Storm chasers: how to spot one and what your state requires

What to ask a roofer who knocks after a storm, what some state laws say about deductibles and payments, and how to check a roofer's license.

Updated October 1, 202616 official sources

On this page3 sections

1What to ask a roofer who knocks
2What state laws say after a storm
3Check the license or registration

After a hailstorm or windstorm, you may get knocks on the door, flyers and calls from roofers you've never heard of. Don't go on the roof yourself, and don't let anyone rush you into signing.

What to ask a roofer who knocks

Their license or registration number, and the name it's under. Look it up before you sign. The verify guide links each state's lookup.
A local address and phone number, and how long they've worked in your area.
A written estimate that says what they found, where, and what they'll do.
What they want paid up front, and when the rest is due.
Whether they'll start before your insurer approves or denies the claim.

Be careful with anyone who offers to pay or waive your insurance deductible, offers a gift for letting them inspect the roof or file a claim, or says they'll handle your insurer for you. Several of the states below ban deductible offers, and the insurance claims guide covers states that bar contractors from negotiating your claim.

What state laws say after a storm

These states set rules for contractors who are paid from an insurance claim. Where a row says contractors, the law covers roofers along with other contractors.

State	What the law says
Arizona	On a contract to repair a home after a catastrophic storm in an area an insurer has designated, a contractor can't start work until your insurer approves or denies the claim (unless it's needed to prevent further loss), and can't require a down payment of more than 50% of the contract. Since September 12, 2026, it also can't advertise, pay, promise or rebate your deductible, or offer you a contract while the storm or the emergency response is still going on^1-2
Florida	A contractor can't solicit you with ads urging a roof claim unless they carry the warnings the law sets out, and can't offer you a gift, cash or a deductible waiver for letting it inspect your roof or for making a claim. The required warning says it's insurance fraud, a third-degree felony, for a contractor to knowingly pay, waive or rebate a deductible with intent to defraud³
Iowa	Residential contractors doing roof or exterior storm work can't advertise or promise to rebate your deductible. The contract must carry a notice the law sets out, and it's void if the contractor rebates the deductible or negotiates your claim⁴
Minnesota	A residential contractor paid from your insurance can't advertise or promise to pay all or part of your deductible, and must give you a good-faith itemized estimate⁵
Missouri	Roof and exterior contractors can't advertise or promise to pay or rebate your deductible⁶
Nebraska	Contractors can't rebate your deductible⁷
North Dakota	Deductible rebates are banned, and a residential contractor's contract that breaks the law is void⁸
South Carolina	Builders and contractors can't promise to pay or rebate your deductible. On a roof contract paid by insurance, no payment is due until your window to cancel has passed, except for emergency work⁹
South Dakota	Residential roofing contractors can't advertise or promise to pay or rebate your deductible, and a contract that breaks the law is void¹⁰
Utah	Contractors can't rebate your deductible¹¹
West Virginia	On a residential roofing contract paid by insurance, the contractor can't take payment before your window to cancel has passed, and can't rebate your deductible or make payments to you^12-13
Wisconsin	Residential contractors can't promise to pay or rebate your deductible for roof or exterior work¹⁴

Most of these states also let you cancel the contract within a set time. The insurance claims guide has each state's window and what starts it.

This table gives examples from the states whose laws we've read on an official page. Your state's rules page on this site says what we've found for it, and a state that isn't here may still have a law like these. Find your state from the home page and open its rules page, or ask your state attorney general's office.

Check the license or registration

What a roofer needs differs by state. Kansas, for example, requires roofing contractors to register with the Attorney General,¹⁵ and Oklahoma requires them to register with the Construction Industries Board.¹⁶

The verify guide says what each state requires, links each state's lookup, and says where there's no state roofing license to check.

When you're ready, you can ask for quotes from roofers near you.

Rules from state legislatures and licensing agencies, checked September 2026.

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