How do you spot an out-of-state storm chaser?
After a big hail or wind storm, it doesn’t take long. Within a few days there are trucks in the neighborhood, door hangers on every house, and someone on your porch telling you your roof is damaged.
Some of those people are legitimate. Some follow storms from state to state, sign as many jobs as they can, and are gone before the warranty matters. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Is every door-knocker a storm chaser?
No. Plenty of local roofers knock doors after a storm, and an out-of-state license plate doesn’t automatically mean someone is a crook. What you’re looking for is a pattern: no local roots, a lot of pressure, and promises nobody can honestly make.
What are the warning signs?
They want you to sign today. A special price that expires tonight, a supposed material shortage, a crew that’s “only in the area this week.” A real contractor will still be here next week. Pressure is the tell.
They offer to take care of your deductible. Kentucky law says a contractor can’t offer to pay or rebate any part of your deductible to get the job. If someone offers, they’ve told you how they plan to make the numbers work: by inflating what they bill your insurance company, cutting corners on your roof, or both. That’s the single clearest red flag there is.
They promise what your insurance company will do. “You’ll get a whole new roof.” “Insurance will pay for all of it.” Nobody but your carrier decides that. A contractor can document damage and explain the process. They can’t promise an outcome.
There’s no local address. A P.O. box, an 800 number, or a business card with no address you could drive to. If something goes wrong in two years, where do you go?
They want a big payment up front. Ask how payments are scheduled and what you’re paying for at each step before you agree to anything.
They ask you to sign something “just for the inspection.” Read anything before you sign it. Some forms that look like an inspection authorization are actually a contract for the whole job.
Doesn’t Kentucky license roofers?
No. Kentucky has no roofing license. A business card and a magnet sign on a truck are all it takes to be a roofer here, which is exactly why storm chasers can show up and start signing jobs the week after a storm.
So there’s no state license number to look up. The checking is on you, and it’s worth the hour.
How can I check out a roofer quickly?
You can do most of this in an evening:
- Look up the business address and make sure it’s a real local place.
- Read their reviews and look at how far back they go. A long local history is hard to fake.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from their insurance agent.
- Ask for a few jobs they’ve done in your town in past years, not just this month.
- Get a written contract that spells out the materials, the price, the payment schedule, and the warranty before any work starts.
If they hesitate on any of that, keep looking.
Why does it matter who’s still around later?
Because a roof’s problems usually show up later. A flashing detail done wrong leaks in the second winter, not the first week. The manufacturer covers the materials. The installation is on the contractor, and a workmanship warranty is only worth something if the company is still around to honor it.
What should I do right after a storm?
Take photos from the ground. Stop any active leak and keep the receipts. Then slow down. There’s usually more time than the person on your porch is telling you, though your policy does have deadlines for reporting a loss, so don’t wait months.
Get an inspection from a company you checked out, not the first truck that stopped. Ask them to show you photos of what they found.
If you’re filing a claim, ask whether they’ll meet the adjuster. We do, if you want us there, and we document everything. What’s covered is up to your insurance company, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. If you want to check us out the same way, here’s who we are and where we’re based.