What a storm ad can't say, by state
The rule shared by every state below: don't advertise that you will pay, waive or rebate the homeowner's deductible. Several states go further, on gifts for inspections and on handling the claim yourself. This page lists only states whose statute text was checked on the official state site; other states have their own rules, so check yours.
| State | Deductible offer in an ad | Gift for an inspection or claim | Roofer adjusting the claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | Banned as a reward for an inspection or claim; solicitations that urge a claim need 3 warnings | Banned | Banned unless a licensed public adjuster |
| Texas | Banned; a Class B misdemeanor | Not in the statutes below | Banned, even with an adjuster license |
| Colorado | Banned | Not in the statute below | Banned |
| Minnesota | Banned | Banned | Banned unless a licensed public adjuster |
| Louisiana | Banned; fine up to $500 | Not in the statute below | Not in the statute below |
Law changes and courts read it; this is what the text says as of November 14, 2026, not legal advice. These are US state laws; this page does not cover Canadian provinces.
Florida: three warnings and no gifts
Florida's section 489.147 covers roof-damage claims. A "prohibited advertisement" is a contractor's written or electronic message that "encourages, instructs, or induces a consumer to contact a contractor or public adjuster for the purpose of making an insurance claim for roof damage" unless it states, in type at least 12 points and at least half the size of the largest type used:
- The consumer pays any insurance deductible.
- Paying, waiving or rebating a deductible is insurance fraud, a third-degree felony.
- Filing a claim with false, incomplete or misleading information is insurance fraud, a third-degree felony.
Copy the statute's exact wording, not this summary.
The law's examples include "door hangers, business cards, magnets, flyers, pamphlets, and e-mails." The ban applies to "soliciting", which the statute defines as contact in person, by electronic means "directed to a specific person" such as email or phone, or by delivery to a specific person (Florida Statutes 489.147). The text does not say whether a broad search or social ad counts; adding the three statements removes the question.
The gift ban covers any offer, not only solicitations:
"Offering to a residential property owner a rebate, gift, gift card, cash, coupon, waiver of any insurance deductible, or any other thing of value in exchange for: 1. Allowing the contractor to conduct an inspection of the residential property owner's roof; or 2. Making an insurance claim for damage to the residential property owner's roof." (Florida Statutes 489.147(2)(b))
Fines run "up to a $10,000 fine for each violation", and acts by anyone paid to solicit for you count as yours (same section). After a declared state of emergency, a homeowner can cancel a roof contract within 10 days or by the official start date, whichever comes first, if the contract was signed within 180 days of the events.
Texas: advertising a deductible waiver is a crime
Texas law says the insured "shall pay any deductible applicable to a first-party claim made under the policy" (Texas Insurance Code 707.002). The advertising rule is in the Business and Commerce Code. A seller commits an offense if it:
"advertises or promises to provide a good or service to an insured under a property insurance policy in a transaction in which ... the person selling the good or service will, without the insurer's consent: (i) pay, waive, absorb, or otherwise decline to charge or collect the amount of the insured's deductible" (Texas Business and Commerce Code 27.02)
The same section also covers a rebate or credit that offsets the deductible. "An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor." Contracts of $1,000 or more paid from a claim must carry a set deductible notice in 12-point bold.
On claim handling, Texas is stricter than the others:
"A contractor may not act as a public adjuster or advertise to adjust claims for any property for which the contractor is providing or may provide contracting services, regardless of whether the contractor: (1) holds a license under this chapter" (Texas Insurance Code 4102.163)
Colorado
"A roofing contractor that performs roofing work, the payment for which will be made from the proceeds of a property and casualty insurance policy ... shall not advertise or promise to pay, waive, or rebate all or part of any insurance deductible applicable to the claim for payment for roofing work on the covered residential property." (Colorado Revised Statutes 6-22-105)
If you break it, the insurer "is not obligated to consider the estimate" you prepared, and the homeowner or insurer may sue you for damages. A roofer soliciting in Colorado "shall not claim to be or act as a public insurance adjuster", though with a signed contract you may discuss the scope of repairs with the insurer (same section).
Minnesota
Minnesota's rule covers residential roofers, building contractors and remodelers. They may not, "as an inducement to the sale or provision of goods or services to an insured, advertise or promise to pay, directly or indirectly, all or part of any applicable insurance deductible or offer to compensate an insured for providing any service to the insured." That includes paying for "allowing the residential contractor to conduct an inspection" or for "making an insurance claim" (Minnesota Statutes 325E.66).
You must also give a written notice of these rules with your first estimate, and you may not interpret a policy or adjust a claim without a public adjuster license (same section).
Louisiana
No seller may "advertise or promise to provide goods or services" paid from a property claim where, without the insurer's consent, it agrees to "pay, waive, absorb, or otherwise decline to charge or collect the amount of the insured's deductible", offset it with a rebate, or "in any manner, assist the insured in avoiding monetary payment". Penalty: a fine of "not more than five hundred dollars" or up to 30 days in jail, per offense (Louisiana R.S. 51:451). Contracts of $1,000 or more paid from a claim need a set deductible notice in 12-point bold (Louisiana R.S. 51:452).
Can I advertise a free roof inspection?
The statutes above don't ban the words "free inspection". Florida and Minnesota ban giving the homeowner something of value in exchange for letting you inspect or for filing a claim: gift cards, cash, coupons, a deductible waiver. Whether a free inspection itself is a "thing of value" isn't answered in the text. Ask a lawyer or your licensing board before you build a campaign on it.
"We handle your insurance claim"
In Texas, don't say it: the law bars advertising "to adjust claims". In Florida and Minnesota, interpreting a policy or adjusting a claim needs a public adjuster license. In Colorado you can't claim to be a public adjuster. Words that describe roofing work, such as "we inspect, document damage and give you a written estimate", stay on the roofing side of the line.
Example
Florida door hanger after a hurricane
"Hurricane damage? Call us to file your claim." It urges a claim, so it needs the three statements in type at least half the size of the headline. Adding "$100 gift card for every inspection" breaks the gift ban outright.
Texas Google ad after hail
"We'll cover your deductible" in a headline is the offense in section 27.02. "Free hail damage inspection, written estimate in 24 hours" makes no deductible or adjusting claim.
Colorado roofer's landing page
"Insurance claim experts: we fight your adjuster for you" risks claiming to act as a public adjuster. "We meet your adjuster on the roof to walk the scope of repairs, once you've signed with us" is the conduct the statute allows.
Different for you?
- Running search ads in storm season: Google Ads for roofing companies.
- License number required on your ads and truck: contractor license number in ads.
- Budget swings with hail and hurricane season: HVAC, roofing and plumbing marketing budget.
- Texting or calling homeowners from a bought list: TCPA consent for bought leads.
- Want storm ads run within these rules: Paid Ads.