If a storm damaged your roof, do five things in the first 48 hours: make sure everyone is safe, photograph every bit of damage before you touch it, stop the water from spreading, report the claim to your insurer and have a licensed local roofer inspect the roof before you sign anything. In Florida you have one year from the storm to report a new claim, but your policy expects you to act quickly to prevent more damage.
Most storm damage is easy to spot from the ground and from inside: lifted or missing shingles, slipped or cracked tiles, debris in the gutters and new stains on your ceilings. Then be careful who you let on your roof. After every big storm, out-of-state crews knock on doors in Broward and Palm Beach County, and Florida law now protects you from the worst of their tactics. The guide below walks through each step in order, so you can protect your home and your claim.
What to Do in the First 48 Hours
Work through these steps in order. The first ones protect your family, and the rest protect your claim.
Hours 1 to 12: safety and photos
- Check for hazards first. From the ground, look for downed power lines, a tree resting on the roof, sagging ceilings or a roofline that dips. Keep everyone away from those areas. If water is near outlets or light fixtures, turn off power to that area at the breaker panel, but only if you can reach it safely and the floor is dry. If you smell gas or see sparks, leave the house and call the utility.
- Document everything before you touch it. The next section shows where to look. Take wide photos of each side of the house, then close-ups of every damaged spot. Photograph debris where it landed. Walk every room and record stains, wet drywall and damaged belongings. A short video where you say the date and what you see is even better.
Hours 12 to 24: stop the water and keep receipts
- Stop the water from spreading. Put buckets under drips, move valuables to a dry room and run fans. Outside, a tarp is the standard temporary fix, but a wet, damaged roof isn’t safe to climb, so have a roofer install it. A good tarp runs over the ridge and is fastened with wood strips, or the next gust will take it. Our guide on how to protect your home with a tarp while waiting for roof repairs shows what a good tarp job looks like.
- Keep every receipt. Tarps, fans, dehumidifiers and hotel nights if your home isn’t livable. Many policies pay back reasonable emergency costs, but only with proof.
Hours 24 to 48: report the claim and get an inspection
- Report the claim. Call your insurer or file online as soon as you have photos. Write down the claim number, who you spoke to and when.
- Get a licensed local roofer to inspect. Ask for a written report with dated photos that shows what’s storm damage and what’s normal wear. That report helps your adjuster see the full picture.
- Compare the estimate with your deductible. If the repair costs less than your deductible, a claim won’t pay anything. The deductible section below explains how to find your number.
Free downloads: 48-hour storm damage checklist (PDF) and storm damage photo log (PDF). Print both before hurricane season and keep them with your policy papers. The photo log gives you one line per photo for the date, the area and what it shows, which is exactly what an adjuster wants to see.
Important: don’t make permanent repairs before the adjuster sees the damage. Temporary fixes like a tarp are fine, and expected. But replacing shingles or tiles, tearing out drywall or throwing away damaged materials before the inspection can make it harder to prove your claim. If you have to remove something, photograph it first with a tape measure for scale, and get your insurer’s approval in writing for anything permanent.
How to Spot Storm Damage on Your Roof Safely
Don’t climb onto the roof. Wet tile and shingles are slick, storm-weakened decking can give way, and downed power lines often hide in debris. You can see almost everything you need from the ground and from inside.
- Walk around the house. Look at each side of the roof from the yard or the street. Binoculars help. Look for gaps, lifted edges and anything sitting at an odd angle.
- Check the ground and gutters. Pieces of shingle, broken tile, metal trim and piles of granules (the sand-like coating on shingles) in the yard or at the downspouts all point to damage above.
- Look at the edges. Check the gutters, soffits (the underside of the roof overhang) and fascia (the board behind the gutters) for bends, gaps or pieces pulling away.
- Go into the attic if it’s safe. With a flashlight, look for daylight coming through, wet or dark spots on the wood and damp insulation.
- Check every ceiling. New brown stains, bubbling paint or sagging drywall mean water is already inside. Pay close attention to rooms along exterior walls.
Storm damage looks different on each type of roof, and South Florida has all four.
| Roof type | What storm damage looks like | What it can hide |
|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingle | Missing shingles, creased or lifted tabs, bare spots showing the black underlayment (the protective layer under the shingles) | Shingles that lifted and laid back down but no longer seal |
| Concrete or clay tile | Tiles slipped out of their row, cracked or broken tiles, broken ridge and hip tiles along the peaks | Cracked or torn underlayment under tiles that still look fine |
| Metal | Bent panel edges, loose trim, missing or backed-out screws | Water getting in at loosened seams and fasteners |
| Flat roof | Ponding water, blisters, torn or peeled seams, loose edge metal | Water spreading under the surface far from where it got in |
Some of the worst hurricane damage isn’t visible from the street at all. Wind can break the seal under shingles or loosen tiles without a single piece going missing. That’s why a few cracked tiles can mean more than they seem, as our article on common issues with cracked roof tiles explains. If you see any of the signs above, get a professional inspection before the next heavy rain.
What Is Different in Broward and Palm Beach County
Broward is inside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), the strictest wind zone in the Florida Building Code. Repairs there have to use products with a Miami-Dade approval, and they’re inspected to tougher rules. Palm Beach County is outside the HVHZ but still one of the highest wind areas in the state, and repair products need Florida Product Approval.
Florida’s 25 percent rule also matters after a storm. If 25 percent or more of a roof section needs repair, the building code can require that whole section to meet current code. Under Section 553.844, roofs built or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later (generally permitted after March 1, 2009) only need the repaired part brought up to code. On an older roof, a large repair can turn into a partial or full replacement.
