Emergency Tarping and Temporary Repairs: Insurance Requirements

The Duty to Mitigate: What Your Policy Requires

Every standard homeowners policy contains language requiring you to protect your property from further damage after a covered loss. The exact wording varies by carrier, but the concept is universal: if wind tears shingles off your roof and rain is forecast, you can't simply let water pour into your home and then ask your carrier to pay for the resulting interior damage. You must take reasonable action to prevent that secondary damage.

This duty exists because insurance covers the damage from the covered event — the storm, the fallen tree, the hail. It does not cover damage that could have been reasonably prevented after the initial event. If you leave an exposed roof unprotected and rain causes $15,000 in interior damage that a $300 tarp would have prevented, the carrier may deny coverage for that additional interior damage.

"Reasonable" is the operative word in this obligation. Your carrier expects you to take steps that a reasonable person would take under the circumstances. Tarping a damaged area, boarding up broken windows, catching water with buckets, and moving belongings away from leaks are all reasonable actions. Climbing onto a severely damaged roof during a storm is not — your safety comes first.

What Temporary Repairs Are Reimbursable

The costs of reasonable temporary repairs are typically covered under your policy, separate from your claim for the permanent repair. This means tarping expenses don't come out of your settlement amount — they're reimbursed in addition to the damage repair payment. Here's what qualifies.

Emergency Tarping

Tarps placed over exposed or damaged roof areas to prevent water infiltration are the most common temporary repair. Whether you install the tarp yourself or hire a service, the cost is reimbursable. This includes the tarp material, any lumber or fasteners used to secure it, and professional labor if you hire someone.

Board-Up Services

If storm damage broke windows, damaged doors, or created openings in your home's envelope, boarding up those openings to prevent water, wind, and intrusion is a reimbursable temporary repair. This includes plywood, screws, and labor to install.

Water Extraction

Removing standing water from your home after a roof breach prevents mold growth and structural damage. Wet-dry vacuums, pumps, fans, and dehumidifiers used to extract water and dry the affected areas are reimbursable expenses. If you hire a water mitigation company, their charges are typically covered.

Temporary Patches

Small patches applied to holes, cracks, or gaps in the roof surface to stop immediate water entry qualify as temporary repairs. Roof sealant, roofing cement, and patching materials used to address specific leak points are reimbursable. The key is that these are temporary measures, not permanent repairs.

How to Document Temporary Repairs

Documentation of temporary repairs serves two purposes: it proves you fulfilled your duty to mitigate, and it supports your reimbursement request. Without proper documentation, you may have difficulty getting these costs covered. Here's what to capture.

Before Photos

Photograph the damage before you begin any temporary repairs. These "before" photos are critical because they show the adjuster what the damage looked like in its original state. Once you tarp over the damage or patch a hole, the underlying condition is hidden. If you don't have before photos, the adjuster has to take your word for what was underneath — and that's a weaker position.

During and After Photos

Photograph the temporary repairs as you make them and after completion. Show the tarp in place, the boards covering windows, the equipment used for water extraction. These photos prove the repair was done and show its scope. Date-stamp everything if your camera allows it.

Receipts for All Materials

Save every receipt. Tarps from the hardware store, lumber, screws, roofing cement, duct tape, plastic sheeting, buckets, wet-dry vacuums — everything you purchased for temporary repairs. If you hired someone, get an itemized invoice showing the work performed, materials used, and labor charges. No receipt means no reimbursement.

Written Record

Write a brief description of what you did and when. "March 15, 2026: Discovered missing shingles on south slope after overnight storm. Purchased tarp and lumber at Home Depot ($127, receipt attached). Installed tarp over exposed area, approximately 10x15 feet. Placed buckets under two active leak points inside the master bedroom." This written record provides context that photos alone don't convey.

