This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

BEWARE of Storm Chasers

WARNING: Hail causing storms bring storm chasing contractors to the area! 

Listen to the following message from the Oak Forest city clerk: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
uY7MAuwUofQ&feature=youtu.be

The Chicago land area has been hit by numerous storms recently. These heavy hitting storms have brought hail to parts of the city and its surrounding suburbs. 

Storm chasers from out of town join sites like the following so they can find out where hail producing storms have hit. http://hailtrace.com/ Many of these contractors are from out-of-state and are misrepresenting themselves and their activities. Before you know it there is a contractor at your door asking to inspect your roof for hail damage. They try to convince you to let them perform a free inspection on your roof. DO NOT allow a door to door contractor up on you roof! Legit businesses will get their phone to ring through advertising and referrals so they do not need to knock on doors.

Be wary of door to door storm chasers that show up at your property unannounced. These people were not sent out by your insurance company. These con artists use high pressure tactics and low ball pricing to get you to sign their contracts. Consumers are often informed they are signing documents that state the homeowner is giving them permission to go on their roof. Often enough people do not read the fine print and are unaware that they just signed a contract allowing the contractor to perform repairs to that property. These types of contracts typically include fine print that states you are allowing your insurance company to pay them directly for the repairs opposed to having the insurance proceeds sent directly to you. If you are not diligent in your research you may be locked into a contract and kissing your insurance proceeds goodbye. The contractor and your proceeds are then off to the next city never to be seen again. These types of companies often relocate so they are hard to track. By switching company names, phone numbers and business locations there is often no legit paper trail to follow.

Storm chasers will inflict damages to your roof if given the opportunity. They will then inform you that you indeed have hail damage and will try to convince you to file a claim. Many will even offer to waive your deductible if you allow them to fix your roof. Even if your deductible is waived you still have to file a claim which can ultimately effect you in the long run! Fraudulent claims are detected every day by insurance companies. Your claim will be denied and you will be reported so is it worth answering the door for these people?

This article is from 2010 but storm chasers continue to prey on people: http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/pressroom/2010_11/20101123.html
Attorney General Contact Information: 
http://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/about/contacts.html
 
Please Note: The insurance company will ONLY cover and pay out for the areas that were damagedThis does not mean you will receive an entire new roof if only a few shingles were damaged. This is often a misconception when people file an insurance claim. Speak with your agent before filing a claim to avoid unpaid claims and view the C.L.U.E. 

There are many residents who have legit hail claims that will be taken care of by the insurance company if they go through the proper channels. Home insurer State Farm said Illinois residents filed 26,000 claims due to damage from wind and hail in 2013. During this time State Farm paid out a total of $3 billion nationally over claims related to wind and hail damage. The state with the most wind and hail claims in 2013 was Texas, with 42,000. Georgia followed Illinois, with 25,000.

If you believe you have hail damage brought on by recent storms contact your insurance company and hire a professional. Research any company you choose to do business with. Verify that the company is licensed, bonded, insured and that they are associated with the Better Business Bureau. Rainbow International has been receiving numerous calls for roof inspections due to the recent storms. Insurance agents often contact Rainbow International to perform roof inspections for their client’s roofs. When storm chasers convince people to file an insurance claim we are often asked verify if there is legit hail damage or not. Trust your insurance company and not someone off the street. Rainbow International works hand in hand with all major insurance companies and will inspect your property if you believe you have hail damage.

Service Line: 708-460-0911
Emailinfo@rainbowrestore.net
Website: www.rainbowrestore.net



Photos of Rainbow Internationals work: 
Google: https://plus.google.com/photos/at/117167529868477813173

Find out what's happening in Oak Forestwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rainbow-International-of-South-West-Suburbs/211496272371049“LIKE” our page to receive informative updates.





Find out what's happening in Oak Forestwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?