Storm and hurricane roof damage in Miami

Storm season here runs June through November, and the aftermath brings two waves. The first is the damage. The second is a wave of out-of-state trucks and door knockers working neighborhoods, and Florida has written a lot of law specifically because of what that second wave has historically done to homeowners.

Three rules are worth knowing before anyone hands you a clipboard. A contractor cannot legally offer to pay, waive or rebate your insurance deductible, so the free roof pitch is unlawful on its face. Assignment of benefits, where you sign your claim over to a contractor, is no longer available on newer Florida policies. And your window to give your insurer notice of a hurricane or windstorm claim is generally one year from the date of loss, with eighteen months for a supplemental claim, which is far shorter than it used to be.

Storm damage to look for

• Missing, cracked or shifted tiles, especially along ridges and hips
• Lifted, creased or torn shingles
• Debris impact marks or punctures
• Detached or bent drip edge, fascia and eave metal
• Lifted or peeled membrane on a flat roof
• Water staining inside that appeared after the storm
• Granules collected in gutters and at downspout outlets

How a storm claim is supported

Documentation first. A dated inspection with photographs, noting the type and pattern of damage, is the foundation of a claim. Emergency tarping happens at the same visit if water is getting in, and that gets photographed too because mitigation is usually covered and is expected of you.

You file with your own insurer. That is not a formality, it is now how it works, since you can no longer sign the claim over. A reputable contractor supports your claim with documentation, meets the adjuster on site, and provides a written scope. They do not run the claim for you and should not offer to.

Then the repair or replacement itself, permitted and inspected like any other roofing work, with a clear written statement of what insurance is covering and what you are paying. Your deductible is yours to pay. Anyone offering to make it disappear is offering to break the law with your name on the paperwork.