Badger HomeownerWisconsin home guide

Storm Chasers: The Rules After a Storm

After hail or high wind, crews from out of town knock on doors offering fast roof and siding repairs. Wisconsin has specific rules for these contractors and for insurance-claim work. Here is what they must and can't do, and how to check them.

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What DATCP Warns

  • After storms, DATCP tells homeowners to avoid hiring door-to-door repair crews. "Storm chasers" often do poor work, or take money up front and do none.(DATCP, July 2026) They're often not from Wisconsin, which can make getting money back impossible.(DATCP)
  • They travel the Midwest in spring and summer, which makes them hard to track.(DATCP, April 2025)
  • DATCP's advice: hire established local contractors, get a written contract, get lien waivers for every payment, and keep copies.(DATCP, April 2026) Photograph and list the damage first.(DATCP)
  • Madison says contractors working on 1- and 2-family homes must hold a Wisconsin license, and out-of-state crews may not.(City of Madison) Check with the credential checker.

Insurance-Claim Rules

Wis. Stat. 100.65 covers any contractor repairing or replacing a roof, or doing other exterior work, on a 1- or 2-family home. The roof system includes coverings, sheathing, weatherproofing and insulation.(Wis. Stat. 100.65)

  • No deductible deals. The contractor can't promise to pay or rebate any part of your insurance deductible, including in ads. Discounts, gifts and referral fees count as rebates.(Wis. Stat. 100.65)
  • No claim negotiating. The contractor can't represent you or negotiate your claim with the insurer. With your consent, it can discuss the damage with you or the adjuster and submit an estimate.(Wis. Stat. 100.65)
  • A form before you sign. The contractor must give you a bold-type form asking whether the work is tied to an insurance claim, plus a cancellation notice.(Wis. Stat. 100.65)
  • Penalty: $500 to $1,000 per violation.(Wis. Stat. 100.65)
  • Bids for the claim. OCI, the state insurance regulator, says written, line-by-line bids from licensed contractors help the claim along.(OCI) Questions about an insurer, agent or adjuster go to OCI at (800) 236-8517.(DATCP)

At Your Door

DATCP's direct marketing rule covers door-to-door sellers.(ATCP 127)

  • Before anything beyond a greeting, they must tell you, out loud and in writing, the company name, their own name, that they're selling, and what.(ATCP 127)
  • Before you sign or pay, they must give you in writing what's being sold, the total cost, all material terms, and the company's name, mailing address and phone.(ATCP 127) You get a copy of anything you sign.(ATCP 127)
  • They can't threaten or harass you, and must leave when you ask.(ATCP 127)
  • They can't falsely claim you were specially selected, that the offer is limited to a few homes or a short time, or that they're with the government.(ATCP 127) A home improvement seller also can't get in by posing as a government or utility inspector, or falsely say your roof needs replacing.(ATCP 110.02)
  • If a traveling crew comes to the door, DATCP says don't let them in, note their vehicles and license plates, and call police if they start work you didn't authorize.(DATCP)(DATCP)

Madison's Solicitor Permit

  • Required. Going house to house in Madison to take orders for goods or services takes a Solicitor's Permit from the City Clerk.(MGO 9.14) Sellers carrying merchandise need a peddler permit instead.(City of Madison Clerk)
  • Background check. Applicants give fingerprints, a photo, their employer, what they sell and their criminal history, and Madison police run a background check.(MGO 9.14)
  • Cost and term. $110 a year; each solicitor needs their own permit, and permits expire December 31.(City of Madison)(MGO 9.14)
  • Ask to see it. A solicitor must carry the permit and show it to anyone they solicit who asks.(MGO 9.14) Violations can bring a fine of up to $300 per day.(MGO 9.14)
  • Who to call. City Clerk licensing: 608-266-4601.(City of Madison) Madison police non-emergency: 608-255-2345; emergencies: 911.(Madison Police)
  • Exempt: state-licensed real estate brokers and insurance agents, political candidates, regular-route delivery and government agents, among others.(MGO 9.14)

Other Dane County municipalities set their own rules. DATCP says to check with municipal officials that a crew holds any permits it needs to operate, including for door-to-door sales.(DATCP)

Cancelling

  • If insurance says no. For a contract tied to an insurance claim, you can cancel until the end of the third business day after you get the insurer's written denial, in whole or in part. Do it in writing, by hand delivery or first-class mail.(Wis. Stat. 100.65) The contractor must refund your payments within 10 days, minus the reasonable value of emergency work you approved in writing.(Wis. Stat. 100.65)
  • Signed at home. A contract over $25 signed at your home can usually be cancelled within 3 business days.(DATCP) The details, including the emergency exception, are on home improvement contracts.

Before You Hire

  1. Check the Wisconsin credential on the state lookup.(City of Madison)
  2. Get more than one written estimate, from contractors who visit the house.(OCI)
  3. Get a written contract with the work, materials, dates and warranty.(DATCP)
  4. In Madison, replacing roofing, siding or windows needs a permit. Check that it was pulled before work starts, online or at 608-266-4551 ext 1.(City of Madison)
  5. Get a lien waiver for every payment.(DATCP) See construction liens.
  6. Have the building inspector inspect the finished work before final payment.(DATCP)

Problems go to DATCP's Consumer Protection Hotline, (800) 422-7128 or DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov.(DATCP) See contractor complaints. To check whether hail hit your street, use the hail report lookup.

Questions

Can a roofer pay my insurance deductible in Wisconsin?

No. A contractor doing roof or exterior work on a 1- or 2-family home can't promise to pay or rebate any part of your property insurance deductible, and that includes discounts, gifts or referral fees used as a rebate. The penalty is $500 to $1,000 per violation.

Do door-to-door salespeople need a permit in Madison?

Yes. Selling goods or services house to house in Madison takes a Solicitor's Permit from the City Clerk, which comes with a police background check and costs $110 a year. Solicitors must show the permit to anyone they solicit who asks.

Can I cancel a roofing contract if insurance denies the claim?

Yes, for a contract tied to an insurance claim on a 1- or 2-family home. You can cancel until the end of the third business day after you get the insurer's written denial, in whole or in part, and the contractor must refund your payments within 10 days, minus the reasonable value of emergency work you approved in writing.