After a storm, a roofer at your door might say, “Your insurance will cover everything. You won’t pay a dime.” That is a welcome thing to hear when you are looking at a damaged roof and a bill you did not plan for.
The catch is that on an insured roof, your policy leaves part of the bill to you. That part is your deductible.
What you owe on an insured roof replacement
When your insurer approves a roof claim, it subtracts your deductible from what it pays. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) (opens in a new tab) puts it plainly: you will owe that deductible to the contractor.
Here is how that works with simple numbers. Say a covered roof replacement costs $15,000 and your deductible is $2,000. Your insurer pays $13,000 in total, and the other $2,000 is your share.
Your deductible can be bigger than you expect. It may be a flat dollar amount or a percentage of your home’s insured value, and some policies have a separate deductible for wind and hail (opens in a new tab). In one TDI example (opens in a new tab), a home insured for $150,000 has a 5% deductible, which works out to $7,500. A $6,500 roof repair on that policy would not be paid at all, because the repair costs less than the deductible. The declarations page of your policy lists your actual deductibles, and your agent can explain them.
Two other things can affect what you pay:
- Payment timing. With replacement cost coverage, insurers often pay in two parts. TDI explains that the first payment is the estimated repair cost minus depreciation, and the second comes after the repairs are done. Our recoverable depreciation guide explains how to collect the second payment.
- Work your insurer does not cover. Upgrades you choose, or repairs the insurer does not approve, are not part of the claim payment.
However the payments arrive, the deductible still comes from you, and Texas law says so directly. Insurance Code Section 707.002 (opens in a new tab) says the insured person shall pay any applicable deductible, and Section 707.004 lets the insurer ask for proof that you paid it before releasing the depreciation it held back. Other states handle this through the policy itself, with the same result.
How a “zero out-of-pocket” offer usually works
If the deductible is part of the bill, a roofer who promises you will pay nothing has to cover that money from somewhere. TDI describes (opens in a new tab) the common methods:
- A padded estimate. The roofer submits an estimate higher than the real cost of the work, so the extra insurance money covers your deductible. TDI notes that sending false repair costs to an insurer would be fraud.
- A rebate or credit. The roofer hands back the amount of your deductible as a rebate or credit. TDI says this is also illegal in Texas.
- A cheaper job. TDI warns that a contractor who waives your deductible is likely making up the difference by cutting corners or using lower-quality products, which can lead to more repairs later.
Sometimes “zero out-of-pocket” means “nothing due today.” That is a financing offer, and it is a different thing. You still pay the full amount, just over time. If you hear the phrase, it is fair to ask the roofer which one they mean and to get the answer in writing.
Is it legal for a roofer to cover your deductible?
In many states, no. Laws differ in who they apply to and exactly what they ban. But the states below all restrict contractors from paying, waiving, or rebating a homeowner’s insurance deductible, or from advertising that they will. This list is not complete. If your state is not here, that does not mean the practice is allowed there, and your policy still requires you to pay your deductible.
| State | What the law restricts |
|---|---|
| Texas | What the law restricts Any seller of goods or services paying, waiving, absorbing, or not collecting the deductible without the insurer’s consent, or advertising that it will. A violation is a Class B misdemeanor. |
| Colorado | What the law restricts Roofers advertising or promising to pay, waive, or rebate the deductible. |
| Minnesota | What the law restricts Residential contractors advertising or promising to pay the deductible. |
| Illinois | What the law restricts Advertising or promising to pay or rebate the deductible. |
| Indiana | What the law restricts Offering to pay or rebate the deductible. |
| Oklahoma | What the law restricts Residential and commercial roofing contractors advertising or promising to pay the deductible. |
| Missouri | What the law restricts Advertising or promising to pay or rebate the deductible. |
| Nebraska | What the law restricts Promising to rebate any part of the deductible. |
| Kentucky | What the law restricts Contractors on insurance-paid home or business property work offering to pay or rebate the deductible, or giving gifts worth more than $100. |
| Louisiana | What the law restricts Paying, waiving, or absorbing the deductible without the insurer’s consent. |
| Florida | What the law restricts Knowingly paying, waiving, or rebating a deductible with intent to defraud. A violation is a felony. |
| Utah | What the law restricts Rebating or offering to rebate any part of the deductible. |
| Wisconsin | What the law restricts Residential contractors doing roof or exterior work promising, including in ads, to pay or rebate the deductible. |
| Arizona | What the law restricts Paying, promising, or rebating the deductible on repairs in insurer-designated catastrophic storm areas. |
The full citation for each law is in the sources at the end of this guide.
A discount can count, too. A roofer who says, “I won’t waive your deductible, but I’ll knock that amount off the price,” is offering the same thing under a different name. Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Kentucky, and Wisconsin all treat a discount or allowance like that as a prohibited rebate.
Some states also give homeowners and insurers a way to push back. In Colorado, Minnesota, and Oklahoma, an insurer does not have to consider an estimate from a contractor who broke the rule. Minnesota’s Department of Labor and Industry (opens in a new tab) says violators there can face fines of up to $10,000 per violation.
