Someone Knocked on My Door Offering a Free Roof Inspection — Should I Trust Them?

If a roofing contractor shows up at your door uninvited after a storm offering a free inspection, do not sign anything and do not let them on your roof. The National Insurance Crime Bureau estimates roofing fraud costs American homeowners $3 billion per year, and the BBB lists storm-chaser roofing among the top 10 scams in the United States. Storm chasers arrive within 24 to 48 hours of a hail or wind event, set up temporary operations in hotels and P.O. boxes, pressure homeowners into signing contracts on the spot, and disappear before warranty issues surface. Here is how to tell the difference between a storm chaser and a legitimate local contractor.

What Is a Storm Chaser Roofer?

Storm chasers are roofing crews — often unlicensed and uninsured — that follow severe weather events from city to city. They canvass damaged neighborhoods within hours of a storm, knock on doors, and offer free inspections designed to get a signature on a contract before you have time to research them. Their business model depends on speed: get in, collect insurance-funded payments, do the minimum work with cheap materials, and move on to the next storm before callbacks start.

Storm chasers differ from legitimate contractors in every measurable way: no permanent local address, no verifiable local history, no manufacturer certifications, no workmanship warranty backed by an entity that will exist next year, and no accountability when the installation fails.

What Are the Red Flags?

Is It Illegal for a Contractor to Waive My Deductible in Missouri?

Yes. Under Missouri law, a contractor who offers to pay, waive, or absorb your insurance deductible is engaging in insurance fraud. This is one of the most common storm chaser tactics: they inflate the claim, absorb the deductible into the inflated number, and the homeowner thinks they are getting a free roof. In reality, the homeowner is participating in a fraudulent claim, the work is done with the cheapest possible materials to preserve the contractor’s margin, and the homeowner has no warranty protection when it fails.

If any contractor offers to waive your deductible, end the conversation immediately. It is a disqualifying red flag.

Can Storm Chasers Create Fake Damage During a “Free Inspection”?

Yes, and it happens. Unethical operators have been documented using hammers, cleated shoes, and other tools to create or exaggerate damage during an unsolicited roof inspection. They then photograph the manufactured damage and use it to file an insurance claim. This is why you should never allow an uninvited contractor onto your roof. Once they are up there unsupervised, you have no way to verify what damage existed before they arrived.

What Should I Do Instead After a Storm?

Step 1: Document from the ground. Walk your property and photograph any visible damage: missing shingles, dents in gutters or siding, debris. Do not climb on the roof yourself.

Step 2: Call a local contractor you chose. Contact a roofing company with a verifiable local address (not a P.O. box), at least 5 years of local history, a Missouri business license, general liability and workers’ compensation insurance, and manufacturer certifications (GAF Master Elite, Owens Corning Platinum Preferred, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster). Family First Exteriors has been in the St. Louis market since 2002.

Step 3: Get a written inspection report. A legitimate contractor provides a written report with photos documenting actual damage. This report is what you use to file your insurance claim — on your terms, not the contractor’s.

Step 4: Verify before you sign. Check the contractor’s license on the Missouri Secretary of State business search. Call their insurance carrier and verify the Certificate of Insurance is current. Read online reviews, but verify the company has reviews dating back years, not just a sudden burst of 5-star reviews after the latest storm.

How Do I Verify a Roofing Contractor in Missouri?

Missouri does not require a statewide roofing license, but St. Louis County municipalities require contractor registration. Here is a verification checklist:

Check the Missouri Attorney General’s consumer protection page for complaints. Search the BBB for the company name. Ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI) listing general liability ($1 million minimum) and workers’ compensation. Verify manufacturer certifications directly on the manufacturer’s website. Confirm a permanent local address — drive by it if possible. Ask for 3 to 5 local references from jobs completed in the last 12 months.

Frequently Asked Questions