The honest homeowner's playbook for a storm-damage roof insurance claim — what to do, what to avoid, and what Texas law actually requires.
If a roofer offers to waive your deductible, walk away. It's illegal in Texas, and it tells you exactly how they'll treat your roof.
Eight steps from the storm to a repaired roof. Knowing the order keeps you in control — and makes the scams in the next section easy to spot.
Take photos and video of all the damage, note the date, and save any damaged shingles or materials.
Tarp or temporarily cover the roof to prevent more damage — and keep your receipts, since that cost is often reimbursable.
Check your deductible amount, wind/hail coverage, ACV vs. RCV, and any filing deadline.
Open the claim with your insurer.
Your insurer's adjuster inspects the roof and writes a damage scope.
A licensed local roofer reviews the scope for accuracy — but does not negotiate the claim for you (that's the law).
Once the scope is approved, schedule the repair. You pay your deductible.
Your insurer releases recoverable depreciation after the work is done and you've shown proof you paid your deductible.
After a big storm, out-of-town crews flood the neighborhood. Here are the offers that should end the conversation — every one of them is a red flag.
Or "you pay nothing out of pocket." It's illegal in Texas (see below) — the single biggest red flag there is.
The same thing in disguise — your deductible is being buried inside inflated pricing.
A "rebate" equal to your deductible is still illegal — a rebate is a waiver by another name.
One that conveniently covers your deductible amount means the scope is being inflated to your insurer.
Door-knockers right after a storm — "storm chasers," often out of town, gone before the warranty ever matters.
A roofer willing to commit insurance fraud to win your job is showing you how they'll treat the work — cut corners, cheap materials, future leaks, and a voided warranty.
In Texas you are legally required to pay your insurance deductible. Under Texas House Bill 2102 (Texas Insurance Code §707.002), effective September 1, 2019, it is a criminal offense for a roofing contractor to pay, waive, rebate, or absorb your deductible. (The related Business & Commerce Code §27.02 also requires the deductible notice on insurance-funded contracts.)
A first violation is a Class B misdemeanor — up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. Homeowners who knowingly go along with it can face insurance-fraud consequences and denial of their claim.
Your insurer can require reasonable proof you paid your deductible — a canceled check, money order, credit-card statement, or a financing/installment agreement — before releasing recoverable depreciation. Texas requires insurance-funded contracts of $1,000 or more to include a notice (12pt) that the policyholder must pay the deductible. HBR's contracts include this notice.
If a contractor offers to waive, rebate, or absorb your deductible, you can report it to the Texas Attorney General Consumer Protection Hotline, 800-621-0508, or the Texas Department of Insurance.
Get a free, no-obligation storm-damage inspection — dated photos and an honest assessment you can take to your insurer.
You file with your insurer, and you always pay your deductible — the approved scope and payout are the insurer's call. Anyone who promises a specific outcome is breaking the law. What we promise is an honest inspection and quality work.
Related reading: Roof Repair vs. Replacement · All roofing resources
We bring this same honest, by-the-law approach to storm-damaged homes across the Houston area:
Storm damage isn't always visible from the ground. We'll get on the roof, document what the storm actually did with dated photos, and give you an honest assessment — plus a written quote the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call (281) 881-2775
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