After turbulent winter weather and heavy rainstorms in spring, roofs take a beating from the elements. And wherever you find damage, unfortunately you also find scams.
In the Milwaukee area, storm chasers have been known to blanket an area hit by hail or wind damage and look for unsuspecting homeowners. They’ll pass out leaflets, show up unannounced, and offer a free inspection. The scammers know the claims process with insurance companies, and based on the square footage of the roof, they can figure out how much it will cost to put on a cheap new roof. The catch is that the storm chaser does the bare minimum to replace the roof and usually pushes the homeowner to move forward with the repairs before the insurance company has a chance to inspect the damage.
The homeowner is then left with a poorly constructed roof and a claim that potentially could be denied by the insurance company because the roofers often cause the damage.
Lessons to learn:
- Insurance companies should inspect damage BEFORE work begins
- Research the roofing company
- Ask for qualifications - they should be an accredited company
- Shop around for at least 3 quotes to ensure you are getting the best price and service
- Do NOT provide money upfront - they may say it is needed to purchase supplies but it is all part of the scam
Wisconsin residents looking for help contacting your insurance company, please contact a knowledgebroker before beginning any repairs.
