Insurance claims in Louisiana: what a roofer may and may not say, and the notice your contract needs

Published November 3, 2026 · Louisiana statutes, Act 144 of 2025, Acts 32, 757 and 932 of 2026, and the Department of Insurance's advisory letters checked November 3, 2026

• Free. The claim addendum's download links come by email.
• Deepsel is our product: free estimate, invoice and scheduling software for contractors (scheduling and dispatch, quotes, invoicing, card payments). The section before the FAQ says where it fits and what it doesn't do.
• Not legal advice. Have a Louisiana attorney read the addendum before you use it.

In Louisiana a roofer may not pay, waive, absorb or rebate a homeowner's deductible, and every claim-paid contract of $1,000 or more must carry a deductible notice, word for word, in 12-point bold type.¹² You may inspect the roof, photograph it, write your own itemized estimate and do the work. You may not interpret the policy, negotiate the claim as the owner's public adjuster, take an assignment of their insurance benefits, or advertise as an "insurance claims specialist."³⁴⁵ And your estimate comes first: handing an insured an agreement that authorizes the work before your itemized estimate is a violation on its own.³

A homeowner who signs at home has three business days to cancel. The old right to cancel within 72 hours of an insurance denial was repealed in 2022, and there's no deposit cap.⁶⁷ I read the statutes, the 2025 and 2026 acts and the Department of Insurance's advisory letters on November 3, 2026, and every rule below links to its source. The general contract rules are on my Louisiana contract template page, so I don't repeat them here.

The free insurance claim addendum puts all of this on one document that attaches to your main contract. Get it three ways: copy it in Google Docs, download the Word file, or download the PDF. Pick a format, enter your email and I'll send the links.

What changed in 2025 and 2026

Many of Louisiana's claim rules are less than two years old. If you learned the claim business from someone in 2023, check what they taught you against this table. The legislature's statute pages don't show the 2026 acts yet, so for those I read the enrolled acts and the contractor board's August 2026 law book.⁸⁹

I found nothing scheduled to take effect in the next 90 days that changes claim work.

Who Louisiana's claim rules cover

They reach well past roofers. Here's each rule, who it covers, and where it starts.

Sources: the statutes in the first column.^1234613 So if your registration is home improvement and your company name says "Exteriors," the deductible and claim rules reach your siding and gutter claims exactly as they reach a roofer. The roof itself is different: a home improvement registration doesn't cover "roofing systems to any type," so residential roofing from $7,500 needs the roofing classification.¹⁶ The Louisiana contractor license page has the license details.

Can a roofer pay or waive the deductible in Louisiana?

No. R.S. 51:451 says "No person selling or engaged in the sale of goods or services shall" provide, "or advertise or promise to provide," goods or services paid from a property insurance claim where, "without the insurer's consent," the seller agrees to:¹

• "(a) Pay, waive, absorb, or otherwise decline to charge or collect the amount of the insured's deductible."
• "(b) Provide a rebate in connection with the sale of the goods or services that will offset all or part of the amount paid by the insured as a deductible."
• "(c) In any manner, assist the insured in avoiding monetary payment of the insured's deductible."

It also bars charging "an amount for such goods or services that exceeds the usual and customary charge by an amount equal to or greater than all or part of the applicable insurance deductible." Padding the price to swallow the deductible is the same violation.

The fine is up to $500 or 30 days in jail, or both, "for each offense, and each offense shall constitute a separate violation."¹ The homeowner is exposed too. An insured who submits or "knowingly" allows a claim for work that breaks the rule is in violation unless they promptly tell the insurer. The Department of Insurance adds that an ad promising to waive, pay or not charge the deductible breaks 51:451 and the insurance code's false advertising rule.¹⁷

What counts as a rebate

The statute doesn't name gift cards, referral fees, sign fees or free upgrades. It doesn't have to: it covers anything "that will offset all or part" of the deductible or helps the owner avoid it "in any manner." My reading, which your lawyer should confirm: a "yard sign fee" sized to the deductible, a gift card, a referral check to the homeowner, or a free upgrade offered because of the deductible all offset it. Financing where the owner still pays the whole deductible doesn't help them avoid paying it, by the statute's words, but ask your lawyer before you advertise it.

The one exception is "the insurer's consent." If an insurer ever agrees to a waiver, get it in writing from the insurer.

