How to Protect Yourself from Shady Roofing Insurance Scams in New Jersey

After a major disaster that damages your roof, you could be feeling understandably upset and vulnerable. Unfortunately, sometimes crooks take advantage of this by portraying themselves as legitimate contractors when in fact they're just out to scam you.

Protecting yourself from roofing insurance scams starts with having the right homeowners insurance. A New Jersey independent insurance agent can help you get covered. But first, here's a guide to protecting yourself against shady roofing insurance scams in your area.

What Is Roofing Insurance Fraud?

Roofing insurance fraud has been increasing over the years and setting homeowners back in terms of both time and money. These scams involve an individual who pretends to be a roofing contractor that gets you to pay a lot of money up front and then disappears entirely, or they do some work on your roof but don't finish the job.

There are several types of roofing insurance fraud, and they're all equally frustrating and costly for homeowners. Whether you never hear from the scammer again or they ask you for more money partway through their shoddy job, roofing insurance fraud is a crime that sadly leaves you to clean up the mess most of the time.

How Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Roof Damage in New Jersey?

Homeowners insurance in New Jersey covers damage to roofs as part of your policy's dwelling coverage category. This part of your coverage protects your roof from damage caused by various disasters like fire, vandalism, lightning, hail, etc. Damage from falling objects and trees is also covered.

If you file a roof damage claim through your homeowners insurance, your policy should reimburse you up to the limit in the dwelling category, as long as the cause of damage is included in your coverage. However, you'll first have to pay your deductible amount out of your own pocket. A New Jersey independent insurance agent can help you select a policy with the right deductible and coverage amounts for you.

When Is Roof Damage Not Covered by Homeowners Insurance in New Jersey?

Though homeowners insurance in New Jersey covers roof damage due to many perils, there are some that it excludes.

Homeowners insurance won't cover roof damage caused by:

Maintaining the home is considered the homeowner's responsibility, so your insurance won't cover claims related to lack of upkeep of your roof. To protect your home against natural flood or earthquake damage, you'd need separate flood insurance and earthquake insurance policies, as these perils are excluded by homeowners coverage.

Most Common Causes of Roof Damage in New Jersey

New Jersey is a coastal state, which makes it prone to hurricanes. They can severely damage or destroy your roof, and fortunately this type of disaster is covered by New Jersey homeowners insurance. If your roof has been damaged by any covered cause, be sure to file a claim through your homeowners insurance policy yourself.

Never let anyone outside your family file a claim through your insurance, and refuse to sign your insurance checks over to anyone else. Roofing insurance scammers often ask homeowners to sign over insurance checks to them as their form of payment. This is always fraud and a scam, and you'll never see that money again.

The Most Common Roofer Scams in New Jersey This Year

Knowing the most common current roofing insurance scams in New Jersey can help you be on the lookout for shady individuals out to get your money with no real intention of helping you.

Common New Jersey roofing insurance scams:

1. Storm chasers: This type of fraudster waits for a storm to roll through your town before they strike. They show up at your door and promise to fix your damaged roof for free, if you just file a claim through your homeowners insurance. Next, they either disappear or do an incomplete or messy job on your roof.
2. Down payments: This roofer scam involves someone asking you for a large down payment before they begin working on your roof. Usually the targets of this type of scam are senior citizens or folks with no remaining mortgage on their homes. Once the down payment is handed over, the "contractor" is never seen or heard from again.
3. Free inspections: This type of roofing insurance scam involves a fraudster who offers to inspect your roof at no charge, because they supposedly noticed some damage. Once they complete their inspection, they'll claim you have substantial damage that needs urgent fixing. They might also disappear after getting a deposit, or they'll up-charge you in the middle of their project because they "discovered" more damage.

When hiring someone to work on your roof or any aspect of your home, making sure to review all necessary credentials as well as trusting your gut are effective ways of not getting scammed.

Simple Ways to Protect Yourself from Roofing Scams in New Jersey

Make sure you never let anyone inspect your roof without doing your homework first. Always ask contractors for these documents and information up front in order to avoid scams:

Make sure to thoroughly review your project's written proposal and roofing warranty to scout for any loopholes. Also be skeptical of very low offers to start working on your roof. Finally, do a quick online search to find any customer reviews (or complaints) about this contractor before you decide to hire them.

How Being the Victim of Roofing Insurance Scams Can Cost You

If the fraudster convinces you to go through your homeowners insurance so they can fix your roof, you're likely to end up being set back at least the amount of your deductible out of your own pocket. While these shady individuals claim that you won't owe any money yourself, you're always required to pay your deductible before your home insurance reimburses you for roof damage. That's just one way you can lose after falling victim to a roofer scam.

Also, if you manage to get convinced to file through your home insurance for your roof damage, now you've got an unnecessary claim sitting on your policy, which could in turn increase your rates, especially if it's found to be faulty. Insurance companies track the claims you file, and how often. Submitting a claim for roof damage when there actually isn't any can reflect negatively on you as the homeowner, sadly.

Why Choose a New Jersey Independent Insurance Agent?

New Jersey independent insurance agents simplify the process by shopping and comparing insurance quotes for you. Not only that, but they’ll also cut the jargon and clarify the fine print so you know exactly what you’re getting.

New Jersey independent insurance agents also have access to multiple insurance companies, ultimately finding you the best home insurance coverage, accessibility, and competitive pricing while working for you.