Roof Insurance Claims in Georgia and Florida: What to Know

A hailstorm or hurricane can leave roof damage you can't see from the ground, and the rules for getting it covered differ between Florida and Georgia. This guide explains the deadlines, the protections, and the limits on what a roofing contractor can do for you, with links to the laws themselves.

Florida deadlines for reporting a roof claim

Florida law sets firm notice deadlines for property insurance claims, under section 627.70132, Florida Statutes:

• New or reopened claims: you must give your insurer notice within 1 year after the date of loss. A reopened claim is one the insurer closed and you ask to reopen for additional costs on damage you already reported.
• Supplemental claims: notice is due within 18 months after the date of loss. A supplemental claim is for additional loss or damage from the same peril that the insurer has already adjusted, or for costs that come up while completing repairs on an open claim.

For hurricanes, tornadoes, windstorms, severe rain and other weather events, the statute fixes the date of loss as the date the hurricane made landfall or the date the event is verified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

These limits were shortened by Senate Bill 2-A, signed and effective December 16, 2022. Before that law, the deadlines were 2 years for new and reopened claims and 3 years for supplemental claims.

In Georgia, the time you have to report a loss is set by your policy. Look for the section on your duties after a loss, and report damage promptly.

Assignment of benefits has ended in Florida

An assignment of benefits (AOB) used to let a homeowner sign over insurance claim rights to a contractor, who then dealt with the insurer directly. Under section 627.7152(13), a policyholder may not assign any post-loss benefit under a residential or commercial property insurance policy issued on or after January 1, 2023. Any attempt to do so is void. In practice, you stay in charge of your own claim, and you pay your contractor under your contract with them.

Deductibles, rebates and gifts

Your deductible is your share of the loss. Both states make it unlawful for a contractor to make it disappear.

Florida

Under section 489.147, a contractor may not offer a residential property owner a rebate, gift, gift card, cash, coupon, waiver of any insurance deductible, or anything else of value in exchange for a roof inspection or for making a claim. It is insurance fraud, a third-degree felony, for a contractor to knowingly or willfully, and with intent to injure, defraud or deceive, pay, waive or rebate all or part of a deductible. A contractor can be fined up to $10,000 for each violation of the section.

Georgia

Georgia's House Bill 423, signed in May 2011, amended Code Section 33-23-43 so that no one may advertise or promise to pay or rebate any part of an insurance deductible as an inducement to sell goods or services. That includes discounts or allowances offered in return for putting a sign in your yard, and gifts, credits or referral fees of any kind. A violation is a misdemeanor.

Repair or replace? Florida's 25 percent rule

The Florida Building Code, Existing Building (Section 706.1.1 of the 2023 edition) says that no more than 25 percent of a roof, or of a roof section, may be repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period unless the roof covering on the whole roof or section is brought up to current code.

That changed for newer roofs. Under section 553.844(5), added by Senate Bill 4-D (effective May 26, 2022), if a roof or roof section was built, repaired or replaced to the 2007 Florida Building Code or a later edition, only the part being repaired, replaced or recovered has to meet the current code, even when that part is 25 percent or more. Local governments may not amend this exception.

Whether your policy pays for code-required work is a separate question. Under section 627.7011, Florida insurers must offer law and ordinance coverage, which pays extra costs to meet building codes. It is limited to 25 or 50 percent of the dwelling limit, and a policy is treated as including the 25 percent level unless you rejected it in writing. Check your declarations page.

What a roofing contractor can and cannot do

Florida

• A contractor may not interpret your policy, advise you about your coverage or duties, or adjust the claim for you unless the contractor also holds a public adjuster license (s. 489.147(2)(d); s. 626.854(16)).
• A contractor may suggest that you contact your insurer to find out whether a repair is covered, and may discuss or explain its bid with you or your insurer.
• A contractor must give you a good-faith, itemized estimate of services and materials before you sign an agreement for repairs under a claim.
• If you sign a roof contract within 180 days of an event covered by a Governor's state-of-emergency declaration for your area, you may cancel without penalty within 10 days or by the official start date, whichever comes first.

Georgia

• A residential roofing contractor may not represent you or negotiate on your behalf on an insurance claim for roof repair or replacement, unless licensed as a public adjuster (Code Section 10-1-393.12, enacted by HB 423).
• If you sign a roofing contract to be paid from insurance proceeds, you may cancel it before midnight on the fifth business day after your insurer tells you in writing that all or part of the claim is not covered. The contractor may not require payment until that period has passed, except for emergency work you acknowledged in writing.

What to document

FEMA's guidance on home insurance claims is a good checklist: record the date, time and cause of the damage with a detailed description, take plenty of photos and video inside and outside the property, and keep receipts for repairs. For a roof, that means wide shots of each side of the house, close-ups of missing or damaged shingles and flashing, debris in the yard, and any ceiling stains or leaks inside. Keep a copy of the inspection report and estimate. Edge 2 Edge offers free roof inspections if you want a professional record of your roof's condition.

Steps to take after storm damage

1. Stay safe. Stay off the roof and away from downed lines.
2. Write down the storm date and take photos and video before anything is moved or repaired.
3. Prevent further damage, such as tarping a leak, and keep every receipt.
4. Report the damage to your insurer. In Florida, new claims are barred after 1 year from the date of loss.
5. Get a roof inspection and an itemized written estimate from a licensed contractor.
6. Read the contract. Walk away from any offer to waive, pay or rebate your deductible.
7. Keep copies of everything you send to and receive from your insurer and contractor.

This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Policies differ — check yours, and ask your insurer or a licensed professional about your situation. Last reviewed October 2026.