How Do You Spot Storm Chaser Roofers in North Carolina?

A storm chaser is a roofing outfit that travels to wherever a hurricane, tornado or hailstorm just hit, signs as many jobs as it can and moves on. Some do acceptable work. The problem is what happens afterward: when a leak shows up next spring or the warranty matters, the company, its phone number and its local address may be gone.

North Carolina sees this pattern after major storms on the coast and inland. After Hurricane Helene in 2024, the NC Department of Insurance publicly warned residents that insurance fraud artists often go door to door offering to fix roofs.

The tactics are predictable, which makes them easy to spot once you know them.

The warning signs are urgency, cash and anything that sounds too easy. Be cautious of a roofer who:

• Knocks on your door unasked, often right after the storm
• Says the offer or the crew is only available today
• Wants a large deposit, cash or full payment before starting
• Promises the roof will cost you nothing, or offers to cover or waive your deductible
• Asks you to sign something that lets them deal with your insurer for you
• Has out-of-state plates, no local address and a phone number that goes to voicemail
• Offers a no-cost roof inspection and then reports damage you cannot see

The NC Attorney General's office advises avoiding door-to-door roofers altogether and getting referrals from people you trust.

First, stop further damage and call your insurer. The NC Department of Insurance advises contacting your insurance agent or company before signing a contract or paying for repairs, and not letting a contractor work directly with your insurance company unless your agent approves.

Practical steps:

• Take photos and video of the damage, inside and out, before anything is moved
• Cover openings with a tarp if it is safe to do so, or hire someone to do it, and keep every receipt; reasonable expenses to protect your property are part of the loss
• Hold off on permanent repairs until the insurer has inspected and you agree on the cost
• Do not climb onto a wet or damaged roof yourself

Our guides on roof damage after a hurricane and roof insurance claims in NC go step by step.

North Carolina gives you three main protections.

A right to cancel. Under NCGS 14-401.13, when a seller personally solicits a sale of $25 or more and you agree away from the seller's place of business, you may cancel until midnight of the third business day. The seller must give you a written cancellation notice at signing and tell you about the right orally. The statute names residential roof replacement and repair as covered services.

Extra time after an insurance denial. The same statute gives residential roofing contracts a five-business-day cancellation period after an insurance claim denial. During that time the roofer may not begin work or collect any payment, except for emergency services you acknowledged in writing as necessary to prevent further damage. Violating this subsection is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Price gouging limits. Under NCGS 75-38, once a state of emergency is declared, charging unreasonably excessive prices for goods and services used because of the emergency is illegal in the affected area, generally for 45 days unless the Governor extends it.

Not for a fee, unless they hold the right license. In North Carolina, a person may not act or hold themselves out as a public adjuster unless licensed by the state (NCGS 58-33A-10). A roofer can document damage and give your insurer an estimate, but negotiating your claim on your behalf is a licensed role.

Be wary of any document that assigns your insurance benefits to the contractor or authorizes them to deal with your insurer directly. Read everything before signing, and ask your agent first, as the NC Department of Insurance recommends. If you want help with a large claim, you can hire a licensed public adjuster or an attorney; check the adjuster's license with the Department of Insurance.

Slow down and vet roofers the same way you would on a normal day. Get referrals from neighbors and people you trust, check the license on nclbgc.org for any job of $40,000 or more, and get insurance certificates directly from the insurer. Ask for local addresses of roofs the company finished before the storm.

Get more than one written estimate, never sign a contract with blanks, and do not sign a completion certificate until the work is done. Our how to vet a roofer and roofing contract checklist guides cover the details.

Metal Roof NC is a Raleigh-based, authorized Interlock aluminum roofing dealer serving the Triangle, Charlotte, the Triad and the coast. You can request an estimate once your insurer has seen the damage.

Report it to the NC Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM toll-free within North Carolina, or file a consumer complaint online at ncdoj.gov. The office can investigate disaster repair complaints and, during a declared emergency, price gouging.

For suspected insurance fraud or an unlicensed public adjuster, contact the NC Department of Insurance. For an unlicensed contractor on a job of $40,000 or more, contact the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors. Keep the contract, receipts, business cards, photos of trucks and plates, and any texts or emails.