Class 4 shingles: what they are and whether the insurance discount pays for them
The hail-rated shingle, the UL 2218 test, the brands, the price — and the math on the premium discount for a Comal County house.
'Class 4' is the top rating in UL 2218, the impact-resistance standard for roofing. A 2-inch steel ball is dropped from 20 feet onto the shingle, twice in the same spot, and the shingle passes Class 4 if the mat underneath doesn't crack. Class 3 uses a 1.75-inch ball, Class 2 a 1.5-inch. A 2-inch steel ball hits about like 2-inch hail — the March 2022 storm, roughly — so Class 4 is the shingle rated for the hail Comal County actually gets.
How Class 4 shingles are made
Two approaches. Polymer-modified asphalt (SBS 'rubberized' shingles — Malarkey Vista and Legacy, Owens Corning Duration FLEX, CertainTeed ClimateFlex) stays flexible and absorbs the impact. Reinforced-mat shingles (GAF Timberline AS II, Owens Corning WeatherGuard HP) put a woven scrim on the back of the shingle so it can't crack through. Both work; the SBS shingles also handle heat and wind better and are what we recommend on most New Braunfels roofs.
What they cost
Class 4 shingles run $15 to $30 more per square (100 sq ft) than the standard architectural line from the same manufacturer, installed. On a typical 2,500-square-foot roof that's $1,500 to $2,500 more — 10 to 15 percent of the job. Everything else about the installation is the same.
The insurance discount
Texas insurers are not required to discount for Class 4, but nearly all of the majors do — State Farm, Allstate, Farmers, USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Travelers and most of the regional carriers. The discount is on the wind-and-hail portion of the premium and typically works out to 10 to 30 percent of the total premium, depending on the carrier and the ZIP. On a $3,500 Comal County premium that's $350 to $1,000 a year. You need the manufacturer's Class 4 certificate for the specific product and a completed installation form; we provide both.
The math for a New Braunfels house
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Class 4 upgrade cost | $2,000 | Typical 2,500 sq ft roof |
| Annual premium discount | $400 – $900 | 15–25% of a $3,000–$3,800 premium |
| Payback | 2.5 – 5 years | Roof lasts 20+ |
| Net saving over 15 years | $4,000 – $11,000 | Before counting the hail it survives |
The catch
Some carriers, having given the discount, now write policies that pay only the actual cash value (not replacement cost) on cosmetic hail damage to Class 4 roofs — the idea being that a Class 4 roof with dents but no cracked mat is still a working roof. Read the endorsement. It's still the right shingle; just know that 'cosmetic' hail on a Class 4 roof may not be a claim.
Common questions
Are Class 4 shingles worth it in New Braunfels?
Almost always. The upgrade is 10 to 15 percent of the roof, the insurance discount typically repays it in three to five years, and the roof survives the one-to-two-inch hail that totals a Class 3 roof. The exception is a house you're selling in the next year.
Which shingles are Class 4?
GAF Timberline AS II, Owens Corning Duration FLEX and WeatherGuard HP, CertainTeed Landmark ClimateFlex and NorthGate, Malarkey Vista and Legacy, Atlas StormMaster, TAMKO Titan XT. The standard Timberline HDZ and Duration are Class 3.
How do I get the insurance discount?
Send your agent the manufacturer's Class 4 certification for the exact product and the installation certificate we sign. Most carriers apply it at the next renewal; some do it immediately.
Do Class 4 shingles look different?
No. Same profiles and colors as the standard architectural lines; the difference is in the asphalt or the mat.
Is metal roofing Class 4?
Standing-seam steel is Class 4 rated and earns the same or a larger discount with most carriers. It's the other way to get there, at about twice the cost and twice the life.
Related: Shingle roofing · Roof replacement cost · Metal vs. shingles