Sometimes, unforeseen circumstances lead to damages in the home. For instance, your roof might encounter damage that will call for a replacement or repairs.
If you have homeowner’s insurance, the expenses will be covered by the insurance company, but you may have some deductibles, too. However, many cases turn out with homeowners being approached by roofing contractors who offer something shady. They usually offer to cover the deductible on insurance repairs so homeowners won’t have to pull anything from their own pockets.
Are these “free roof” offers legal? Absolutely not—read on to find out why.
Why Is It Illegal for Roofing Contractors to Pay Deductibles?
Why do roofing contractors offer such an option? Here’s the answer: it is done to ensure that you will never leave their work after minor damage, eventually paying them a lot of money.
For instance, if you have a typical $1000 deductible, it will seem nice to get it covered by a roofing contractor. However, if the contractor seeks only $2000 to fix a roof, they know they will make extra money with this offer.
It is important to understand that roofing contractors should never cover your deductible. That’s because they will make a lot of money on insurance as long as you don’t know how to make an insurance claim properly.
They may also get money from your insurance company as they will tell you that the deductible has already paid the roofing contractors because you agreed to a “free roof” offer.
How Do Roofers Lie to Insurance Companies on Homeowner Deductibles?
Here are some damaging strategies by abusive roofing contractors:
1. Take advantage of the insurance company by causing several fake damages on your roof.
2. Claim from the insurance company that the roofers have been paid for the job by the deductible.
3. Then, the roofers will wait for months for your money to come back from the insurance company.
4. After that, the roofers will reestablish the same scam with additional “damages” and ask you to pay the deductible again.
The worst part is that you will be forced to get everything fixed. Ultimately, you’ll spend even more money than you would if you were to get everything fixed right away.
What Happens When a Contractor Knowingly Inflates an Insurance Estimate?
The answer is simple—intent to defraud. Through this process, a contractor will take the money from you, paying the insurance company the total amount, and the insurance company will send the payment to the contractor.
This is a big scam in the roofing industry, and many people have lost a lot of money this way.
There are some cases when a contractor may lie to you so they can take a higher deduction from your insurance. In such cases, the insurance company will still pay the contractor, but you will be left with the bill.
If you are affected by a scam like this, you can sue the contractor and ask for the money you paid them.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, a contractor is not allowed to pay your deductible. A deductible is one of the most significant parts of insurance because you will not be able to make a claim without it.
Ensure you work with honest roofers, hire Cardinal Roofing for your roof repairs. As leading roofing contractors in Birmingham, AL, we offer exceptional roofing services, including efficient roofing repairs. Message us today for a free quote.