Friday, February 22, 2013

Independent Agents Call for Consumer Protection

It's inevitable.  Spring showers bring may flowers; or so they say.  In the insurance world, spring showers bring "storm chasing" contractors too.  These are contractors who target neighborhoods and communities in the aftermath of a violent storm.  Many of them come from out of state, immediately following a natural disaster using high pressure tactics to pursuade homeowners into signing repair contracts before they have even had a chance to speak with their agent.  As with any claim, one should always wait until the insurance adjuster has an opportunity to assess the damage before proceeding with signing a repair contract unless advised otherwise by the adjuster.

Rely on your agent to obtain the name of a reputable contractor rather than one who is scouring the area immediately following a storm.

Legislation is being introduced to establish some basic consumer protections from the practices of fraudulent contractors.  The legislation would require that homeowners receive disclosure notices and contract termination rights from a contractor.  This bill would also prohibit rebating or other compensation of a property insurance deductible to induce consumers to enter into a contract.

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