What to Do Immediately After a Storm Damages Your Miami Roof

You’ve just come out of a major Miami storm — hurricane, tropical storm, or one of those summer thunderstorms with 80 mph gusts — and you can see roof damage. Maybe shingles in the yard. Maybe a section of tile sliding off. Maybe water already coming through a ceiling.

What you do in the next 24 hours determines whether this becomes a clean insurance claim and a fast repair, or a months-long nightmare. Here’s the right order of operations.

Step 1 — Make the house safe (in the first hour)

Before anything else, check that:

• No one is in immediate danger. If part of the roof has collapsed or there’s significant structural damage, get everyone out and call 911.
• The power is off in any wet area. If water is reaching electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures, or the breaker panel, shut off the main breaker before touching anything.
• The damage isn’t actively getting worse. A small leak now becomes a soaked ceiling in two hours. If you can’t tarp it yourself, get a roofer there fast.

Step 2 — Document everything before you touch anything (in the first 2 hours)

This is the single most important step for your insurance claim. Take photos and video of:

• Every angle of the exterior roof damage (use your phone’s zoom — don’t climb up)
• Any debris that landed on the roof or in the yard
• Every interior water stain, ceiling damage, or wet area
• Damaged personal property (electronics, furniture, anything water-damaged)
• Damaged finishes (drywall, flooring, paint)

Take more than you think you need. Insurance adjusters love to argue that damage was pre-existing or minor. Photos with timestamps remove that argument.

Step 3 — Call your insurance carrier and get a claim number

Don’t wait. The faster you file, the faster they assign an adjuster, and adjuster availability after a major storm is the bottleneck on every claim.

When you call, give them:

• Your policy number
• The date and approximate time of the storm
• A brief description of damage (“wind tore off section of shingle roof, water entering master bedroom ceiling”)
• Your phone number

Get a claim number in writing (text, email, or take a screenshot of the chat). Save it.

Step 4 — Tarp the roof (in the first 6 hours, weather permitting)

If your roof has a hole or missing section and rain is coming, you must get a tarp on it before the next rainband. Wet damage compounds: every additional rain event multiplies the cost.

If you can do it yourself safely, use a heavy-duty tarp anchored with furring strips. If the roof is steep, wet, or you’re not 100% confident, call a roofer immediately for emergency tarping. Most reputable Miami roofers have an emergency line that runs 24/7 during storm season.

BGI Roofing’s emergency line: (305) 894-6575.

Important: tarp services post-storm typically run $300–$1,000. Save the receipt — your insurance generally covers emergency mitigation under your policy’s “loss prevention” or “duty to mitigate” clause.

Step 5 — Get a contractor inspection (in the first 48 hours)

Before the insurance adjuster arrives, get an independent inspection from a licensed, HAAG-certified roofing contractor. Their written report becomes your reference document for the claim.

What you want from this inspection:

• A clear scope of damage with photos
• An estimate of repair vs. replacement cost
• An opinion on whether damage is consistent with the recent storm (vs. pre-existing wear)

BGI Roofing offers free post-storm inspections with a written report. Bring it to the adjuster’s appointment.

Step 6 — Be present for the adjuster’s visit

The insurance company will send their own adjuster to inspect the damage. Be there. Walk them through the damage with your contractor’s report in hand. Note: their job is to minimize the claim payout, not to advocate for you.

Things to do during the adjuster visit:

• Show them the pre-storm photos you have (you took some, right?)
• Show them every damaged area — both the obvious and the subtle ones
• Provide your contractor’s written estimate
• Take notes on what they say and what they’re noting
• Ask for a copy of their inspection report (you have a right to it)

Step 7 — Don’t accept the first offer if it’s not enough

The first settlement offer from a Florida insurance company is almost always lower than the actual cost of repair or replacement. You have the right to negotiate, supplement, and dispute.

If the gap between their offer and your contractor’s estimate is significant, options include:

• Have your contractor submit a supplement — additional damage or scope items the adjuster missed
• Hire a public adjuster — they work for you (not the carrier) and typically take a percentage of the increased settlement
• File an appraisal demand — invokes a formal dispute process under your policy

Step 8 — Don’t sign over your insurance benefits to a roofer

After major storms, “storm chaser” contractors flood Florida and ask homeowners to sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) form, which gives them the right to file the insurance claim for you. Never sign one without first running it past an attorney or trusted local contractor.

AOB abuse was a major driver of Florida’s insurance crisis, and Florida law has tightened around them, but they still get used. The safest path is to handle the insurance claim yourself and pay your contractor directly out of the settlement.

How BGI Roofing helps after a storm

We’re a Florida-licensed contractor (CCC1337074), HAAG-certified for inspections, and based right here in Miami-Dade. After major storms we run an emergency tarping service and free post-storm inspections.

Call (305) 894-6575 the moment damage happens. We service Pinecrest, Coral Gables, Aventura, Cutler Bay, and the rest of Miami-Dade and Broward.

Save our number now — before you need it.