Reviewed and approved by Samuel Corso, licensed Texas insurance agent.

Published October 12, 2026

How to choose a roofing contractor in Texas after a storm

After hail or wind moves through, the knock on the door can arrive before the adjuster does. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) publishes specific guidance on contracting scams, and this guide collects it in one place: the red flags TDI names, the deductible rule that trips up honest homeowners, how to vet a roofer before you sign, and how to keep your insurance claim intact while the repair happens.

The short version. For a Texas roof repair after a storm, TDI's guidance is to hire local where possible, get several written bids, check references, read everything before signing, avoid paying in full up front, and walk away from any contractor who offers to cover your deductible. The deductible is your responsibility, and your insurance company may ask for proof you paid it.

Why do roofing scams follow Texas storms?

Storm damage draws contractors to the affected neighborhoods fast, and TDI's contracting scams page opens with the pattern: "Out-of-town scam artists may be the first to arrive at your front door after a disaster." TDI's July 2024 post-storm scam tips, published after Hurricane Beryl, make the same point: scam artists often follow a large storm or disaster.

The Office of Public Insurance Counsel (OPIC), a Texas state agency for insurance consumers, adds a sorting rule on its contractor fraud page: be wary of out-of-town contractors going door to door, especially ones who want a contract signed on the spot.

What red flags does TDI tell homeowners to watch for?

TDI's storm fraud resources page, updated in 2026, lists the common storm-repair scams with what to do about each:

• A signature before an estimate. Some contractors present paperwork to sign just to inspect the roof. TDI's contracting scams page warns: "Scammers will try to get you to sign a contract by calling it an estimate or a release just to go on your roof." Read every document before signing and make sure it is not a contract.
• Blank sections in the contract. TDI's advice is never to sign one. The contractor could fill in the blanks later with higher costs or different work.
• Insurance-proceeds language. The contracting scams page says not to sign contracts that say "Homeowner agrees to the listed repairs for the value of insurance proceeds." because, in TDI's words, the contractor then gets every penny from your insurance payment.
• Large or full payment up front. TDI's 2024 tips say never pay the entire bill up front, and note: "When a disaster is declared, it’s against the law for contractors from outside your area to ask for payment before they start work."
• Vague or missing materials. Make sure the contract lists the materials the roofer will use, and check the work as it progresses against what was promised.

Can a roofer waive my insurance deductible in Texas?

TDI says no, and the offer itself is a red flag. TDI's page on roof scams, New state law cracks down on roof scams (August 2019), explains that it is illegal for a contractor or roofer to offer to waive a deductible or promise a rebate for it, and describes how the offer gets paid for: the contractor cuts corners, uses lower quality products, or inflates the bill sent to the insurance company.

TDI's 2024 scam tips put the homeowner's side of it in one sentence: "The deductible is your responsibility, and your insurance company may ask for proof you paid it." A deductible that has been absorbed into a bid may be hard to document later. OPIC's contractor fraud page gives the same warning from the consumer side: the deductible is part of your insurance agreement, and contractors offering to waive it are the ones to beware of.

If a contractor makes the offer, TDI's advice is to hire someone else; where to report it is covered below. For how deductibles work on Texas roof claims generally, see our guide on wind and hail deductibles in Texas.

How do I vet a roofing contractor before signing?

TDI's pages converge on a short checklist:

• Get at least three written bids. The contracting scams page says: "Getting at least three bids will help you decide which offers may be too high or too good to be true." Each bid should be on company letterhead with a phone number and an address.
• Prefer local companies. TDI's 2024 tips say to try to use a local company if possible.
• Check references, and check them yourself. The 2024 tips say to call the Better Business Bureau and check the contractor's references, and TDI's roof scams page adds a caution about those who only have out-of-town references or solicit door to door.
• Ask for the certificate of insurance and bond certification. The 2024 tips say to call the companies listed on those documents to verify the coverage.
• Pay in a way that leaves a record, and not all at once. The 2024 tips advise against cash, since a check or credit card creates a record of your payments; the roof scams page says not to pay in full up front and not to make a final payment until the job is done.

OPIC's contractor fraud page adds the paper habit that protects everything else: get the terms, including the warranty, in writing, keep copies of all agreements and receipts, and photograph the completed repairs.

How do I protect my insurance claim during the repair?

The repair and the claim are two tracks, and the contract you sign affects both. TDI's contracting scams page notes: "Your insurance adjuster can give you an idea of what the repair should cost." That gives you a reference point for bids that run high.

OPIC's contractor fraud page explains that the contractor's estimate and the insurance company's estimate can differ for many reasons, and its advice is to discuss the differences with your company and contractor. TDI's 2024 tips add a request worth making at the start: ask the contractor to tell you if they contact your insurance company about more work or costs.

Our guides on roof damage insurance claims in Texas and whether home insurance covers roof damage in Texas cover the claim side in detail, from documentation to how the payment arrives.

Where do I report a contractor scam in Texas?

Three channels, each from the TDI page that gives it: TDI's 2024 tips say to report possible contracting scams to local law enforcement; TDI's roof scams page says deductible-waiver offers can be reported to the Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-621-0508; and TDI's storm fraud resources give the fraud unit's address, FraudUnit@tdi.texas.gov. For insurance questions after a storm, the 2024 tips list the TDI Help Line at 800-252-3439.

Key facts

• TDI's contracting scams page advises hiring local contractors, getting written bids on company letterhead, and checking references, and warns against signing documents presented as estimates or releases.
• TDI's storm fraud resources list the common scams: a signature before an estimate, contracts with blank sections, insurance-proceeds contract language, deductible-waiver offers, large up-front payments, and defective or lower quality materials.
• TDI's roof scams page says it is illegal for a contractor or roofer to offer to waive an insurance deductible or promise a rebate for it, and that offers can be reported to the Texas Attorney General at 800-621-0508.
• TDI's July 2024 tips say the deductible is your responsibility and your insurance company may ask for proof you paid it, and advise verifying a contractor's certificate of insurance and bond certification.
• OPIC's contractor fraud page advises getting warranty terms in writing, keeping copies of all agreements and receipts, photographing completed repairs, and discussing any gap between the contractor's and insurer's estimates with both.

Sources: Texas Department of Insurance, How to avoid contracting scams (last updated 12/9/2025), Fraud resources (last updated 7/17/2026), Do you know the signs of a contracting scam? (July 15, 2024), and New state law cracks down on roof scams (August 7, 2019, last updated 1/18/2023); Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel, Avoid contractor fraud after a disaster. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Take the next step

The checklist above costs a few phone calls and protects both the repair and the claim. The storm that damaged your roof is also a sensible moment to check the policy behind it, starting with your deductible and your roof coverage terms.

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