In one of the most hail-prone states in the country, the impact rating on your roof is one of the few specs that affects both how long the roof lasts and what you pay to insure it. This guide from Lianro Metal Roofs explains what Class 4 means, how it is tested, which products qualify, and why it matters on the Front Range.
Class 4 is the highest impact-resistance rating in the UL 2218 standard, the test most insurers reference for hail resistance. In the test, a steel ball is dropped onto the roofing material from a set height, and the sample must show no cracking, splitting, or rupture on the back side to earn the rating. For Class 4, the test uses a 2-inch steel ball dropped from 20 feet - the most severe of the four impact levels. A related standard, FM 4473, uses ice balls to simulate hail more directly, and many premium products carry both.
It is worth knowing what the rating does not promise: a Class 4 roof is impact resistant, not impact proof. Extreme hail can still mark any roof. What Class 4 guarantees is that the material meets the toughest recognized impact benchmark, which in Colorado translates into fewer claims and, on most policies, a lower premium.
Not every "impact-resistant" shingle is Class 4 - some carry Class 3 or lower. Always confirm the specific product's UL 2218 rating before you assume it qualifies for an insurance discount. Compare full systems on our stone-coated steel page and architectural asphalt page.
Because Class 4 roofs generate fewer hail claims, most major Colorado homeowners insurers offer a premium discount for installing one. The exact amount varies by carrier and policy, so the right move is to ask your agent what your insurer offers and what documentation they need - usually a copy of the product's UL 2218 certification and the installation invoice. Over the life of the roof, that recurring discount can offset a meaningful share of the upgrade cost, on top of the value of avoiding repeated deductibles and claims.
For most Front Range homeowners, the math favors Class 4, and the best time to make the move is during a roof replacement you are already doing - especially one covered by an insurance claim, where the claim pays the base cost and you cover only the upgrade difference. You get a roof that resists the hail that wears out ordinary shingles, a recurring insurance discount, and in the case of stone-coated steel a 50-year system instead of a 20-year one. Read our stone-coated steel vs asphalt comparison or the Colorado Springs roofing cost guide to weigh the numbers, and see how a claim can fund the upgrade on our insurance claim roof replacement page.
We will show you Class 4 stone-coated steel and shingle options and help you document the rating for your insurer. Call Lianro Metal Roofs at 719-481-8026, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM, or request a free estimate online.
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