Hiring a Tarping Service

If your roof damage is extensive, steep, or dangerous to access, hiring a professional tarping service is the safer choice. You should not risk personal injury to save on tarping costs — and your carrier would agree. Professional tarping is a reasonable expense under your duty to mitigate.

After major storms, tarping services are in high demand and prices spike. A tarp installation that normally costs $500 may be quoted at $2,000 or more after a hurricane. While carriers generally reimburse reasonable tarping costs, they may push back on inflated pricing. If possible, get more than one quote and document the pricing environment (screenshots of other companies' rates can help justify higher costs).

Be cautious about tarping services that arrive unsolicited after a storm. Some are legitimate emergency services. Others are storm chasers who charge inflated rates and may pressure you into signing additional contracts for permanent repairs. Get a clear, written quote for the tarping work alone before agreeing. Do not sign anything that commits you to permanent repairs as part of a tarping contract.

What NOT to Do

Some actions that seem helpful actually hurt your claim or create problems. Here are the specific mistakes to avoid when performing temporary repairs after roof damage.

Don't Make Permanent Repairs Before the Adjuster Inspects

There is a critical difference between temporary and permanent repairs. Tarping a damaged area is temporary. Replacing damaged shingles is permanent. Temporary repairs preserve the evidence for the adjuster while preventing further damage. Permanent repairs eliminate the evidence. If you replace damaged shingles before the adjuster visits, they can't verify the damage or its cause — and your claim may be reduced or denied.

Don't Throw Away Damaged Materials

Keep damaged shingles, broken flashing, displaced ridge caps, and any other materials that came off your roof. Set them aside where the adjuster can examine them. These physical materials are evidence — the adjuster may need to inspect them to determine the cause of the damage (wind, hail, aging, installation defect).

Don't Skip Documentation

In the urgency of stopping a leak, it's tempting to just fix it and deal with paperwork later. Resist that impulse. Take 30 seconds for before photos, even in the rain, even in the dark (use your phone's flash). These photos are worth thousands of dollars in claim support. No documentation means no proof of what the damage looked like before you covered it.

Don't Ignore Interior Protection

Tarping the roof is only half of your mitigation duty. Inside your home, move furniture and electronics away from active leak points. Place buckets or containers to catch water. If carpeting is wet, start extraction if you can. Interior damage that you could have reasonably prevented may not be covered, even if the roof damage itself is.

Temporary Repair Reimbursement Process

Temporary repair costs are typically handled separately from your main claim settlement. When the adjuster visits, provide all your receipts and documentation for emergency repairs. These costs may be included in the adjuster's scope of loss, or they may be processed as a separate line item.

In some cases, the carrier reimburses temporary repair costs before the main claim is settled. If you've spent significant money on tarping and emergency services, ask your adjuster whether an advance or separate payment can be issued for these mitigation expenses. Carriers have a financial interest in reimbursing mitigation costs promptly because effective mitigation reduces the overall claim amount.

Keep copies of everything you submit. Send receipts and documentation by email when possible so you have a record of what was sent and when. If you mail physical receipts, make copies first. Lost receipts are unreimbursable receipts.

Safety Considerations

Your personal safety overrides your duty to mitigate. No insurance policy requires you to risk your life to prevent property damage. If your roof is too damaged, too steep, or too dangerous to safely access, do not attempt DIY tarping. Call a professional. If no professional is available immediately (common after major storms), document the situation and do what you can safely from ground level or interior positions.

Wet roofs are especially dangerous. After a storm, the roof surface is often slippery, debris may be covering hazards, and structural integrity may be compromised. Falls from roofs are the leading cause of injury during post-storm home repair. If you can't safely place a tarp, wait for professional help and focus on interior mitigation in the meantime.

If you do attempt any roof-level work, use a sturdy extension ladder placed on firm, level ground. Don't step onto the roof if you can reach the damaged area from the ladder. Work with a partner who can hold the ladder and call for help if needed. And never work on a roof during active lightning, high winds, or heavy rain.