Why the offer can put you at risk, too
A deductible deal is not only the roofer’s legal problem. In Louisiana, the statute (opens in a new tab) says a homeowner who submits a claim for work that breaks the rule can also be in violation, unless the homeowner promptly tells the insurer. The Georgia Attorney General’s office (opens in a new tab) warns that scammers who offer to cover a deductible may persuade homeowners to give the insurance company false reports, which can pull the homeowner into insurance fraud.
How Remi’s guaranteed price is different
Remi does not offer to waive, rebate, or absorb deductibles. Your deductible is set by your policy, and it stays yours to pay.
What Remi guarantees is something else: the price on your roofing contract. A lot of homeowners get a low quote, sign it, and then see the price climb once the old roof comes off and the crew finds rotted decking or damaged flashing. Remi’s guaranteed price is designed to stop that. Not every job has a guaranteed price, and your quote says when it does. When it does, the price Remi quotes is the price you pay, even if the job needs more repairs than expected.
The guarantee covers:
- Replacement of any damaged or rotted decking
- Necessary fascia replacement and required flashing
- Pipe jacks, pipe boots, and needed attic vents
- Extra labor for necessary repairs, and increases in material prices
It doesn’t cover new structural decking where none existed before, which is very rare, or elective fascia upgrades beyond code. Projects quoted under special discounts or promotions may not be eligible. Your written quote shows what applies to your roof.
Remi has the right contacts and a fair price to get the problem solved.
One homeowner’s repair experience. Your written quote and contract set the price and guarantee terms for your project.
So the two promises solve different problems. A deductible waiver changes what you pay compared with what your insurer was told, and that is where the legal risk comes from. A guaranteed price keeps the number you agreed to from changing after work starts. It does not change what your insurer covers or pays.
If you are in the middle of a claim, Remi can give you a roof quote at any time. Our guide Who Is Involved in a Roof Insurance Claim? explains how a roofer’s scope of work and your insurer’s estimate fit together.
Red flags in a roofing offer after a storm
These are worth a second look before you sign anything:
- A promise that you will not pay your deductible, or that insurance will pay for everything
- A rebate, gift card, cash, or “discount” tied to your claim or your deductible
- An estimate that is higher than the work described, or line items you cannot match to your roof
- Pressure to sign before your insurer has inspected, or before you have a written, itemized scope
- An offer to file or negotiate your insurance claim for you. In Georgia, for example, the Attorney General’s office notes that roofers cannot file claims on a customer’s behalf unless they are, or employ, a licensed public adjuster.
If a roofer makes one of these offers, talk to your insurance company first. In Texas, you can also call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-621-0508. In other states, your state attorney general or insurance department can tell you where to report it.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, on home policies. TDI notes that a home or auto deductible is applied to each claim, unlike a health deductible that usually covers a year. If you file two separate claims, your insurer subtracts the deductible from each one.
It depends on the numbers. If the repair costs less than your deductible, your policy pays nothing, as the TDI example above shows. TDI also notes that filing small claims may affect how much you pay for insurance later, so it can help to talk with your agent before you file.
Know your real cost
Get a price that does not change
A written, guaranteed price lets you see your real cost before you decide, with or without an insurance claim.
Sources
- 01Steps to getting your home or car insurance claim paid (opens in a new tab), Texas Department of Insurance. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 02What to know about deductibles (opens in a new tab), Texas Department of Insurance. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 03Insurance and your roof (opens in a new tab), Texas Department of Insurance. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 04Texas Insurance Code, Chapter 707 (opens in a new tab), Texas Legislature. Accessed 2026-10-25.
- 05Is it OK for a contractor to waive my deductible? (opens in a new tab), Texas Department of Insurance. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 06Texas Business and Commerce Code, Chapter 27 (opens in a new tab), Texas Legislature. Accessed 2026-10-25.
- 07Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 6 (2024), Section 6-22-105 (opens in a new tab), Colorado Office of Legislative Legal Services. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 08Minnesota Statutes 325E.66 (opens in a new tab), Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 09Contractors and insurance deductibles (opens in a new tab), Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 10Home Repair and Remodeling Act, 815 ILCS 513 (opens in a new tab), Illinois General Assembly. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 11Indiana Code 24-5-11, Real Property Improvement Contracts (opens in a new tab), Indiana General Assembly. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 12Oklahoma Statutes, Title 59, Section 1151.30 (opens in a new tab), Oklahoma State Courts Network. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 13Missouri Revised Statutes 407.725 (opens in a new tab), Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 14Nebraska Revised Statutes 44-8604 (opens in a new tab), Nebraska Legislature. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 15Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.628 (opens in a new tab), Kentucky General Assembly. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 16Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:451 (opens in a new tab), Louisiana State Legislature. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 17Florida Statutes 817.234 (opens in a new tab), Florida Legislature. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 18Utah Code 13-50-302 (opens in a new tab), Utah State Legislature. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 19Wisconsin Statutes 100.65, Residential contractors (opens in a new tab), Wisconsin State Legislature. Accessed 2026-10-25.
- 20Arizona Revised Statutes 32-1158.02 (opens in a new tab), Arizona State Legislature. Accessed 2026-10-12.
- 21Storms and Fraud (opens in a new tab), Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. Accessed 2026-10-12.