Why Acting Fast Protects Your Home and Your Claim
A small opening in your roof can turn into a big repair bill within days.
Water that gets past the roof covering soaks the decking (the plywood under your shingles or tiles), the insulation and the drywall. In South Florida’s heat and humidity, wet materials can start growing mold in as little as 24 to 48 hours. A leak that would have cost a few hundred dollars to fix can end up costing thousands once ceilings and walls are involved.
Your insurance policy also expects you to move quickly. Most Florida policies require you to take reasonable steps to protect your home from more damage after a storm. If you don’t, the insurer can refuse to pay for damage that spread because nothing was done.
There’s a deadline too. Under Section 627.70132 of Florida law, you have one year from the date of the storm to report a new claim, and 18 months for a supplemental claim (a request for more money on a claim you already filed). Reporting early is almost always better, because adjusters get booked up fast after a hurricane.
What Your Hurricane Deductible Means for Your Wallet
Most summer storms fall under your regular deductible, often called the all other perils deductible, which is usually a flat dollar amount. If the damage came from a named hurricane, your policy’s hurricane deductible applies instead. Florida insurers must offer hurricane deductibles of $500, or 2, 5 or 10 percent of your dwelling coverage (the amount your policy would pay to rebuild the house), under Section 627.701.
A percentage adds up fast. On a home insured for $400,000, a 2 percent hurricane deductible is $8,000, and a 5 percent deductible is $20,000. The good news is that it applies once per calendar year, so a second hurricane in the same year won’t cost you a second full deductible.
Check your declarations page (the summary page of your policy) for both numbers before you start comparing repair quotes. If the repair costs less than your deductible, a claim won’t pay anything, and it may make more sense to pay for the repair yourself.
How to Spot and Avoid Storm Chasers
Storm chasers are contractors who follow big storms from town to town, knock on doors, sign as many jobs as they can and move on. Some do honest work. Many don’t, and they’re gone when the leaks start. The warning signs are almost always the same:
- They show up uninvited and push you to sign today.
- They offer to cover or “waive” your deductible, or promise a gift card or cash for letting them inspect.
- They tell you what your policy covers, or offer to “handle the insurance” for you.
- They can’t give you a Florida license number, a local address or proof of insurance on the spot.
- Their truck plates and phone number are from another state.
Here’s how they usually compare with a local roofer:
| What you notice | Local, licensed roofer | Typical storm chaser |
|---|---|---|
| How they found you | You called them, or a neighbor referred them | Knocked on your door after the storm |
| License | Florida license number on the estimate, easy to check | Vague answer, or a number that belongs to someone else |
| Address | A local office you can drive to | Out-of-state plates, a hotel or a P.O. box |
| Deductible | You pay it, as the law requires | Offers to cover or waive it |
| Insurance talk | Documents the damage and gives you an estimate | Promises a free roof or offers to handle your claim |
| Pressure | Gives you time to compare quotes | Wants a signature today |
| After the job | Still around for warranty calls | Gone when the next storm hits somewhere else |
Florida has cracked down on the worst storm chaser tactics. Under Section 489.147, a contractor can’t offer you a rebate, gift, cash or a deductible waiver in exchange for a roof inspection or an insurance claim. They also can’t interpret your policy or negotiate your claim unless they hold a public adjuster license (a state license to handle claims for homeowners).
The same law gives you a way out if you signed in a hurry. If you signed a roofing contract within 180 days after a state of emergency was declared for your area, you can cancel it without penalty within 10 days of signing, or before work officially starts, whichever comes first.
Two more rules help. For policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, you can no longer sign over your insurance benefits to a contractor (called an assignment of benefits). And if a contractor takes a deposit of more than 10 percent, Section 489.126 requires them to apply for the permit within 30 days and start work within 90 days after the permit is issued.
Before you hire anyone, look up their license on the state’s DBPR license search. It takes two minutes. Roofing work in Florida needs a certified roofing or general contractor license, and the name on the license should match the company on the estimate.
If your roof has damage, the next step is usually the insurance claim. Our guide to filing a roof insurance claim in Florida walks you through the adjuster visit and what to do if the offer comes in low. If you’re not sure whether the roof can be fixed, see roof repair vs replacement in South Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does homeowners insurance cover storm damage on an older roof?
Usually, if a covered storm caused the damage. Insurance pays for sudden damage from wind, hail or falling trees, not for normal wear and age. Some Florida policies pay less on older roofs, so check if your policy pays replacement cost or actual cash value (the value after depreciation) for the roof.
Can I still file a claim if I find the damage weeks later?
Yes, as long as you’re within one year of the storm date. But the longer you wait, the harder it is to prove the damage came from that storm and not from wear. Dated photos and a roofer’s inspection report help connect the damage to the event.
Is a free storm inspection a scam?
Not by itself. Many reputable local roofers inspect for free. It becomes a problem when the free inspection comes with a gift, a deductible waiver, pressure to sign right away or a promise that insurance will pay for a new roof.
Can my roofer talk to my insurance company for me?
A roofer can inspect the roof, document the damage, write a repair estimate and be there when the adjuster visits to point out damage. They can’t interpret your coverage or negotiate your claim unless they’re also a licensed public adjuster.
Get a Storm Damage Inspection
APEX Roofing of Delray Beach is a licensed Florida roofing contractor (CCC1336203) based in Delray Beach, not a crew that arrived with the storm. Our storm damage inspection is at no cost to you, and you’ll get dated photos of everything we find. Learn more about our storm damage roofing services, request a free online roofing estimate or call us at 561.414.2909.
