Be careful if a roofer comes knocking: A caveat for homeowners in Idaho from Gem State Insurance.

Roofing scams hitting Idaho.

Please, Please give us a call at at 208-762-2122 if you have a question.

As one of our claims representatives recently put it..“the roof vultures are out in full force.”

The Northwest has been seeing an uptick in roof claims, some claims our carriers are seeing are for old, “unknown” damage. The pattern that is emerging, is that unscrupulous roofers are targeting the older 3-tab shingled homes. These shady operators, knock on your door, and tell you that they can see damage from the street, then ask to get on the roof to look more closely.Sometimes these people do the damage once they’ve climbed on the roof. We have seen quite a few of these types of scams, that become claims, since the November 2015 windstorm.

The pitch is- these people tell you that you should get a new roof out of the claim, but that’s not the way insurance works. If you have sustained extensive damage, then a new roof might be in order.However, if you have a roof that should have been replaced already, that probably has curling shingles, or a lot of moss, the claim is less likely to become a full replacement. Normal wear and tear, and ultimately replacement of worn roofs is the responsibility of the property owner. Roofs have usable, finite lives.

With this in mind, remember, that all insurance companies are much more careful in their claims process, as well as issuance of new business.When purchasing real property, make sure your inspection includes an estimate of the life of the roof remaining.One of the questions you will surely be asked by any insurance company is “how old the roof is”

Remember, the old saying rate equals risk.The best way to reduce your rate, is to make sure your property is in repair. Roofs are free of moss, and the roof is within its life expectancy.

Please, Please call us at 208-762-2122 if you have any questions!