Guide
Impact-resistant shingles in Colorado: what Class 4 means
Updated
After a Colorado hail claim, the upgrade conversation is almost always the same. Here is what the rating means, and how to make the extra cost visible on the bid.
What Class 4 is
Impact resistance for roof coverings is graded Class 1 to Class 4 under the UL 2218 steel ball impact test. Class 4 is the highest, requiring the product to withstand the largest test impact without cracking. It is a laboratory impact classification of a new product, not a warranty against Colorado hail.
- It does not mean the roof cannot be damaged. Large or wind-driven hail can still mark or break a Class 4 product.
- It does not automatically mean cosmetic dents are covered. Some policies exclude cosmetic damage; that is a policy question, not a product question.
- It does not change your deductible. Only your policy does that.
The premium credit question, honestly
Many insurers writing in Colorado offer a premium credit for impact-resistant roofing. The credit's size, the qualifying products and the proof required all vary by insurer; some require the manufacturer's certificate for the specific product installed.
We cannot tell you what your credit will be, and neither can a roofer. Ask your own insurer or agent, in writing, before you pay for the upgrade, and ask exactly what documentation they want at installation.
Class 4 and impact-resistant shingles in Colorado Springs
Nothing about the rating changes in Colorado Springs. A Class 4 shingle there is the same UL 2218 classification as in Denver, and the premium credit is still your insurer's to state, not the roofer's.
What is local is the permit: the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department charges $135.00 for an asphalt shingle reroof of a house (read 2 November 2026). So are the published prices: see roof replacement cost in Colorado Springs.
How to price it properly
- Ask every bidder for the like-for-like price and the Class 4 alternate as two separate lines on the same bid, using the same measured squares.
- Get the product name and its impact classification in writing, since not every product a salesperson calls impact-resistant is Class 4.
- Ask what documentation the manufacturer supplies at installation, because that is what your insurer will want.
- Confirm who pays the difference where insurance is funding a like-for-like replacement. Upgrades are normally yours to fund.
- Check the manufacturer's warranty terms on the impact-rated product, which are not the same as the standard product's.
Colorado ground snow load and wind requirements are set through your local building department's adopted code, not the state. They can affect fastening and underlayment choices alongside the impact rating. Ask which local requirements the bid is built to, and see who licenses roofers in Colorado.