The short answer (September 2026): Stay off the roof and away from downed power lines. Photograph the damage from the ground and inside, keep receipts, and have a licensed roofing contractor make temporary repairs that stop more water getting in. Report the damage to your insurer promptly: under Florida law, a new claim is barred unless reported within one year of the loss.
This checklist is for homeowners in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Monroe counties in the days after a hurricane or severe storm. It is written by a roofing contractor. It is not legal or insurance advice, and your policy wording decides what is covered.
Hours 0–24: make it safe first
Nothing on the roof is worth an injury. Before you look at the roof at all:
- Stay clear of fallen power lines. The CDC’s advice after a hurricane is to watch for lines “hanging overhead,” stay clear of fallen lines and “call the electric company to report them” [1]. The National Weather Service adds weakened walls and sidewalks to the list of hazards to watch for [2].
- Do not go back into a damaged building until it is declared safe. The CDC says not to enter a damaged building “until local authorities determine it is safe” [1]. The National Weather Service says to stay out if you smell gas or floodwater remains around the building [2].
- Run generators outside only. Keep portable generators and other fuel-burning equipment outside, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents, and use a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector [1].
- Do not climb onto the roof. Wet tile, loose shingles, debris and a deck you cannot see are exactly how people get hurt after storms. Everything you need for now can be seen from the ground, from a window or from inside. Our storm damage guide explains what you can honestly check without a ladder.
- If you have to leave the house, secure it, turn off gas, water and electricity, and give your insurer a phone number where you can be reached [3].
Hours 0–48: document everything
Florida’s Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights advises policyholders to take “photographs or video of damage before and after any repairs,” keep the damaged property if feasible, and keep all receipts [3]. Your insurer must send you that Bill of Rights within 14 days after your first communication about a claim [3].
Photograph, with the date visible or noted:
- Outside, from the ground: every side of the roof, missing or broken tiles and shingles, lifted metal panels, bent flashing and edge metal, damaged gutters, and any debris or fallen trees on the roof.
- Inside: ceiling stains, dripping, wet insulation you can see from the attic hatch without climbing in, and damaged contents.
- The storm itself: its name and the date the damage happened. The claim deadlines run from the date of loss [4].
- Anything removed: broken tiles or debris a contractor takes off the roof. Keep samples if you can [3].
The nine signs of roof storm damage, and how to tell them from normal wear, are a useful list of what to look for.
Hours 24–72: stop the water with a licensed contractor
A temporary repair, such as a secured tarp or a dry-in patch, keeps a small opening from becoming wet insulation, ceilings and mold. The Bill of Rights advises you to “make and document emergency repairs that are necessary to prevent further damage” [3].
Before you sign anything:
- Call your insurer first if you can. The Bill of Rights advises contacting your insurance company “before entering into any contract for repairs” to confirm any managed repair provisions or preferred vendors in your policy [3].
- Verify the license. Use the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) license search at myfloridalicense.com, and check for complaints [3][5].
- Ask for proof of insurance before any work begins [3].
- Get a written, itemized estimate. A contractor may not give you an agreement authorizing repairs on an insurance claim without a good-faith estimate of the itemized and detailed cost of services and materials [6].
- Photograph before and after the temporary repair, and keep the invoice [3].
Perkins’ roof repair team handles temporary protection and permanent repairs from the Miami and Jupiter offices.
Within days: report the claim
Report storm damage to your insurer as soon as you reasonably can, even while repairs are still being scoped. Florida law sets outer limits that you should never plan around:
| Claim type | Deadline to give notice to the insurer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New claim or reopened claim | Within 1 year after the date of loss | s. 627.70132 [4] |
| Supplemental claim (additional loss from the same peril) | Within 18 months after the date of loss | s. 627.70132 [4] |
After you report, the Bill of Rights says you have the right to an acknowledgment of the claim within 7 days, and, within 60 days, subject to any dual interest noted in the policy, full payment, payment of the undisputed portion, or a denial [3]. The Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of Consumer Services runs a toll-free helpline for claim questions [3].
An insurer’s adjuster decides what the policy pays. A documented roof insurance inspection gives you your own record of the roof’s condition. Perkins can document roofing findings; your insurer decides coverage.
