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Hiring Contractors When You Have a Property Damage Claim

As the weather continues to warm up in our area, it also can bring more storms – and sometimes hail.

When we have hail, it often results in a higher demand for contractors to make property repairs. This can result in some contractors – typically out-of-town or out-of-state workers – taking advantage of the situation. We’ve put together some tips for our customers to consider when hiring a contractor. 

“Saving” Money versus Your Deductible

Some contractors will offer to do work for less than other contractors. Please note that your home deductible still applies to the claim, whether one contractor’s bill is less than the other. For example, if you have a $1,500 deductible and one contractor bids $200 less than another contractor, your $1,500 deductible will still apply to the claim regardless of the fact one contractor’s bid is less. Therefore, ensure the contractor you hire is someone who is reputable and will be there after work is completed, in the event of faulty work.

Hire Local

Beware of out-of-town contractors claiming to be local. If you can’t find them in the phone book or with a local Google search, chances are they are not a local company and will likely not be around to rectify any faulty work after initial damages have been repaired.

They Are Not Claims Experts

Beware of contractors who act as claims representatives. These contractors ask homeowners to sign all rights of their claim over to the contractor for the contractor to work on behalf of the policyholder. Do NOT sign the rights of your claim over to these contractors, as you will not have any rights to the claim anymore and can’t even act on your own behalf if a contract is signed and a claim is reassigned to a contractor.

Don’t Pay in Cash or Advance

Never pay a contractor in cash and don’t pay in full, up-front.

Check Their Credentials

When choosing a contractor, check references and confirm the business or person is licensed through the Nebraska (or Colorado) Department of Labor. Here is the link for Nebraska; and for Colorado check your local licensing – such as for Larimer County.

Damage “Assessments”

Beware of companies or people who show up and offer to assess and fix damage and ask for a large up-front fee (often in cash) before the work begins (our suggestion is to use ONLY local, reputable contractors).

Not All Shingles are the Same

While some insurance companies offer discounts for a higher quality shingle, not all insurance companies do.  Additionally, just having a 50-year shingle will not generate a discount.  It must be a UL Class 3 or 4 shingle to qualify for the discount.  Check with our agency to see if your insurance company offers a discount before agreeing to pay the additional cost.

Manipulating a Deductible is Fraud

If a contractor offers to pay, buy back, or “waive” the deductible on your claim, this is considered insurance fraud and the homeowner can be prosecuted the same as the contractor by Nebraska (and Colorado) state law.

If you have questions on anything a contractor is telling you – let us know! We have experience with many local contractors, and we are happy to help!