In our continued effort to reveal trade secrets from both sides of the roofing industry, we feel obligated to clarify the rumors that some unethical contractors and insurance agents have been propagating over the years. There have been some scare tactics deployed by hungry Oklahoma roofing contractors recently. One piece of misinformation in particular is important for the public to be aware of.
An owner of an Oklahoma City roofing company was featured on two different television stations last week while promoting his new roof maintenance program. While explaining how his repair program worked, he stated that homeowners should call him for roof repairs instead of filing an insurance claim. He also stated that “if an insurance adjuster doesn’t find enough hail damage to replace your roof, then the claim will be a black mark on your insurance record, and your insurance rates will go up.”
The problem is that all of this information is false. It is intended to drive homeowners to call this particular company prior to filing an insurance claim. It is a shrewd and unethical marketing tactic, and this is not just an opinion of mine. Title 365:15-7-26
of the Oklahoma state insurance code is clear.
“Weather related claims:
Homeowners policies and any other personal residential insurance coverage shall not reflect a surcharge for weather related claims.”
There are similar statutes in almost every state in the United States, and these statutes are meant to take the fear and intimidation out of filing weather related homeowner’s claims. You can open as many weather related claims as you feel is necessary to protect your property, but remember that the total number of claims you have filed (including weather related) may affect your ability to renew your policy with your current insurance company.
Also Remember that a title such as Owner or Manager does not necessarily make someone an expert. The next time you hear someone spreading misinformation like this, please remind them that they can also go to HailandWind.com and become their own expert on these subjects.
