The Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance warns homeowners to not allow contractors to inspect homes unsupervised, saying some unscrupulous companies will drive up repair costs beyond what insurance may cover.
Director Angela Nelson told Missourinet to be on the lookout for tornado scammers following last Friday’s tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.
“If you have someone that approaches you and says, ‘Hey, I think you have damage. Why don’t you let me do an inspection and see if I can verify that damage,’” she said. “Make sure that you’re watching them very carefully. We have had instances of, unfortunately, folks going up and actually causing or trying to cause some damage to create an insurance claim.”
She said to be mindful of high-pressure tactics.
“If you have someone show up at your home unannounced, uninvited that offers to do repairs for you and is insisting that you sign a contract immediately, or they need you to do it today, or they’ll give you a super discount if you do it today, any of those high-pressure tactics, those are red flags,” said Nelson.
She recommends asking around about the contractor.
“Find out information about the contractor maybe from a neighbor, a friend. Get some references. Make sure that they have checked that contractor app through the Better Business Bureau,” she said. “There are a lot of resources for folks to know that they actually have a very good and reputable contractor that they’re working with.”
The department also recommends contacting insurance as soon as possible and to not make permanent repairs until the insurer has inspected the damage – otherwise the claim might be denied. Additionally, when insurance sends its claims adjuster to homes, check their identification. They will not ask for payment – this is part of the claims process.
Was your home or property impacted by recent storms? Consumers who have questions or concerns about their insurance coverage should contact the department’s Consumer Hotline at 800-726-7390. To learn more, visit: https://t.co/X2wi3IKLsY pic.twitter.com/CgFRBbczHG
— Missouri Department of Commerce & Insurance (@MissouriDCI) March 17, 2025
Whether it’s damage assessments, insurance claims, or general questions, the Department of Commerce and Insurance can help.
“We particularly want folks to realize that these terrible times when these events happen that we are here, we are a free resource for Missourians to tap if they have any questions or concerns with their insurance coverage,” she said.
If problems arise with an insurance company, the department can answer questions.
“Whether it is, after they’ve made a claim, they’re not hearing back from their insurance company, whether they need some advice on how to work through issues if they come to an impasse with their insurance company, again, we’re that free resource that they can reach out to and we’re glad to intercede on their behalf,” she said.
Nelson also advised to make temporary repairs to prevent further damage but keep receipts for materials you buy for reimbursement.
“If you need to make some emergency repairs, go ahead and do those. But make sure that as you do those, you keep a log of what you’ve done and that you keep all the receipts from those emergency repairs that you have done so that your insurance company can see what you’ve done and hopefully they will reimburse you for all those out of pocket expenses,” said Nelson.
Nelson also recommends filing a complaint with her department if there’s reason to suspect an insurance claim was not handled properly.
More information can be found here.
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