One owner: "I've lost 3 jobs so far from companies that offer to pay the deductible."¹⁸ In Louisiana the company making that offer is breaking the law. Say so politely and price the roof honestly. The script is in the checklist below.

The notice your contract needs

R.S. 51:452 requires this notice "in at least twelve-point boldfaced type" in any contract of $1,000 or more "that is reasonably expected to be paid wholly or partly with the proceeds from a claim under a property insurance policy":²

"Louisiana law requires a person insured under a property insurance policy to pay any deductible applicable to a claim made under the policy. It is a violation of Louisiana law for a seller of goods or services who reasonably expects to be paid wholly or partly from the proceeds of a property insurance claim to knowingly allow the insured person to fail to pay, or assist in the insured person's failure to pay, the applicable insurance deductible."

It goes in the contract itself. Part 1 of the addendum has it in 12-point bold, and the Louisiana contract template carries it in Section 14.

Collecting the deductible

The law doesn't say how to collect it, only that the owner pays it. Your invoice shows the full contract price, and the insurer's checks plus the deductible pay it. Take the deductible as its own payment with its own receipt. One owner's habit: "I always collect a separate check for the deductible with deductible written in the memo line."¹⁹ That record matters if the insurer, the board or a prosecutor ever asks.

If your company is a named payee on the insurer's check, the insurer now has to "verify the contractor's license status" on the contractor board's website before paying. If it can't, the law lets it hold the payment without a bad-faith penalty, as long as it tells the owner in writing within five business days.¹⁵ Keep your license active and contract under the exact name on it.

Talking to the insurer: where the line is

Louisiana licenses public adjusters under R.S. 22:1691 and the sections after it. "Public adjusting" includes "Investigating, appraising, or evaluating and reporting to an insured in relation to a first-party claim," and advertising or "representing himself to the public as a public adjuster."⁴ The license law exempts attorneys and people who furnish "technical assistance to a licensed public adjuster, or licensed attorney, including photographers, estimators." It has no exemption for contractors working on their own. Unlicensed adjusting is "the crime of the unauthorized practice of public adjusting": up to two years at hard labor, a $1,000 fine, or both.⁴

The contractor law draws the same line from the other side. R.S. 37:2159.1 forbids "Interpreting insurance policy provisions regarding coverage or duties under an insured's property insurance policy or advertising or soliciting such services," and "Adjusting a property insurance claim on behalf of an insured as a public adjuster." For these rules you answer for anyone working on your behalf, including a paid rep who isn't your employee.³ The Department of Insurance put it bluntly in 2024: "Contractors and roofers who present themselves as insurance professionals and act as de facto public adjusters are in violation of the insurance code."¹⁷ Since April 30, 2026 the commissioner can fine unlicensed people for unfair trade practices in "the resolution of a claim."¹⁴

In plain words: describe the roof and price your work, and leave the claim to the owner. The chairman of the House insurance committee summed up the legislature's view in 2025: "I think we've got to get back to roofers being tradesmen and not salesmen."²⁰ The bill as first filed would have barred roofers from assisting homeowners with claims and ended contingency contracts. Roofers pushed back. A board member of the Residential Roofing Association of Louisiana told the committee: "I don't want to be in court one day defending sending an … estimate to an adjuster." The sponsor cut the bill back to advertising and soliciting before the House passed it.²⁰²¹¹¹

The assignment of benefits ban

Since 2023, R.S. 22:1275 has said: "A person shall not solicit or accept an assignment, in whole or in part, of any post-loss insurance benefit under a residential or commercial property insurance policy. An assignment agreement is against public policy and is null and void." That includes "any right of action against the insurer or any proceeds acquired from the insurer," and a violation is an unfair trade practice.⁵ Since August 1, 2026 the ban is in the contractor law too, so the licensing board can act on it.⁸³ If a form in your sales folder assigns or transfers the owner's claim money to you, stop using it.

The adjuster meeting

The Department of Insurance tells homeowners: "Make sure you are present when the adjuster comes to your home."²² The owner meets the adjuster. If they want you there, you're there as their roofer: bring your measurements and photos, show the damage, answer questions about how the roof is built and what code or the shingle maker requires, and stop at coverage. If the adjuster misses something, put it in your own supplement afterwards.

