Storm damage and roof insurance claims in Illinois: a homeowner's guide

Door-to-door roofers, what not to sign, the deductible rule, working with the adjuster, deposits and permits after a hail or wind storm.

Hail and wind storms are the busiest days of the year for Illinois roofers, and also the busiest for out-of-town crews and door-to-door sellers. Illinois law has specific protections for exactly this situation. This guide walks through a storm claim from the first knock on the door to the final invoice, with the rules that apply at each step.

Right after the storm

Take photos of the roof from the ground, of hail marks on gutters, downspouts, siding, window screens and cars, and of any interior leaks. Note the date and time of the storm. Make temporary repairs to stop water getting in (a tarp, a bucket) and keep the receipts; most policies expect you to prevent further damage.

You do not need to sign anything with a roofer to find out whether you have damage. Many homeowners call their insurer first and let the adjuster inspect, then get roofing bids. Others have a licensed roofer inspect first so they know what to point out. Either way works, as long as you don't sign a contract before you understand it.

The knock on the door

Door-to-door roofers are not illegal, but they are where most storm problems start. Before you let anyone on your roof:

• Ask for the Illinois roofing license number and check it on IDFPR's License Look-Up or on this site. Every person or company doing roofing work for pay needs a license, wherever it is based (225 ILCS 335/9).
• Check the license type. A limited license covers homes and residential buildings of eight units or fewer; anything bigger needs an unlimited license (225 ILCS 335/2).
• Look at the discipline record. We show IDFPR's recorded actions on each profile. Many relate to "aiding and assisting unlicensed practice", which often means a licensed company lending its name to an unlicensed crew.
• Ask where the company is based and who its qualifying party is. A real local office matters when a leak appears after the crew has moved on.

What not to sign

Some storm sellers ask homeowners to sign a short "inspection agreement" or "authorization" that turns out to be a contract for the whole roof at whatever the insurer pays. Read every page. Illinois requires a roofing contract to include the scope of work, approximate dates, contact details, the roofer's insurer and surety, a 72-hour rescission clause and other terms (225 ILCS 335/5.5). A one-page form that lacks them is not a compliant roofing contract.

If you do sign and change your mind, you have 72 hours to rescind and get a full refund of any deposit. Do it in writing and keep proof.

Your deductible is yours to pay

Illinois requires every roofing contract to state that if the owner plans to use insurance proceeds, the roofer cannot pay, waive, rebate, or promise to pay, waive or rebate any part of the insurance deductible (225 ILCS 335/5.5(b)(7)). "Free roof" and "we'll eat your deductible" offers run straight into that rule. They also usually mean the bill sent to the insurer is inflated, which puts your claim, not just the roofer, at risk.

Working with the adjuster

Your insurer decides what the policy covers. A good roofer can meet the adjuster on the roof and point out damage, and can document items the first estimate missed (such as code-required ice barrier, drip edge or ventilation) so you can ask the insurer to consider a supplement. A roofer should not tell you it will "handle your claim" for you, and you should not sign anything assigning your insurance benefits without reading it carefully. If a dispute over the amount becomes serious, you can hire a licensed public adjuster or talk to a lawyer; that is a separate profession from roofing.

Deposits and payment

The contract must say in bold type that the roofer holds any payment from you in trust until it has delivered roofing materials to your property or done most of the roofing work (225 ILCS 335/5.5(c)). Insurers often pay in two parts: the actual cash value first and the depreciation after the work is done. Keep your payments to the roofer in step with that: a modest deposit, a payment on material delivery or tear-off, and the balance when the job passes final inspection and you have the invoice and a lien waiver.

Permits

Where your town requires a roofing permit, it may issue one only to a roofer who proves a current state license, and the license number must appear on the permit (225 ILCS 335/5(a-3)). The permit is also your best record of when the roof was replaced, which future buyers and insurers will ask about.

The Home Repair and Remodeling Act

Roof work on a home is "home repair and remodeling" under 815 ILCS 513/10. For any contract the roofer must give you the pamphlet "Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights", and for a contract over $1,000 you sign an acknowledgment (815 ILCS 513/20). A written contract with the total cost and the business's name and address is required before work over $1,000 starts (815 ILCS 513/15).

A storm-season checklist

1. Photograph the damage and prevent further leaks.
2. Check the license and discipline record of anyone who wants to inspect.
3. Get two or three written estimates from licensed roofers with a real local presence.
4. Read the contract against the Illinois requirements before you sign; remember the 72-hour rescission right.
5. Pay your own deductible.
6. Tie payments to materials and progress, and keep every document.
7. Confirm the permit and the final inspection.

Updated 2026-10-16.

General information only, current as of the date above. The information on Illinois Roofer Check is not a recommendation or a guarantee of anyone's work. A license record shows registration status on the date shown, not workmanship, insurance coverage at the time of your job, or suitability for your project. Confirm license, insurance and permits directly before you hire. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.