each insurer files its own rates and discounts, so the percentage varies by company, by territory and by the class of roof. What has not changed is the paperwork: TDI still publishes the Impact-Resistant Roofing Installation Form (PC068). Your roofing contractor certifies on that form that the product was installed to the manufacturer’s specifications and that the packaging carried the UL 2218 classification, the manufacturer’s name, the date of manufacture and the brand name. You keep the original and send a copy to your insurance company.

What to submit to your insurer

• The completed TDI form PC068, signed by your installer.
• A copy of your roofing invoice or contract showing the product name.
• The shingle bundle label or manufacturer spec sheet showing the UL 2218 Class 4 mark.
• Photos of the finished roof, if your agent asks for them.

Redline Roofing completes the PC068 form and provides the product documentation for every Class 4 roof we install, at no extra charge.

How Much Do Impact-Resistant Shingles Save on Insurance?

There is no single number, and any article that promises one is guessing. The original 1998 TDI schedule ranged from single digits up to the mid-30s in percentage terms for Class 4 homeowners policies depending on territory, but that schedule no longer governs what insurers charge. Today the credit is set by each company and applies to the wind and hail portion of your premium, not the whole bill.

The practical way to find your number:

• Call your agent before you sign a roofing contract and ask for the Class 4 credit for your policy and ZIP code.
• Ask whether the credit differs between Class 3 and Class 4, and whether metal qualifies.
• Ask whether the discount affects your wind and hail deductible or only the premium.
• Get the answer in writing so you can compare it to the added cost of the upgrade.

Some Texas insurers have also begun using the IBHS impact-resistance ratings in addition to UL 2218. IBHS tests shingles with laboratory-made hailstones rather than steel balls and grades damage across dents, tears and granule loss, though the institute notes the protocol “is not intended for insurance claims or legal claims handling.” If your insurer references IBHS ratings, ask which shingles on its list qualify.

Why the Discount Exists: Hail in East Texas

Insurers offer the credit because impact-rated roofs generate fewer hail claims. The National Severe Storms Laboratory classifies hail of quarter size (1 inch) or larger as severe, and East Texas sees that size hail most springs. A standard three-tab or builder-grade architectural shingle can bruise and lose granules from a 1-inch stone; a Class 4 shingle is tested against a 2-inch impact.

For homeowners who want to go further, the IBHS FORTIFIED Roof program in hail regions requires shingles rated “Good” or “Excellent” on the IBHS test, plus a sealed roof deck, ring-shank nails and stronger edge details. Redline Roofing can build to that standard on request.

Do Class 4 Shingles Pay for Themselves?

It depends on three things: the size of your insurer’s credit, how long you plan to stay in the house, and how often your neighborhood takes hail. Class 4 shingles cost more than standard architectural shingles, and the premium savings accrue slowly. The stronger financial case is usually the claim you do not have to file: a roof that survives a 1.5-inch hail event without a claim keeps your deductible in your pocket and keeps a claim off your record.

There are also non-insurance benefits: longer service life in our heat, better granule retention, and manufacturer warranties that are often longer than those on standard shingles. See our residential roofing page for the products we install.

Is a Class 4 Roof Right for You?

A Class 4 roof is a strong choice if:

• You have filed a hail claim in the last ten years, or your neighbors have.
• You plan to stay in the home long enough to collect several years of premium credits.
• Your insurer confirms a meaningful credit in writing.
• You are replacing the roof anyway, so the upgrade is only the difference in shingle cost.

It may be a weaker choice if you plan to sell within a year or two, or if your insurer offers little or no credit. In that case, a standard architectural shingle installed correctly may serve you just as well.

Class 4 Shingles and Insurance Claims

One more point that trips up homeowners: a Class 4 roof does not mean your roof cannot be damaged, and it does not mean the insurer will refuse a future claim. Very large hail can damage any roof. If a storm hits, our insurance claim assistance team inspects for free, documents the damage, and meets the adjuster on the roof. Start with a free roof inspection.

Class 4 Shingle Insurance Discount FAQs

Is the Class 4 discount required by Texas law?

Not as a fixed percentage. TDI established the framework and the installation certificate, but under the current rate system each insurer files its own credit. Ask your agent for the number that applies to your policy.

What form do I need for the discount?

TDI form PC068, the Impact-Resistant Roofing Installation Form, completed and signed by your roofing contractor. Send a copy to your insurer and keep the original.

Does a metal roof qualify for the impact-resistant discount?

Many metal roofing panels carry a UL 2218 Class 4 rating. If the product you choose is rated, the same form and process apply. Ask us for the rating documentation for the specific panel.

Will the discount lower my wind and hail deductible?

Usually it reduces the premium rather than the deductible, but some insurers structure it differently. Ask your agent.

Does the discount apply to a roof that was installed years ago?

If the roof is a documented Class 4 product, you can typically still submit the form and product documentation. Your installer can complete the form if they can verify the product used.

Do Class 4 shingles cost more?

Yes, they cost more than standard architectural shingles. We quote both options on every replacement so you can compare the difference against the credit your insurer confirms.

Can Redline Roofing install Class 4 shingles anywhere in East Texas?

Yes. We install Class 4 roofs from our offices in Tyler, Longview and Kilgore across Smith, Gregg, Rusk, Wood, Henderson and Cherokee counties.

Ready to Upgrade to a Class 4 Roof?

Redline Roofing is family owned, licensed, bonded and insured, and has installed more than 1,000 roofs across East Texas in over 20 years. We install Class 4 shingles from Malarkey and Atlas, complete the TDI form for you, and help with your insurance claim if a storm hits. We are open seven days a week, 8 AM to 7 PM. Call (903) 437-7049 or schedule a free roof inspection online.