Contingency agreements and the contract

A contingency agreement says you'll do the work if the insurer approves the claim. Louisiana doesn't ban them. As first filed, the bill that became Act 144 of 2025 would have ended them, the Louisiana Illuminator reported. The version that passed doesn't mention them.²¹¹¹ What Louisiana does regulate is the order of things. R.S. 37:2159.1(A)(3) forbids "Providing an insured with an agreement authorizing remediation, repairs, or construction prior to and without first providing a good faith estimate of the itemized and detailed costs of services and materials for remediation, repairs, or construction to be undertaken pursuant to an insured property damage claim."³ So the one-page "authorization" signed at the door before you've written a number is out. Inspect, write the itemized estimate, give it to the owner, then sign.

The agreement needs the 51:452 deductible notice at $1,000 or more, the cancellation notices if the owner signs at home, and, on a job that needs a license (residential roofing from $7,500), the six items R.S. 37:2159 requires, which the Louisiana contract template covers.² Leave out anything that assigns the owner's benefits to you or says you'll handle the claim.

The right to cancel

A home solicitation sale of $25 or more can be cancelled "until midnight of the third business day after the day on which the consumer signs." The contract must be dated the day the owner signs and carry this statement "under the conspicuous caption: 'CONSUMER'S RIGHT TO CANCEL'":⁶

"If this agreement was solicited at your residence and you do not want the goods or services, you may cancel this agreement by mailing a notice to the seller. The notice must say that you do not want the goods or services and must be mailed before midnight of the third business day after you sign this agreement. The notice must be mailed to: (Insert name and mailing address of seller). If you cancel, the seller must return all of your cash down payment."

The federal Cooling-Off Rule also applies to sales made at the buyer's home, even when the buyer invited you. It wants this in bold type of at least 10 points next to the buyer's signature: "You, the buyer, may cancel this transaction at any time prior to midnight of the third business day after the date of this transaction. See the attached notice of cancellation form for an explanation of this right." It also wants two completed copies of its Notice of Cancellation form, which Appendix A of the addendum carries word for word.²³

Louisiana accepts the federal notice as compliance with its own, and the addendum carries both.⁶ Refund every payment within 10 days and charge no fee. The contract template page explains why the state's 5 percent cancellation fee doesn't survive the federal rule.

If the claim is denied

Louisiana used to let a homeowner cancel a roofing contract "within seventy-two hours after you have been notified that your insurer has denied all or any part of your claim." That was former R.S. 37:2175.1, repealed by Act 195 of 2022.⁷ Today the law gives no denial right of its own. The owner keeps the Civil Code right to end a construction contract at any time "by paying the undertaker for the expense and labor already incurred, and such damages as the nature of the case may require."²⁴ Beyond that, your contract decides. Part 6 of the addendum gives two options: A makes the contract depend on the claim, with a full refund (less approved emergency work) if either side ends it after a written denial; B keeps a firm contract and handles a denial by change order, as the main Louisiana contract does.

When you can take money

Louisiana sets no deposit cap and no rule against taking a deposit before the insurer decides. The claim statutes are silent on it, and the contract page found no cap anywhere else.³ Two rules still shape the deposit. On a home sale the money is refundable for three business days. And if you take a payment and then do no work for 45 days, residential contractor fraud "may be inferred," "unless a longer period is specified in the contract."²⁵ On claim jobs, where the insurer can take weeks, I'd take nothing until the three days have passed and the claim is decided, or write a longer start period into the contract. Part 5 of the addendum has both choices.

Door knocking, ads and storms

I found no statewide registration for door-to-door salespeople. The state rules that bite at the door are the cancellation notice above and the advertising bans:

• No advertising or soliciting "as insurance claims specialists" or "as providing any insurance claim or policy interpretation related services to an insured."³ Take "insurance claim specialist," "we handle your claim," "we'll get your insurance to pay" and "free roof" off your yard signs, door hangers, truck and website.
• No ad promising to pay, waive or skip the deductible.¹¹⁷
• The roofing license covers anyone who "advertises, solicits" or quotes residential roofing at $7,500 or more, and the board can discipline a "misleading or false claim related to a person's license status or classification in any medium, including but not limited to digital platforms."¹³²⁶

Parishes and cities license the knocking itself. A few I checked:

• Jefferson Parish. Every solicitor needs a permit from the Sheriff's Office, with a background check and a 15-day wait, and nobody may canvass "between the hours of 8:00pm and 8:00am, except as made by appointment." Break the hours and the permit is revoked for good.²⁷
• Calcasieu Parish. The Police Jury's door-to-door permit: apply at least five days before you start, $100 per person, an FBI background check, valid for up to 90 days. Lake Charles and the other towns may have their own rules.²⁸
• East Baton Rouge Parish. House-to-house peddler permits and ID badges, issued after a State Police record check and a constable's clearance. Ask Finance-Revenue (225-389-3084) whether your canvassers need one.²⁹
• Lafayette. As of the city's 2019 notice, ordinance 55-32 bars soliciting at homes with posted "no soliciting" or "no trespassing" signs.³⁰

Other parishes and towns have their own rules, so call before your crew knocks.

