Home insurance fraud question

[verbal]

I live in a development that was built 15 years ago. The shingles on roofs on almost every house have been falling off randomly over the past few years on almost every house in the neighborhood. There has not been a single storm that caused the specific damage.

This past winter a company came into my development advertising that they would work with your insurance company to have your roof replaced. The company has worked none stop all summer on my neighborhood. Their insurance pitch keeps getting new houses. No other companies are working on houses in the development.

One of my neighbors is about to get a new roof after discovering a small leak. Some guy came out from this company and pulled some random shingles off that were coming up and marked them for the insurance adjuster. The insurance adjuster is out today to look at the roof after it has already been touched by the roofing company. Every house I have seen has had the same thing where the company marks up the roof and removes shingles before the adjuster comes.

I had my roof replaced by another company last year after shingles continued to come off. The roofing company said the shingle was at the end of its life and I paid for the roof myself.

I have never heard of the tactic that this company uses with insurance and no other company in the area does this. I have always thought of this as the home owners responsibility. Is there some kind of fraud going on here?

 

[StangMan04]

If you are worried about fraud let the adjuster know that the roofer removed some random shingles. I would guess the adjuster should know since they will get on the roof and inspect it.

I had hail damage to my roof and had a roofer who wanted be to file a claim with my insurance to get a new roof. He also wanted to the check sent directly to him. I did file a claim and the adjuster quoted me for the back half of my roof which had damage. I got the check from insurance and shopped around and replaced my entire roof for a good price.

 

[jshen]

You should have a state agency- Georgia does- that deals with insurance and fraud. I did a quick look at your state laws and there are plenty of criminal provisions for fraud on the insurer- but I did not readily see fraud BY insurance company...The issue you have will be covered by a state agency and may be covered by federal laws as well. The first thing that comes to mind is racketeering- where there is a conspiracy between insurance company, roofing company, and anyone else in collusion to defraud..I will do some digging.

 

[Rct851]

15 years is about all you get out of a 3 tab shingle. As far as the insurance game I'm sure windstorm may handle it a little different here than where you are.

 

[verbal]

If you are worried about fraud let the adjuster know that the roofer removed some random shingles. I would guess the adjuster should know since they will get on the roof and inspect it.

I had hail damage to my roof and had a roofer who wanted be to file a claim with my insurance to get a new roof. He also wanted to the check sent directly to him. I did file a claim and the adjuster quoted me for the back half of my roof which had damage. I got the check from insurance and shopped around and replaced my entire roof for a good price.

My main concern is that my insurance rate will go way up after 20+ houses in my neighborhood have claimed storm damage when there really was not one event that caused it.

 

[OhIIICobra]

The advice I have always heard is when a roofing company just shows up, you should run. They are often from out of state looking to turn a quick profit and vanish.

 

[Rct851]

My main concern is that my insurance rate will go way up after 20+ houses in my neighborhood have claimed storm damage when there really was not one event that caused it.

I get a call literally every single day from someone looking to get a new roof paid for by their insurance. 9/10 times there is no storm damage it's just a 20+ year old roof that due for replacement. When they get denied its always "well what the hell is my insurance for then?" It's a joke. Forget the 20 houses in your neighborhood. It's 10s of thousands of people trying to abuse their insurance. Most people living right at the edge of their means so when it's time for a 10k roof it's panic time.

 

[Rct851]

The advice I have always heard is when a roofing company just shows up, you should run. They are often from out of state looking to turn a quick profit and vanish.

Agreed 100%. I am still replacing roofs that were installed poorly after Ike. It takes 5-7 years sometimes for the poor nailing job to show itself from the nail heads rusting out and start causing problems. Of course some poor installation is evident almost immediately but in most cases it takes time to show itself, and the out of town roofers have been long gone for years.

 

[verbal]

I get a call literally every single day from someone looking to get a new roof paid for by their insurance. 9/10 times there is no storm damage it's just a 20+ year old roof that due for replacement. When they get denied its always "well what the hell is my insurance for then?" It's a joke. Forget the 20 houses in your neighborhood. It's 10s of thousands of people trying to abuse their insurance. Most people living right at the edge of their means so when it's time for a 10k roof it's panic time.

What is shocking is that every house is getting approved by different adjusters. The adjuster should be able to look at the house right next store to it and see nail pops and previous repairs and say it is the owner's responsibility.

 

[2011roush]

I'm pretty sure the max wind rating for a 3 tab shingle is 60mph unless it's 6 nailed which may increase it. I'd get with your insurance company and see if they have any high wind reports since you've lived there. Maybe they might help reimburse you sone $. Your rates will go up because all your neighbors are getting roofs.

 

[OhIIICobra]

What is shocking is that every house is getting approved by different adjusters. The adjuster should be able to look at the house right next store to it and see nail pops and previous repairs and say it is the owner's responsibility.

I honestly think the adjusters go out of their way to get people new roofs then do regional adjustments to profit. I've never had a roof claim on any of my homes, didn't stop several insurance providers from pushing huge premium increases citing roofs and storms. Both homes in my case had 2 to 3 year old (new) roofs. You are gonna pay the piper regionally whether you like it or not. I'd go so far to say when there is a Katrina or Andrew style event, it isn't just the gulf states that pay in the form of premium bumps.