Have you noticed yard signs around the neighborhood that say something along the lines of FREE ROOF? Well, like the old adage says, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The free roof scam is usually a contractor committing insurance fraud with your help.
When a contractor is offering a free roof, the angle they use on you is saying you have roof damage. This damage may not exist, or contractors may even do damage themselves while inspecting your roof.
After they convince you that you have storm damage, they will make you file an insurance claim. This is where the scam comes into play. The contractor will do things such as:
- offer to pay your deductible
- inflate your roof price to cover the deductible then
- offer you a reimbursement of your deductible
These tactics violate laws in many states, and unknown to you, you are now as guilty of insurance fraud as the contractor.
These scammers are also known to do poor quality work, with cheap materials. In some cases, they simply take the money and run!
Do you have roof damage or just looking for a new roof? How can you avoid this scam and insurance fraud? Simple, follow the tips below.
- Watch out for the door to door salesmen, often using the line, “I drove by and was concerned about your roof damage.”
- Look at the bid they present. Is it unusually low? This may be done to surprise you with hidden costs then once the job has started.
- Is the contractor presenting you with damage that does not make sense, or other contractors did not see? This is a red flag that the damage may not be there or they have caused it themself.
- Is the contractor a trusted, local company? If not, they may be storm chasers who are making a quick buck with this scam.
Have more questions? We would love to help! Message us on Facebook or email us at projects@bhiroof.com