{"id":26358,"date":"2024-09-09T14:20:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-09T14:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/?p=26358"},"modified":"2024-10-01T15:07:31","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T15:07:31","slug":"roofing-scams-storm-chasers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/insurance\/roofing-scams-storm-chasers\/","title":{"rendered":"Roofing Scams: Storm Chasers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After a severe storm blows through your area, you may find that several \u201croofers\u201d reach out to you with great concern for the state of your roof.\u00a0 They may call or even knock on your door and offer a free roof inspection.\u00a0 Perhaps they claim to already see significant<\/em> damage.\u00a0 Maybe they urge<\/em> you to sign a contract immediately<\/em> so they can get the repairs underway for you as quickly as possible!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This.\u00a0 Is.\u00a0 A.\u00a0 Scam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These so-called \u201croofers\u201d are storm chasers and, unfortunately, many of them are unlicensed, uninsured scam artists looking to make a quick buck.\u00a0 They provide cheap materials, shoddy workmanship, and no long-term guarantees on their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, there are several ways to avoid falling victim to storm chasers and roofing scams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, never<\/em> trust a storm chaser to go up on your roof.\u00a0 If the damage from a storm is not severe enough to warrant an insurance claim, a storm chaser might use a hammer or even cleated shoes to mimic wind and hail damage in hopes of tricking your insurance company.\u00a0 Most insurers don\u2019t fall for it though, and it leaves you, the homeowner, with a damaged roof and all the out-of-pocket repair costs that go with it.\u00a0 If you’re concerned your roof has sustained wind or hail damage, call a reputable local roofing company and have them inspect it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, never sign a contract with a storm chaser, no matter how urgent the situation may seem or how appealing their \u201cspecial low prices\u201d may sound.\u00a0 Take the time to do some research and get a few different estimates before selecting a roofer.\u00a0 Once you\u2019ve chosen a roofer, make sure to get your contract in writing, specifying\u00a0the cost, completion schedule, payment schedule, any guarantees, and all other expectations you\u2019ve discussed with them.\u00a0 Don\u2019t leave any part of the contract blank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third and perhaps most important way to avoid a roofing scam is to never <\/em>pay a storm chaser upfront or in cash.\u00a0 Always wait to sign a completion certificate until the work has actually <\/em>been completed to your satisfaction (and meets all local compliance codes).\u00a0 When you\u2019re ready to pay them, always use a check or credit card that can be traced in the event of a dispute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, never allow a storm chaser to work with your insurance company \u2013 always call your agent directly.\u00a0 As the homeowner and named insured, you need to know what estimates and claim payments are being submitted and issued under your policy.\u00a0 You also need to ensure that a claims adjuster inspects the roof damage before repairs begin, or your claim could be denied.\u00a0 If a storm chaser tries to discourage you from contacting your agent, don\u2019t hire them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The simplicity of the storm chaser process is what makes it so appealing, but it\u2019s also what makes it extremely risky.\u00a0 More and more homeowners are falling victim to these scams, but if you\u2019re careful and always do your research, you\u2019ll be protecting yourself and <\/em>your home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After a severe storm blows through your area, you may find that several \u201croofers\u201d reach out to you with great concern for the state of your roof.\u00a0 They may call or even knock on your door and offer a free roof inspection.\u00a0 Perhaps they claim to already see significant damage.\u00a0 Maybe they urge you to… Read More »Roofing Scams: Storm Chasers<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[12,13,14],"class_list":["post-26358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insurance","tag-home-insurance","tag-homeowners-insurance","tag-roof-claim"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26358"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26358\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26360,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26358\/revisions\/26360"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordriskllc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}