Contractors after a storm: what Florida law says
Storm season brings door-knockers. These rules help you tell a legitimate contractor from one to avoid. For the full buyer’s checklist, see how to compare South Florida roofers.
Assignment of benefits has ended for newer policies
For residential property policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, a policyholder may not assign post-loss insurance benefits, in whole or in part. Florida law says an attempt to do so is “void, invalid, and unenforceable” [7]. In practice you file and manage the claim with your insurer yourself. The Bill of Rights says the same: “File all claims directly with your insurance company” [3].
What a contractor may not do
Under section 489.147, Florida Statutes, a contractor may not [6]:
- Offer you a rebate, gift, gift card, cash, coupon, waiver of your insurance deductible or anything else of value in exchange for a roof inspection or for making an insurance claim.
- Interpret your policy, advise you on coverage or adjust your claim, unless the contractor is also a licensed public adjuster.
- Pay or accept referral fees for work paid from insurance proceeds.
- Solicit you with roof-claim advertising that does not state, in the required type size, that you are responsible for your deductible and that deductible waivers and false claims are insurance fraud [6].
A 10-day right to cancel after a declared emergency
If you sign a contract to repair or replace your roof within 180 days of events covered by a Governor’s state-of-emergency declaration for your area, section 489.147 gives you the right to cancel without penalty within 10 days after signing or by the “official start date” of the work, whichever comes first [6]. The official start date is when installation of permanent materials begins, a permit is issued, or a code-compliant temporary repair is made [6]. The notice of cancellation must go by certified mail or another mailing with proof of delivery, to the address in the contract [6].
Frequently asked questions
Should I get on the roof to check for damage after a hurricane? No. Look from the ground, from windows and from inside, and photograph what you see. A licensed roofing contractor can inspect the roof itself safely.
How long do I have to report roof damage to my insurer in Florida? Florida law bars a new or reopened property claim unless notice is given within 1 year after the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months. Report as soon as you reasonably can; those are outer limits, not targets.
Can I make emergency repairs before the adjuster comes? Florida’s Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights advises making and documenting emergency repairs needed to prevent further damage, photographing before and after, and keeping receipts. Check your policy and call your insurer first if you can.
Can I sign my insurance benefits over to the roofer? Not on a residential property policy issued on or after January 1, 2023. Florida law says an attempt to assign post-loss benefits under those policies is void. You deal with your insurer directly.
A roofer offered to cover my deductible. Is that allowed? No. Florida law prohibits contractors from offering a deductible waiver, rebate, gift or anything of value in exchange for a roof inspection or an insurance claim.
Can I cancel a roofing contract I signed right after a storm? If the contract was signed within 180 days of a declared state of emergency covering your property, you can cancel without penalty within 10 days after signing or by the official start date, whichever comes first, by certified mail or another mailing with proof of delivery.
How do I check that a roofing contractor is licensed? Search the contractor’s name or license number on the Florida DBPR license portal at myfloridalicense.com, and ask for proof of insurance before work starts.
Next step
If your roof took damage, call the Miami or Jupiter office for a temporary repair and a documented inspection, or request an inspection online. To plan a replacement budget, the roof calculator measures your roof from aerial data and gives a rough estimate, not a quote. If a large part of the roof is damaged, read how Florida’s 25% roof rule applies before assuming you need a whole new roof.
This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Your policy wording controls what is covered. Statutes change; the citations below were checked on September 23, 2026.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Safety Guidelines: After a Hurricane or Other Tropical Storm.” https://www.cdc.gov/hurricanes/safety/how-to-safely-stay-safe-after-a-hurricane-or-other-tropical-storm.html
- National Weather Service, “Hurricane Safety: After the Storm.” https://www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane-after
- Section 627.7142, Florida Statutes (2026) — Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights. https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/627.7142
- Section 627.70132, Florida Statutes (2026) — Notice of property insurance claim. https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/627.70132
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, license search. https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp
- Section 489.147, Florida Statutes (2026) — Prohibited property insurance practices; contract requirements. https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/489.147
- Section 627.7152, Florida Statutes (2026) — Assignment agreements, subsection (13). https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/627.7152