Request a Callback

Home › Hurricane Prep › Contractor Scams

How this site makes money: we connect homeowners with independent licensed roofers, and a few product links may pay us a commission. Safety facts below come from the National Hurricane Center, FEMA and the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

After-storm contractor scams in Florida, and how to avoid them

By the Roofing of Miami team · Updated October 2026

If a contractor offers to waive or pay your insurance deductible, walk away. Florida Statute 489.147 bans it and calls it insurance fraud. Check every contractor's license with the Florida DBPR before you sign. Unlicensed contracting during a declared state of emergency is a third-degree felony in Florida. FEMA says its workers never charge for inspections or help.

Want a licensed roofer instead?

We pass your request to independent licensed roofers. Free, no obligation.

By sending this you agree to be contacted about your request by phone, text or email. We never sell your information. If your roof is actively leaking into the house, say so and the call gets prioritised.

Red flags

  • An offer to waive, pay or rebate your deductible. Illegal under Florida Statute 489.147.
  • Gifts or rebates in return for a roof inspection or for filing a claim. Also banned by 489.147.
  • No license number, or a license that doesn't show up on myfloridalicense.com.
  • Pressure to sign today. The Florida DFS says: after storm damage, don't sign anything, call the helpline first.
  • Anyone claiming to be from FEMA who asks for money or your financial details. FEMA says its inspectors never collect them.

Check a license

Use the Florida DBPR hurricane guide and license search, or call DBPR at (850) 487-1395. Report unlicensed activity to DBPR's hotline at (866) 532-1440.

Your right to cancel a roof contract

Under Florida Statute 489.147(6), if you sign a roof repair or replacement contract within 180 days of a declared state of emergency for your area, you may cancel it without penalty within 10 days of signing or by the official start date, whichever comes first.

Before you rely on this

This guide is general information, not legal, insurance or engineering advice. In a storm, follow your county emergency managers and the National Hurricane Center. If you are told to evacuate, go.

Common questions

Scam questions

Can a roofer pay my insurance deductible in Florida?

No. Florida Statute 489.147 bans offering to waive, pay or rebate a deductible, and the required notice calls it insurance fraud punishable as a third-degree felony.

How do I check a contractor's license in Florida?

Search on myfloridalicense.com (Florida DBPR) or call DBPR at (850) 487-1395.

Does FEMA charge for inspections?

No. FEMA says its workers do not charge for assistance, inspections or application help.

Hurricane Prep

More of the hurricane-prep guide

Roof Check

What to look at before June, and the Florida roof-age insurance rule.

Shutters

Accordion, roll-down, panels, impact glass or plywood: how they compare.

Generator

Size it to what you need, and set it up so it can't hurt anyone.

Insurance Claim

Florida claim deadlines, flood claims, and what to do first.

Sources

Checked October 6, 2026. Official guidance changes; the linked source always wins over this page.

Request a Callback