After a hurricane

• Price gouging. During a declared state of emergency, prices in the emergency area "may not exceed the prices ordinarily charged for comparable goods and services in the same market area at or immediately before the time of the state of emergency," unless market swings or the real extra cost of working during the emergency explain the difference. Each sale or offer is a separate offense. The attorney general, district attorney or parish attorney can sue for an injunction, civil penalties and restitution, and a violation also carries a criminal fine of up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both.³¹
• Creating the damage. Since August 1, 2026, "Damaging or altering the property of any person with the intent to induce that person to enter into a contract" is a licensing violation, and the criminal code already lets a prosecutor infer residential contractor fraud from it.²⁶²⁵ In October 2024 the Department of Insurance ordered a Lafayette roofing company and its field rep to stop "any further insurance-related activities" in Louisiana. The rep allegedly damaged a roof during a "cold call" inspection and told the owners they could get a new roof for the cost of their deductible. He was arrested on a felony charge.³²
• Emergency tarps. If the owner called you and needs the roof dried in now, you can start inside the three days only if they give you their own handwritten, dated and signed statement describing the emergency and giving up the right to cancel. Part 7 of the addendum covers it.²³

What it costs to get it wrong

An assignment of benefits is "null and void," so it gives you no right to the insurer's money.⁵ Neither 51:451 nor 51:452 voids a contract that breaks it, and I found no other rule that does.

What to do on the next claim job

1. Before you knock. Check your license classification and that the name on your contract matches it. Get the parish or city permit for everyone who knocks. Strip claim wording from signs, door hangers and your website.
2. When they ask "will you take care of my deductible?" Say something like: "I can't. Louisiana law doesn't let a roofer pay, waive or discount your deductible, and a homeowner who goes along with it can be in trouble too. What I can do is give you a fair, written price for the roof before you sign anything. Your deductible is part of that price." If they ask you to handle the claim: "I'm a roofer, not an adjuster. I'll give you my estimate and photos, and I can be here when the adjuster comes. Coverage questions go to your insurer, a licensed public adjuster or a lawyer."
3. Document the roof. With the owner's permission, shoot each slope wide and each damaged spot close with a tape or chalk circle for scale, count layers, check the decking where you can, and keep the dated photos with the job.
4. Estimate first, then sign. Give the itemized estimate and record the date. Then sign the contract and the addendum.
5. Wait out the three business days. Tarp if it's an emergency the owner called you about, with their handwritten statement. Don't order special materials yet.
6. The adjuster meeting. The owner leads. You show the roof, your measurements and your photos. Don't discuss coverage or what the claim should pay.
7. Supplements. Write up missed items in your own document with photos. Give it to the owner, or send it to the adjuster if the owner ticked that box. Never edit the adjuster's estimate.
8. Collect the deductible. As its own payment, with a receipt that says "deductible." Record the insurer's checks the same way.
9. If the claim is denied. Follow what Part 6 of the addendum says. If the contract ends, refund within 10 days. Tell the owner they can ask the insurer to reconsider, hire a licensed public adjuster or see a lawyer. Don't argue the denial for them.

Retail or claim work?

Claims look like easy money from the outside, but most new roofing owners don't start there. Among small or new owners on Reddit who said what they do, 16 sell retail work and 5 storm work. Of 18 new-license roofing firms whose websites I could read, 8 advertise insurance or storm work, in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Utah and Virginia, none in Louisiana. One owner on the time it takes: "Some of these claims can end up being upwards of 10 or 20 hours of time spent getting it approved."³⁶ Another: "Honestly I do about half retail and half insurance. In my opinion retail is the way to go as much as you can."³⁷ And a new owner trying to start: "I have no idea how start or how the process goes."³⁸

Louisiana's storm roofers see it differently. A board member of the Residential Roofing Association of Louisiana told lawmakers that contingency agreements are 20 to 40 percent of revenue at many small firms.³⁹ That's his estimate, not a survey. If you do take claims, take fewer and do them by the book. A retail reroof pays when the job is done; a claim pays when the insurer is done.

