Commercial building insurance quote in Texas

If you own a commercial building in Texas and need a quote, the two things that shape it most are hail and wind. Inland owners in Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio usually face questions about roof age and a separate wind and hail deductible. Owners on the coast, from Corpus Christi to Galveston and Brownsville, may also need windstorm coverage from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) when private insurers will not write wind. Burch Insurance Group quotes apartment, retail, office, warehouse and mixed-use buildings and shows you what each option covers and excludes.

Why does my Texas building have a separate wind and hail deductible?

Many Texas commercial property quotes split the deductible in two: a flat dollar deductible for most losses and a separate deductible for wind and hail. The wind and hail deductible is often a percentage of the insured value of the building, not a flat amount. A 2% deductible on a building insured for $3,000,000 means the first $60,000 of a hail claim is yours.

That is why comparing quotes on premium alone can mislead you. Before you sign, ask three questions about every quote:

1. Is the wind and hail deductible a flat amount or a percentage, and a percentage of what value?
2. Does it apply per building, per occurrence or per location?
3. Is roof damage paid at replacement cost or actual cash value, and is cosmetic hail damage excluded?

Our guide to roof terms, renewals and hail deductibles explains how these choices change what a claim pays.

What do insurers want to know about my roof?

In North and Central Texas, the roof often decides whether a standard insurer will quote at all. Expect questions about roof age, material, the date of the last replacement and any past hail claims. Older roofs may be offered only actual cash value settlement, or a roof surfacing exclusion for cosmetic damage.

Records help. Keep the invoice and permit for the last roof replacement, any inspection reports and photos. If you replaced a roof after a storm, make sure the new install date reaches the underwriter. A submission with documented roof work is easier to quote than one that says "unknown."

Do I need TWIA for a building on the Texas coast?

TWIA is the state's windstorm and hail insurer of last resort for the coast. It covers wind and hail only, so you still need a separate policy for fire, theft, liability and the other risks of owning the building.

According to TWIA and the Texas Department of Insurance, TWIA writes in the 14 first-tier coastal counties: Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio and Willacy. It also writes in parts of Harris County east of State Highway 146, in Pasadena, Morgan's Point, Shoreacres, Seabrook and La Porte.

To qualify, you must first have been declined wind and hail coverage by at least one licensed insurer that writes in those counties, and the building must meet TWIA's other underwriting rules. For buildings on the coast, we look at private wind options first and use TWIA for what the private market will not write.

What is a WPI-8, and why does TWIA ask for it?

TWIA requires a certificate of compliance showing the building was built to the applicable windstorm building code. The Texas Department of Insurance issues it as a WPI-8 (or WPI-8-E), and TWIA issues its own certificate, the WPI-8-C, in some cases. Structures built before January 1, 1988 do not need one. Additions, alterations, re-roofs and repairs done later must also meet the code.

This matters most when you buy a coastal building or replace its roof. If the paperwork for recent work is missing, ask about it before closing, because it can affect whether TWIA will insure the building.

How much will TWIA cover on a commercial building?

TDI lists TWIA's maximum limit for a commercial building at $4,424,000, effective January 1, 2026. The standard commercial deductible is 1% per item per occurrence, with optional 2% or 5% deductibles available for a premium credit. If your building is worth more than the TWIA limit, the amount above it has to be insured another way, and we can quote that excess wind coverage separately.

Fictional example: a Fort Worth strip center at renewal

Take a fictional eight-unit strip center in Fort Worth with a 14-year-old roof and one hail claim three years ago. The renewal offers a 3% wind and hail deductible and actual cash value on the roof. The owner sends us the policy, the loss runs, the rent roll and the roof invoice. We ask standard and surplus lines markets for terms on the same building, then lay the deductibles and roof settlement terms side by side so the owner can see what a hail claim would actually cost. This is an illustration, not a promise of a particular result.

Questions Texas building owners ask us

Can I lower my hail deductible? Sometimes, usually for a higher premium or with newer roof documentation. Ask for the price of each deductible option in writing so you can compare.

Does TWIA cover my whole building? No. TWIA covers wind and hail only. You need a separate commercial policy for the other risks.

Do I have to use TWIA if I am in Galveston or Corpus Christi? No. TWIA is for owners who have been declined by private insurers. If a private insurer will write wind, you can compare that offer first.

Do I need an agent with an office in Texas? No. Burch Insurance Group is licensed in Texas and works with Texas owners by phone and online.

Start with your renewal date

Send the renewal date, the current declarations page, five years of loss runs, the roof replacement date and, for coastal buildings, any WPI-8 or TWIA paperwork. Keep your current policy in force until replacement coverage is confirmed in writing. Our guide to coinsurance and agreed value explains another term that often changes the value of a quote.

Request a commercial property quote, or call 612-712-6407.

Burch Insurance Group is licensed in Texas.