How do you file a siding claim on a master policy?
You file through the policy that covers the building’s exterior. On a condo or HOA that’s the association’s master policy; on an apartment it’s the owner’s. Notify the carrier and your agent promptly, submit your documentation, and let the adjuster inspect. From there the claim mostly turns on three things: that the damage is clearly tied to a storm, that siding is scoped alongside the roof, and that you know your deductible going in.
The core steps:
- Confirm the peril. Hail and wind are usually named perils on a multifamily master policy. Check yours.
- Document the damage. Dated photos of every elevation, a professional inspection, and the storm date — before any repair.
- Notify promptly. Meet the policy’s notice requirement; claims tie to a specific storm date and get weaker as it fades.
- Meet the adjuster. Walk siding and roof together, and hand over your inspection report.
- Check the estimate. Confirm siding line items are in the scope; dispute under-claims.
- Apply the deductible. Know whether it’s flat or a percentage of insured value before you assume the claim makes sense.
For the storm-week groundwork, see hail damage and insurance for multifamily.
What documentation does the claim need?
The claim needs evidence that ties the damage to a specific storm and shows its extent on both siding and roof. Date-stamped photos of every elevation, a professional inspection report, the storm event date, and any interior water-intrusion evidence are the backbone. The stronger that record, the harder it is for an adjuster to call the damage ordinary wear instead of the covered peril.
| Document | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Date-stamped damage photos | Shows extent and timing |
| Professional inspection report | Ties damage to the storm; scopes siding and roof together |
| Storm date / NWS or radar record | Corroborates the event |
| Interior water-intrusion evidence | Shows the envelope was breached |
| A defined repair scope | Keeps the adjuster’s estimate from under-scoping the work |
Kansas City’s public storm record is strong corroboration: radar has detected hail at or near Kansas City on 193 separate occasions (Interactive Hail Maps). Tie your damage to the dated event and the causation argument gets a lot easier.
What’s a percentage-based deductible, and why does it matter?
A percentage-based wind/hail deductible is figured as a percentage of the building’s insured value, not a flat dollar amount — and on a multifamily building it runs much larger than boards expect. A 1–2% wind/hail deductible against a multi-million-dollar insured value can reach into six figures. Sometimes that’s more than the documented damage, which means a smaller claim isn’t worth filing; other times the claim pays but the association still funds a large share of a covered loss out of pocket.
This is trending the wrong way in KC because hail losses are climbing and insurers are passing the cost through. Kansas home insurers paid $1.36 in losses for every $1 of premium in 2024 and raised home rates about 15% in 2025 (Insurify, citing NAIC data). Know your deductible structure before a storm, not after. Full detail: wind and hail deductibles explained.
What exclusions sink siding claims?
The biggest one is EIFS, also called synthetic stucco, which is frequently excluded or contested on master policies — moisture damage behind it usually isn’t treated the way hail damage to other cladding is (IRMI). Beyond EIFS, watch for wear-and-tear exclusions (the adjuster argues the damage is age, not the storm), cosmetic-damage limitations on metal panels, and matching limits, where the carrier pays to replace only the damaged elevations and leaves you with mismatched siding.
Common claim-killers to check in the policy:
- EIFS / synthetic stucco — frequently excluded or contested
- Wear-and-tear / deterioration — used to deny storm causation
- Cosmetic-damage exclusions — common on metal panels
- Matching / line-of-sight limits — partial replacement leaves a mismatch
- Maintenance exclusions — for damage tied to deferred upkeep
A board that knows these going in can document around them — and can push for full, matched replacement instead of a patch.
How does the claim connect to the replacement decision?
The claim and the replacement are one decision. The settlement, minus the deductible, sets how much of the new siding is paid for; the rest comes from reserves, a special assessment, or a loan. Because most KC associations reach the project without full reserves saved — neither Missouri nor Kansas requires associations to fund them — the claim outcome shapes the funding plan a lot. A well-scoped claim shrinks the assessment; an under-claim grows it.
So scope the replacement properly even while the claim is open. A re-side is also the natural moment to move to a more impact-resistant material so the next storm doesn’t restart the cycle. See how associations pay for siding and impact-resistant siding for KC hail.