The Louisiana insurance claim addendum

It attaches to your main roofing or exterior contract and holds:

• A first page for your license, the owner as named on the policy, the insurer, policy and claim numbers, date of loss, adjuster, deductible and mortgage company.
• Parts 1 to 3: the R.S. 51:452 notice in 12-point bold, the deductible line with the no-rebate terms, and the date you gave the itemized estimate, with a scope table in squares and sheets.
• Parts 4 to 7: the claim stays the owner's (no adjusting, no assignment, three boxes for what they ask you to do), the payment schedule from deductible to depreciation, the 45-day start rule, a contingent or firm option if the claim is denied, and emergency work.
• Part 8 and Appendix A: Louisiana's "CONSUMER'S RIGHT TO CANCEL," the federal statement by the signatures, and two Notice of Cancellation forms.
• Appendix B: the rules and penalties, for you. Remove it before the owner gets the addendum.

Copy it in Google Docs, or download the Word file or the PDF. Then pay a Louisiana attorney for an hour to read it against how you sell. That's cheap next to a licensing fine of 10 percent of a roof.

More for new roofing companies

• Roofing price per square: what to charge, crew pay and your real margin, with a free rate sheet.
• Roofing estimate template and checklist: every line from tear-off to dump fee, with a free spreadsheet and roof sheet.
• Roofing contract template: the decking and extra-layer clauses that stop you eating the cost.
• Roofing insurance and workers comp: what it costs in your state, the official comp rates and what can sink you, with a free checklist.
• Your roofing license, whether gutters and siding are included, and your first 30 days: Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Utah, Virginia.

Where Deepsel fits

Deepsel is free estimate, invoice and scheduling software for contractors. Price book items take any unit you type, like squares or sheets, quote lines take decimal quantities, and upgrades can go on as optional lines the customer ticks. A shop-wide terms text is copied onto every quote, and the customer approves and signs on screen. You can attach roof photos to the quote and job for your crew (customers don't see them), take a card deposit at approval that's credited on the final invoice, and record each payment with its method and check number, so the deductible and each insurance check stay separate. Deepsel has no insurance claim tools: no fields for the insurer, claim number, adjuster or deductible, no roof measurements, no Xactimate link. The terms text is plain, so it can't print the 12-point bold notice; attach the signed addendum. And a card deposit taken at approval on a job sold at the home is still refundable for three business days. The Free plan covers 30 estimates and 30 invoices a month for your whole team, with scheduling and dispatch, quotes, invoicing, card payments, and customer and equipment records. Pro is $29 a month with unlimited estimates and invoices. Details are on the pricing page.

Frequently asked questions

Is it illegal for a roofing company to pay your deductible in Louisiana?

Yes. La. R.S. 51:451 bars anyone paid from a property insurance claim from paying, waiving, absorbing or rebating the deductible, helping the owner avoid it in any manner, or raising the price to cover it, unless the insurer consents. The fine is up to $500 or 30 days for each offense, and the homeowner can be in violation too. Claim-paid contracts of $1,000 or more must carry the R.S. 51:452 deductible notice in at least 12-point bold.

Can a roofer talk to my insurance company in Louisiana?

A roofer can give the owner an itemized estimate (required before any agreement on a claim job), revise it when the insurer's adjustment changes the cost, and, in my reading, be on site for the adjuster's inspection as the contractor. A roofer cannot interpret the policy, adjust or negotiate the claim for the owner, or advertise claim services (R.S. 37:2159.1). Adjusting without a public adjuster license is a crime under R.S. 22:1693.

Are roofing contingency agreements legal in Louisiana?

Yes. No Louisiana statute bans them, and the 2025 bill that would have ended them was narrowed to advertising before it passed. The rule to know is R.S. 37:2159.1(A)(3): you may not give an insured an agreement authorizing the work before a good faith itemized estimate. Estimate first, then the agreement, with the 12-point deductible notice and, if signed at the home, the three-day cancellation notice.

Can a homeowner cancel a roofing contract if the insurance claim is denied in Louisiana?

