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Homeowner Protection

Don't get hit twice: roofing scams that follow every Gulf Coast hurricane.

After every storm here — Ivan, Sally, and every near-miss since — the same wave follows the wind: out-of-town trucks, door knocks, too-good deals, and paperwork designed to take over your insurance claim. We've watched neighbors get burned for thirty years. This is the playbook scammers run in NW Florida, and exactly how to beat it.

Last updated · Complete Roofing LLC · Gulf Breeze, FL · FL Lic. CCC1337480

Reviewed by Jason Taylor, third-generation Florida-licensed roofing contractor (verify FL Lic. CCC1337480 at myfloridalicense.com)

Quick answer
Slow down and verify. The five red flags: they knocked on your door, they push paperwork "just to inspect" (especially an AOB — void on policies issued on or after Jan 1, 2023), they offer to "cover" your deductible(that's insurance fraud), they want a big deposit today, or you can't verify a Florida license (prefix CCC) at myfloridalicense.com. A legitimate local roofer survives every one of those checks — ours is CCC1337480, and the check takes 30 seconds.
Fine per violation
$10,000
Florida's cap per violation of the roofing-solicitation law, § 489.147.
The AOB cutoff
Jan 1, 2023
Assignments of benefits are void on FL property policies issued on or after this date.
License prefix to demand
CCC
Florida certified roofing contractor. Verify any number at myfloridalicense.com — ours is CCC1337480.
Claim deadline
1 year
From the date of loss (Fla. Stat. § 627.70132) — scammers burn weeks you don't have.

The 5 red flags of a storm-chaser roofer

1) They knocked on your door unsolicited. 2)They push paperwork "just to take a look." 3)They offer to waive or "cover" your deductible. 4) They demand a large cash deposit today. 5)You can't verify a Florida license or a local address. Any one is a reason to pause; two or more, walk away.
  • The door knock.Legitimate local roofers are buried in calls after a storm — they don't need to canvass. Out-of-state plates, magnetic truck signs, and "we're already doing your neighbor's roof" are the classic tells.
  • Paperwork "just to inspect." You never need to sign anything to get an inspection. Some "inspection authorizations" are contracts in disguise, and the worst are AOBs that try to take over your claim (more below).
  • The deductible "deal." "We'll eat your deductible" sounds like savings; it's insurance fraud with your name attached (next section).
  • The big deposit.High-pressure "storm pricing," pay-before-work, or a deposit that "locks in your spot." Established contractors also don't raise prices after a storm — once a state of emergency is declared for the area, Florida's price-gouging law (§ 501.160) applies.
  • No verifiable license. The 30-second check below ends most scams before they start.

The deductible 'deal' that's actually insurance fraud

Florida law (§ 489.147) prohibits a contractor from paying, waiving, rebating, or absorbing your insurance deductible, and from offering anything of value — gift cards, cash, coupons — to get you to book an inspection or file a claim. The state's own required ad disclosure says it directly: the consumer is responsible for the deductible, and a contractor covering it is committing a felony.

Here's why it matters to youand not just the roofer: a "waived" deductible doesn't vanish — it gets buried in an inflated claim your insurer pays, which is a false insurance claim with your signature on the paperwork. Fines run up to $10,000 per violation for the contractor, and knowingly going along with a padded claim can expose the homeowner too. A legitimate quote states the real price and leaves your deductible where the law puts it: with you.

The AOB pitch is dead — don't sign one

An Assignment of Benefits hands a contractor the right to your insurance money and your claim. Florida ended the practice: on property policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, an attempted AOB is void, invalid, and unenforceable. By mid-2026 essentially every Florida homeowner's policy is under the ban — so anyone pushing an AOB is running a play that no longer exists.

The legitimate model is simple: youfile and control your claim; your roofer documents the damage, writes the repair scope, and meets the adjuster with you. That's how we work every storm claim — the full process is in our Florida roof insurance guide and the Pensacola claims walkthrough.

How to verify any roofer in 30 seconds

Go to myfloridalicense.com → Verify a License → search the company name or license number. You want a current CCC(certified roofing contractor) license, a real local address, and proof of insurance on request. No CCC number, no deal — unlicensed contracting is a crime in Florida, and during a declared state of emergency it's a third-degree felony.

