Hurricane Repair Scams in Florida: What Owners Should Watch For

This is the classic pitch, and in Florida it’s illegal for residential property. A contractor can’t offer you a rebate, gift, cash, or a waived deductible in exchange for letting them inspect your roof or file a roof claim (§489.147). Florida law treats knowingly paying, waiving, or rebating a deductible as insurance fraud, a third-degree felony.

The deductible is your cost. A contractor who offers to make it disappear is either padding the claim to cover it or planning to cut corners on the work. Either way, you’re the one who signed the claim.

Storm chasers used to have owners sign an assignment of benefits, which handed the insurance claim to the contractor. For residential and commercial property policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, Florida law makes those assignments void (§627.7152). If someone asks you to sign over your claim, that’s a sign they’re either out of date or hoping you are.

A contractor also can’t interpret your policy, tell you what’s covered, or negotiate your claim for you unless they’re a licensed public adjuster (§489.147). A good contractor gives you a detailed, itemized estimate and lets you and your insurer handle the claim. If they give you a repair agreement to sign, Florida requires a good-faith, itemized estimate to go with it.

Flyers, door hangers, and emails that push you to file a roof claim have to say, in large print, that you’re responsible for your deductible and that waiving it or filing a false claim is insurance fraud (§489.147). One that leaves those warnings out is breaking the law before you’ve even called.

Out-of-state crews need a Florida license like anyone else. Contracting without one during a declared state of emergency is a third-degree felony (§489.127). Before anyone touches your building, get their license number and check it with the state. It takes five minutes.

Asking for a large share of the money up front, especially in cash, is how storm chasers get paid before they leave town. On residential work, a contractor who takes more than 10% up front has to apply for permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days of the permits being issued, unless you agree to something else in writing (§489.126). Keep deposits small, pay by check or card, and tie later payments to finished, inspected work.

Pressure to sign on the spot is a tactic, not a deadline. Florida generally gives you 1 year from the date of loss to report a new property claim and 18 months for a supplemental claim (§627.70132). That doesn’t mean you should wait: report damage to your insurer promptly and take steps to prevent more damage. But it does mean you have time to get more than one quote.

Florida’s price-gouging law also bans unconscionable price jumps on essential goods, including lumber, after a state of emergency is declared (§501.160).

1. Photograph and video the damage before anything is moved or repaired, and keep receipts for emergency fixes like tarps and water extraction.
2. Call your insurance company or agent yourself to report the claim.
3. Do only what's needed to stop more damage until you've compared real quotes.
4. Get at least two or three written, itemized quotes from licensed pros, and check every license.
5. Never sign anything that gives a contractor rights to your insurance claim or payments.
6. Before final payment, ask for written lien releases from the contractor's subcontractors and suppliers, so they can't put a lien on your property if the contractor doesn't pay them.

• Offers to pay, waive, or rebate your deductible
• Asks you to sign over your insurance claim or benefits
• Offers to talk to your insurer for you, but isn't a licensed public adjuster
• No license number, or one that doesn't match the company
• Wants a big deposit, or cash
• Wants a signature today
• Flyer pushes you to file a claim, with no deductible and fraud warnings