Not by statute anymore. Former R.S. 37:2175.1 gave 72 hours after a denial, but Act 195 of 2022 repealed it. The homeowner still has three business days to cancel a contract signed at home (R.S. 9:3538 and the FTC rule) and the Civil Code right to end it by paying for work done and costs incurred (article 2765). A contract can add a denial right of its own, and the addendum here offers one.

Do roofers have to be licensed in Louisiana?

Yes, for residential roofing of $7,500 or more. Since January 1, 2026 that work needs the Residential Roofing or Residential Construction classification from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (R.S. 37:2156.4), and since August 1, 2026 buildings of up to four units count as residential for roofing and the liability minimum is $500,000. Reroofing has needed a permit and inspections since August 1, 2025.

What are the new roofing laws in Louisiana for 2026?

For claim work: Act 32 lets the insurance commissioner fine unlicensed people who commit unfair trade practices while aiding in resolving claims (April 30); altering an adjuster's estimate or supplement without documentation became a listed fraudulent insurance act (July 1); Act 757 put the assignment-of-benefits ban into the contractor law and made damaging property to get a contract a licensing violation (August 1); and Act 932 makes insurers verify a contractor's license before naming them on a claim check (August 1). For licensing: the Residential Roofing classification from January 1, and the $500,000 liability minimum and four-unit rule from August 1.

Is there a Google Docs, Word or PDF version of the addendum?

All three, free. The Google Docs link makes a copy in your own Drive, the .docx opens in Word, and the PDF prints as is. Appendix B holds notes for you; remove it before you hand the addendum to the owner.

