Storm claims and your rights in Ohio
After a big wind, the knocks start. Some of the people at the door are local roofers; some drove in for the storm and will be gone when the warranty matters. Ohio law gives you a short window to change your mind, and a few habits keep you out of trouble.
On this page
Your right to cancel
- Under Ohio's Home Solicitation Sales Act (Ohio Revised Code 1345.21 to 1345.28), a sale of $25 or more made in person at your home can be cancelled until midnight of the third business day after you sign.
- The Ohio Attorney General notes that Saturdays count as business days for that deadline.
- After you cancel, the seller has 10 days to return your money.
- The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule gives you until midnight of the third business day to cancel many sales made at your home for $25 or more.
The clock starts when you sign, not when your insurer decides. If someone asks you to sign a contract "so they can talk to your insurance company," read it closely: many of those papers are a contract for the whole job.
What the Ohio Attorney General warns about
The Ohio Attorney General has warned homeowners after storms to be wary of people who show up at the door unannounced offering repairs, to get several written estimates, and not to pay large amounts up front. The Attorney General also suggests checking for complaints filed with the Attorney General's office and the Better Business Bureau before you sign.
The FTC warns that home repair scammers may knock on your door after a windstorm or other disaster and push you to decide fast.
A sane order of operations
- Cover any opening and keep the receipt.
- Have a roofer you contacted inspect and photograph the damage.
- Read your policy: deductible, any wind or hail deductible, and the deadline to report.
- If it is worth filing, file it yourself. The insurer sends an adjuster at no cost to you.
- Compare the adjuster's estimate with the roofer's. Ask the roofer to explain any gap in writing.
- Sign one contract, with one contractor, once the scope and price are clear.
About your deductible
Your deductible is your share of the loss under the policy. Be wary of anyone who offers to "take care of" it for you; ask your insurance agent how your policy treats that before agreeing to anything.
Questions people around Cincinnati ask
How long do I have to cancel a roofing contract in Ohio?
Under Ohio's Home Solicitation Sales Act (Ohio Revised Code 1345.21 to 1345.28), a sale of $25 or more made in person at your home can be cancelled until midnight of the third business day after you sign. The Ohio Attorney General notes that Saturdays count as business days for that deadline.
Should I sign with the roofer who knocked on my door?
Take their card and get a second bid from someone you contacted. The Ohio Attorney General has warned homeowners after storms to be wary of people who show up at the door unannounced offering repairs, to get several written estimates, and not to pay large amounts up front.
Do I need a public adjuster?
Most roof claims settle with the insurer's own adjuster. A public adjuster works for you, takes a fee from the claim, and is worth considering only for large or disputed losses.
Sources
- Ohio Revised Code 1345.21, Home Solicitation Sales definitions
- Ohio Revised Code 1345.22, Right to cancel a home solicitation sale
- Ohio Attorney General Business Guide: Door-to-Door Sales
- Ohio Attorney General: Following Severe Weather, Attorney General DeWine Warns of Storm Chaser Scams (March 2017)
- FTC Consumer Advice: Buyer's Remorse, The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule (September 2025)
- FTC Consumer Advice: Home Repair Scams