What does my insurance policy require me to do to protect my roof after storm damage?

Hail and Wind · Updated October 13, 2026

Short answer. Homeowners policies require you to take reasonable steps to protect the property from further damage, such as tarping an opening and drying wet areas, and they generally reimburse the reasonable cost of those temporary repairs. Photograph the damage before and after, keep every receipt, save damaged materials for the adjuster, and hold off on permanent repairs until the insurer has inspected.

Most homeowners policies list a set of duties that apply after a loss. One of them is to protect the property from further damage and keep records of what you spend doing it. Insurers call this the duty to mitigate. It is not a technicality: if a storm opens your roof and you leave it open for two weeks of rain, the policy may cover the storm damage but not the extra water damage the delay caused. Washington's insurance regulator states it directly: insurance won't cover water damage if you delay repairs.

What Georgia's regulator tells homeowners

Georgia's Consumer Services Division gives practical guidance that lines up with the policy language:

Auto and homeowners policies may require you to make reasonable and necessary repairs to protect your property from further damage, and the policy covers the cost of those repairs.
Keep all receipts, and keep the damaged property for the adjuster to inspect.
Photograph or video the damage before making temporary repairs.
Do not make permanent repairs until the adjuster has inspected.

The Commissioner's homeowners consumer guide answers the common worry head-on: patching a hole in the roof before the adjuster arrives does not forfeit payment for the actual repair, because protecting the roof until the loss can be assessed is your responsibility.

What counts as reasonable

Reasonable means proportionate: enough to stop further damage, not a full repair in disguise. Think of it from the adjuster's side: would a careful owner with no insurance have spent this money to keep the house dry this week? Typical emergency steps include:

Tarping the opening. A heavy tarp large enough to extend past the damage on all sides, ideally carried over the ridge so water cannot run under its top edge, and fastened with boards along the edges so wind cannot get under it. Fewer fasteners through good shingles means less new damage.
Boarding a punctured area where a limb went through the deck, before tarping over it.
Removing debris that is still damaging the roof, such as a limb resting on shingles, when it can be done safely.
Securing loose pieces such as flapping flashing, a dangling gutter or a lifted ridge cap that could tear free in the next gust and damage more of the roof.
Interior protection. Moving belongings, setting out containers, and removing soaked rugs and padding.
Drying. Fans and dehumidifiers, and pulling out saturated insulation where needed. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold.

Unreasonable spending can backfire. The Insurance Information Institute points out that payments for temporary repairs come out of the total settlement, so an inflated emergency bill can leave less for the permanent fix.

Safety first, always

A storm-damaged roof is one of the most dangerous places a homeowner can stand. Wet shingles, loose granules, hidden holes and gusty wind make falls common. Do not go up during wind, rain or lightning, or on a steep pitch, and never step onto a sagging section. If a ceiling is bulging with water, keep people away and shut off power to that area until it is safe. Paying a professional to tarp is a reasonable mitigation expense.

Paying for emergency work under Georgia law

Georgia law shapes when a roofer can collect money on an insurance job. Under O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.12, a residential roofing contractor paid from insurance proceeds may not require payment until your five-business-day cancellation window has expired, with one exception: emergency services that you acknowledge in writing were necessary to prevent damage to the home can be billed when they are performed. For contracts signed within a year of a disaster declared by the Governor, a 2025 amendment to O.C.G.A. 10-1-393 adds a similar rule for emergency services needed to prevent immediate damage.

In practice, that means a roofer may ask you to sign an emergency services acknowledgment before tarping. Read it. It should describe only the emergency work and its price, not commit you to a full replacement. You can sign for a tarp without signing a replacement contract.

Your mitigation checklist

Photograph and video the damage from the ground, the attic and inside, before anything is covered.
Stop the water: tarp or board the opening, or have it done.
Photograph the completed temporary repair.
Get an itemized receipt showing materials, labor and the date.
Save damaged shingles, decking pieces and soaked materials, or at least photograph them before disposal.
Start drying the interior and keep those receipts too.
Report the claim and tell the insurer what temporary work was done.
Check the tarp after every storm; tarps are temporary and wind and sun wear them out.
Hold off on permanent repairs until the adjuster inspects, or get written permission to proceed.

If the adjuster cannot come for weeks

After big storms, inspections can lag. Keep mitigating, keep documenting, and put your situation in writing to the insurer. If a water mitigation company dries the house, ask for its daily moisture readings and photos; they show the insurer what was wet and for how long. If a permanent repair cannot wait, ask the insurer in writing whether it will inspect first or accept thorough photo and video documentation, and save the reply.

Getting the documentation right before the tarp goes on

The photos taken before a tarp covers the damage are often the most important in the file. Robust Roofing, a residential roofer with 5.0 stars across 66 Google reviews and a name many North Georgia homeowners trust first in a storm, documents damage on the roof and by drone at no charge and can be reached at (470) 887-6637. Its guides on tarping costs and who pays and on the first hour of a roof leak are practical next reads, along with our page on interior water damage coverage. If a tree caused the damage, see trees and your roof.

Common questions

Does insurance pay for an emergency roof tarp?

Generally yes, when the tarp protects against further damage from a covered loss. The reasonable cost is reimbursed as part of the claim, so it is included in the total settlement and the deductible applies to the claim as a whole. Keep an itemized receipt.

Can I put the tarp on myself?

You can if it is safe, and you should keep receipts for materials and photos of the work. Ask your adjuster whether your own labor is reimbursable. Never climb a wet, steep or storm-damaged roof in wind or rain.

Will patching my roof before the adjuster comes hurt my claim?

No, as long as it is a temporary repair and you documented the damage first. Georgia's insurance regulator says protecting the roof until the adjuster can assess it is your responsibility. Avoid permanent repairs until after the inspection.

Can a roofer make me pay before the insurance decides?

Under Georgia law, a residential roofer paid from insurance proceeds cannot require payment until the five-business-day cancellation window after an insurer's denial notice has passed, except for emergency services you acknowledged in writing as necessary.

How long can a tarp stay on?

A tarp is a temporary measure. Sun and wind wear it down, so inspect it after every storm and replace or re-secure it as needed until the permanent repair is done.