Sources

1. La. R.S. 51:451, "Payments and rebates charged against insurance deductibles; sellers of goods or services prohibited" - (A)(1)(a) to (c) and (A)(2), "without the insurer's consent"; (B) and (C) the insured's own violation unless they promptly notify the insurer; (D) "fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days, or both, for each offense." legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
2. La. R.S. 51:452, "Contract paid with insurance policy proceeds; notice required" - the notice, "in at least twelve-point boldfaced type," for contracts of $1,000 or more. legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
3. La. R.S. 37:2159.1, "Contracting; prohibited acts; property insurance" - (A)(1) policy interpretation, (2) public adjusting, (3) good faith itemized estimate first, (4) to (6) attorney fees and referrals, (7) "Advertising or soliciting as insurance claims specialists," (8) claim or policy interpretation services, (9) assignment of benefits; (B) to (D) the assignment ban and R.S. 22:1969 penalties. Legislature's page (shows amendments through Acts 2025, Nos. 144 and 422): legis.la.gov; current text as amended by Act 757 of 2026 in the LSLBC law book updated August 1, 2026, pp. 22 to 23. Both read November 3, 2026.
4. La. R.S. 22:1691 (purpose), 22:1692 (definitions of "public adjuster" and "public adjusting") and 22:1693 ("License required; crime of unauthorized public adjusting": (A), (C), the (E) exemptions, (F)(1) "imprisonment at hard labor for not more than two years or fined not more than one thousand dollars, or both," (G) $5,000 per violation for a business entity). 22:1691, 22:1692, 22:1693, legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
5. La. R.S. 22:1275, "Assignment of benefits; prohibited" (Acts 2023, No. 364): (A) definition, (B)(1) "null and void," (C) unfair or deceptive trade practice, penalties under R.S. 22:1969. legis.la.gov; Louisiana Department of Insurance, Advisory Letter 2025-02 (June 20, 2025), "assignment of benefit (AOB) agreements are prohibited in the State of Louisiana," ldi.la.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
6. Home solicitation sales: La. R.S. 9:2711.1 (noncredit home solicitation sale of $25 or more; (C) noncompliance "shall be an unfair trade practice"), 9:3538 (cancel "until midnight of the third business day after the day on which the consumer signs"; (E) emergency exception), 9:3539 (the "CONSUMER'S RIGHT TO CANCEL" statement; (C) cancel "in any manner and by any means" until compliance; (D) FTC compliance counts), 9:3540 (refund "within ten days"). 9:2711.1, 9:3538, 9:3539, 9:3540, legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
7. La. R.S. 37:2175.1, "Repealed by Acts 2022, No. 195, §2," legis.la.gov; former text, 2014 edition, law.justia.com. Read November 3, 2026.
8. Act 757 of the 2026 Regular Session (Senate Bill 326), enrolled - amends R.S. 37:2159.1 (assignment ban, the "prior to and without first" estimate wording), enacts R.S. 37:2158(A)(24) to (27), raises the liability minimum to $500,000; effective August 1, 2026 per the bill history. Act, bill history, legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
9. Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, "Contractors Licensing Law and Rules and Regulations," updated August 1, 2026. lslbc.gov, read November 3, 2026.
10. La. R.S. 22:1923, definitions - (2)(p) "Presents to an insurer or insured a statement, estimate, invoice, bid, proposal, proof of loss, or any other document that misrepresents the scope of damages or costs of repairs associated with a property insurance claim" (Act 389 of 2024); (2)(q) altering an adjuster's or appraiser's estimate, a revision or a supplement "without documentation in the claim file or other means of notification to the issuer of the estimate," effective July 1, 2026 (Act 406 of 2025). legis.la.gov; Act 389 of 2024 (House Bill 651), Act and résumé digest ("Effective August 1, 2024"). All read November 3, 2026.
11. Act 144 of the 2025 Regular Session (House Bill 121), enrolled - enacts R.S. 22:1706(H)(11) and R.S. 37:2159.1(7) and (8); effective August 1, 2025 per the bill history. Act, bill history, résumé digest, legis.la.gov; R.S. 22:1706 as amended, legis.la.gov. All read November 3, 2026.
12. LSLBC, memorandum "Licensure Requirements/Permits/Inspections," August 12, 2025 - "Act 239 requires permitting and inspection of roof construction and reroofing of residential and commercial structures for any projects beginning on or after August 1, 2025." lslbc.gov, read November 3, 2026.
13. La. R.S. 37:2156.4, "Residential roofing" - "any person who advertises, solicits, undertakes, attempts, offers, or submits a price, bid, quote or estimate" for "any portion of a roofing system on a residential structure" of $7,500 or more needs Residential Roofing or Residential Construction, from January 1, 2026. legis.la.gov; LSLBC memorandum "Changes to Contractor Licensing Laws," July 13, 2026 (four dwelling units, $500,000 liability, effective August 1, 2026), lslbc.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
14. Act 32 of the 2026 Regular Session (House Bill 739) - R.S. 22:1962(G) ("Business of insurance" includes "Aiding in the resolution of a claim or benefit under an insurance policy"), R.S. 22:1968(B) (the commissioner "may issue a cease and desist order, issue a fine, or take any other action" against a person "not licensed by the department" who commits an unfair trade practice); effective April 30, 2026 per the bill history. Act, bill history, legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
15. Act 932 of the 2026 Regular Session (House Bill 1162) - R.S. 22:1892(A)(1): "if a contractor is a named payee on a check or draft intended for the repair or restoration of immovable property, the insurer or its adjuster shall first verify the contractor's license status through the website or portal of the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors"; became law without the governor's signature, effective August 1, 2026 per the bill history. Act, bill history, legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
16. La. R.S. 37:2150.1(13), "Home improvement contractor": "shall not perform any structural work that is integral to the structural integrity of any new or existing structure, including ... roofing systems to any type." LSLBC law book updated August 1, 2026, p. 4, lslbc.gov; legis.la.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
