Avoid Roof Contractor Scams After a Storm (TDI Tips)

The short answer

After hail or wind, out-of-town crews often arrive before your adjuster does. The Texas Department of Insurance’s tip page How to avoid contracting scams (last updated December 9, 2025) is blunt: get at least three written bids, read every document before you sign, do not sign blank contracts, be wary of large upfront payments, and skip offers to waive your insurance deductible—TDI says that waiver is against the law. Pair those hiring rules with yesterday’s temporary-repair sequence: document, protect, claim, then hire carefully.

TDI’s five contractor-scam tips (opened page)

From the opened TDI contractor-scams tip:

Get more than one bid. At least three bids help you spot offers that are too high or too good to be true. Your insurance adjuster can give an idea of repair cost. Bids should be on company letterhead with phone and address. Keep copies of agreements and warranty terms.
Watch what you sign. Scammers may call a contract an “estimate” or a “release” just to get on the roof. Do not sign a contract with blank spaces—those spaces can be filled later with higher costs or different work.
Beware of misleading language. Do not sign contracts that say you agree to the listed repairs “for the value of insurance proceeds.” That can send every insurance dollar to the contractor. Make sure materials are listed; watch for low-quality substitutions.
Don’t pay up front. Be wary of large or full down payments. After a disaster, TDI states it is against the law for out-of-town contractors to ask for a down payment before they start.
Skip deductible waivers. It is against the law for a contractor to waive an insurance deductible or work the deductible into the bid. Find a new contractor; TDI points you to the Texas Attorney General at 800-621-0508 to report it.

TDI’s related page Do you know the signs of a contracting scam? adds practical hiring checks: prefer local companies, pay by check or credit card (not cash), ask for insurance/bond certificates and verify them, and ask the contractor to tell you if they contact your insurer about more work or costs. Questions: TDI Help Line 800-252-3439.

Windstorm / coastal note (if it applies)

If you are in a Texas windstorm-inspection area, TDI’s Making repairs after a storm page adds contractor-selection points: verify name/address/phone/references, confirm insurance or a bond, get three written bids, keep signed agreements and warranties, and avoid door-to-door repair pitches and cash-only or “extra-cheap” specials. East Texas inland hail claims still benefit from the same hiring discipline even when WPI-8 windstorm certificates are not in play.

How East Texas Roof Quotes fits

East Texas Roof Quotes passes each quote request to one local roofer. We do not invent claim outcomes, warranties, prices, or “we handle insurance” guarantees. Bring photos, your declarations page if you have it, and any adjuster notes. For cosmetic-hail policy language, see HO-145. For estimate disputes, see the appraisal clause post.

Short homeowner checklist

Photograph damage and save temporary-repair receipts before major work.
Collect three written bids on letterhead.
Refuse blank contracts and “insurance proceeds only” language.
Never accept a deductible waiver.
Pay by check or card; withhold final payment until work is complete and inspected.

What this post is not promising

TDI tips are consumer education, not your declarations page.
Local licensing and contract law still apply.
East Texas Roof Quotes does not act as a public adjuster and does not invent refund policies.
No guarantee a particular contractor or claim outcome.

Bottom line

TDI’s post-storm hiring order is simple: compare written bids, read every line, skip blank forms and illegal deductible waivers, and be careful with deposits. Use that filter before you commit to a full East Texas reroof.

Need a local quote? Request one through East Texas Roof Quotes. Have photos and your claim number ready if you’ve already filed.