Do the same check on us — Complete Roofing LLC, license CCC1337480, Gulf Breeze. Then ask any roofer the vetting questions in our questions to ask a roofer guide: who actually installs (employees or subs), what the workmanship warranty says, and whether the quote itemizes materials. Anyone who won't itemize is hiding something; anyone offering to "waive your deductible" just told you everything.

Signed something you regret? Move fast.

Florida gives homeowners a cancellation window on storm-period roofing contracts — up to 10 days from signing, or until the contractor's official start date, whichever comes first — when the contract was signed within 180 days of an event under a governor-declared state of emergency covering your area (§ 489.147(6)). The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule generally allows 3 business days on door-to-door sales. Cancel in writing immediately and keep proof you sent it.

If you think you've been defrauded, report it: the Florida Attorney General's office (1-866-9-NO-SCAM) handles price gouging and consumer fraud, DBPR takes unlicensed-contracting complaints (1-866-532-1440), and your insurance carrier's fraud line wants to hear about deductible schemes. And don't let a dead-end contract eat your claim window — Florida bars claims reported more than 1 year after the date of loss (Fla. Stat. § 627.70132), so every week a scammer burns is claim time you don't get back. Then get a legitimate assessment of where your roof actually stands — start with what hurricane damage really looks like or our hurricane recovery checklist.

This page is general information for Florida homeowners, current as of July 2026 — not legal advice. Statutes cited: Fla. Stat. §§ 489.147, 489.127, 817.234, 627.7152(13), 627.70132, 501.160. For your specific situation, consult an attorney or the agencies above.

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Got Questions?

Post-Storm Roofing Scams — Frequently Asked

No — and any roofer who offers is telling you they commit insurance fraud. Under Florida law (§ 489.147), a contractor may not pay, waive, rebate, or absorb your deductible, and the required disclosure on roofing ads states plainly that doing so is a felony. You are responsible for your deductible; a legitimate contract says so. Walk away from anyone who opens with a 'free roof' or 'we'll handle your deductible' pitch.

No. Florida voided AOBs on property policies issued on or after January 1, 2023 — an attempted assignment is void, invalid, and unenforceable — so any contractor still pushing one is either behind the law or counting on you not knowing it. A legitimate roofer works on a regular contract while you keep control of your own claim. Complete Roofing has never required an AOB.

Go to myfloridalicense.com, choose 'Verify a License,' and search the company or license number. A Florida certified roofing contractor's license starts with CCC — ours is CCC1337480. While you're there, confirm the license is current and check the business address matches what you were told. If a 'roofer' can't give you a CCC number, they cannot legally contract roofing work in Florida.

Only if they hold a Florida contractor license — an out-of-state license doesn't transfer. Unlicensed contracting is a crime in Florida, and during a declared state of emergency the penalty is elevated to a third-degree felony. Some out-of-town companies do register properly, but the door-knocking crews that appear the week after a storm frequently don't. The license check above settles it in 30 seconds.

Not automatically — but treat unsolicited door-knocking as a reason to slow down, not speed up. The legitimate local companies are buried in calls after a storm and rarely canvass. Whoever knocks: don't sign anything on the spot, don't pay a deposit, verify the license, and get a second local estimate. A real company is still happy to do the job a week later; pressure to sign today is itself a red flag.

Often, yes — but the window is short, so act fast. If you signed within 180 days of an event covered by a governor-declared state of emergency and your property is in the declared area, Florida law (§ 489.147(6)) lets you cancel a roofing repair or replacement contract without penalty within 10 days of signing or before the contractor's official start date, whichever comes first. Separately, the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule generally allows 3 business days to cancel door-to-door sales. Put the cancellation in writing immediately and keep proof of delivery. If a contractor tells you a storm-period contract can't be cancelled, that's another red flag.

Want a straight answer from a local, verifiable roofer?

Free storm-damage inspections across Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Milton, and the Panhandle — photo-documented, no pressure, no AOB, and we price storm work the same as any other job. Verify us first: CCC1337480 at myfloridalicense.com.

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