17. Louisiana Department of Insurance, Advisory Letter 2024-01, "Act 389 of the 2024 Legislative Session/Fair Play for All in the Claims Process," August 30, 2024 - on R.S. 51:451 and 22:1964(2) deductible advertising, and "Contractors and roofers who present themselves as insurance professionals and act as de facto public adjusters are in violation of the insurance code." ldi.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
18. Reddit - "I've lost 3 jobs so far from companies that offer to pay the deductible." (2025-08-04, read in an archive; the post is no longer live). reddit.com.
19. Reddit - "I always collect a separate check for the deductible with deductible written in the memo line." (2024-08-06). reddit.com.
20. Louisiana Illuminator, "Roofers could be banned from helping customers with insurance claims," April 24, 2025 - committee hearing on House Bill 121, quotes from Rep. Gabe Firment and Johnathan Davis of the Residential Roofing Association of Louisiana. lailluminator.com, read November 3, 2026.
21. Louisiana Illuminator, "Contractors might have to stop calling themselves 'insurance claims specialists' under new proposal," April 30, 2025 - "The original version of the bill would have prohibited roofing contractors from assisting customers with their homeowner insurance claims. It also would have ended the use of contingency contracts." lailluminator.com, read November 3, 2026.
22. Louisiana Department of Insurance, "Post-Disaster Insurance Guide" - "Make sure you are present when the adjuster comes to your home." ldi.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
23. Federal Trade Commission, Cooling-Off Rule, 16 CFR Part 429 - 429.0(a) (sales at the buyer's residence "including those in response to or following an invitation by the buyer"; the handwritten emergency waiver), 429.1(a) the bold 10-point statement, 429.1(b) the Notice of Cancellation, 429.1(g) refund within 10 business days. ecfr.gov, version of October 1, 2026, read November 3, 2026.
24. Louisiana Civil Code article 2765, "Cancellation of contract by owner." legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
25. La. R.S. 14:202.1, "Residential contractor fraud; penalties" - (A)(1) the 45-day inference, (A)(3) "Damages the property of any person with the intent to induce that person to enter into a contract," (C) penalties by amount, up to 20 years at hard labor at $25,000 or more. legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
26. La. R.S. 37:2158(A), grounds for discipline, as amended by Act 757 of 2026 - (2) misleading license claims "in any medium, including but not limited to digital platforms," (6) "Failure to comply with the provisions of this Chapter," (18) permits, (25) "Damaging or altering the property of any person with the intent to induce that person to enter into a contract." LSLBC law book updated August 1, 2026, pp. 19 to 21, lslbc.gov; earlier text at legis.la.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
27. Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, "Permits - Overview" and "Solicitor's Permit Instructions" (revised December 16, 2024), quoting Jefferson Parish Code sections 22-16 and 22-28 to 22-30. jpso.com, instructions, read November 3, 2026.
28. Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, "Peddlers, Door-to-Door Solicitation." calcasieu.gov, read November 3, 2026.
29. City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge, "Peddler Permits Information" and "Steps to Obtain a Peddler Permit and ID Badge in East Baton Rouge Parish." brla.gov, steps, read November 3, 2026.
30. Lafayette Consolidated Government, "Solicitation in Lafayette" (Police news, July 16, 2019), on ordinances 55-31 and 55-32. lafayetteco.gov, read November 3, 2026.
31. La. R.S. 29:732 (price gouging during a declared state of emergency; each sale or offer a separate offense), 29:734 (injunction, civil penalty, restitution; criminal penalties under R.S. 14:329.7) and 14:329.7(A) ("fined not more than five hundred dollars or be imprisoned not more than six months, or both"). 29:732, 29:734, 14:329.7, legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
32. News reports of the Department of Insurance's cease-and-desist order to a Lafayette roofing company and its field representative: Calcasieu Parish News, "Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Issues Cease-and-Desist Order to Alleged Roofing Scammers," calcasieu.info, and Baton Rouge Business Report, "Louisiana roofer issued cease-and-desist over alleged fraudulent activity," October 14, 2024, businessreport.com. Both read November 3, 2026. An arrest is not a conviction.
33. La. R.S. 37:2164(A), as amended by Act 757 of 2026 - "a fine of up to ten percent of the total contract or the value of the work bid or being performed," up to $10,000 where a value "cannot be determined or does not apply," plus administrative costs and attorney fees. LSLBC law book updated August 1, 2026, p. 25, lslbc.gov, read November 3, 2026.
34. La. R.S. 22:1969, "Violations; penalties" - up to $1,000 per act (aggregate $100,000), or up to $25,000 per act (aggregate $500,000 in any six-month period) when the person "knew or reasonably should have known." legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
35. La. R.S. 22:1924, "Prohibited activities and sanctions" - a felony, "imprisonment, with or without hard labor, not to exceed five years, or a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars, or both, on each count," plus restitution. legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
36. Reddit, r/Roofing - "Some of these claims can end up being upwards of 10 or 20 hours of time spent getting it approved" (2026-02-11). reddit.com.
37. Reddit - "Honestly I do about half retail and half insurance. In my opinion retail is the way to go as much as you can." (2025-06-05). reddit.com.
38. Reddit, r/Roofing - "Just been working with builders and new construction and wanted to start working with insurance companies. But I have no idea how start or how the process goes." (2025-10-06). reddit.com.
39. Roofing Contractor, "La. Weighs Banning Roofers from Assisting with Insurance Claims," April 30, 2025 - "contingency agreements ... account for 20% to 40% of the revenue of many small firms," per Jonathan Davis of the Residential Roofing Association of Louisiana. roofingcontractor.com, read November 3, 2026.