Was your home damaged by weekend storm? Careful who you get to fix it, Illinois AG says. [Belleville News-Democrat]

Dec. 14—Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is warning the residents of the metro-east to be on alert for scammers looking to take advantage of storm damage.

Raoul noted that these "storm chasers" use the opportunity to pressure people into making quick and expensive decisions about clean-up and construction work. Raoul also warned residents that scam artists may be operating as public adjusters who offer "free" inspections to submit a claim to property owners' insurance companies.

Portions of the metro east took on storm damage last Friday, particularly in Edwardsville, where six people were killed when a tornado touched down at an Amazon warehouse. Property damage also was reported in residential parts of the city.

Before hiring anyone to perform any type of reconstruction work on a home or business, Raoul advises owners to check with their local governments for information on permits or other requirements. Public adjusters must be licensed by the Illinois Department of Insurance, and roofers must be licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations.

"No one trying to recover and rebuild from a tragedy should also have to worry about falling victim to scammers," said Mario Treto, Jr., Acting Secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

Here are some tips to help home and business owners avoid these scammers:

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Be wary of contractors who go door to door to offer repair services or "free" inspections. Ask for recommendations from people you know and trust and, whenever possible, use established local contractors.

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Visit the Better Business Bureau's St. Louis, Central Illinois, Quad Cities or Chicago websites to see if a business is a member and whether any complaints have been lodged against it.

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Even if there is a need to act quickly, shop around. Get written estimates from multiple contractors, and don't be rushed into a deal.

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Get all of the terms of a contract in writing, and obtain a copy of the signed contract.

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Never make full payment until all the work has been completed to your satisfaction.

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Never pay in cash.

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Be aware that you have the right to cancel a contract within three business days if you signed it based on the contractor's visit to your home.

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In the case of disaster repair, if your insurance carrier denies coverage, you have the right to cancel the contract within five days of your insurance carrier's denial.

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Be aware that public adjusters do not work for your insurance company and may charge additional fees. If you submit a claim to your insurance company, your insurance company will likely provide an adjuster to review your claim at no additional cost to you.

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If you contract with a public adjuster, pay particular attention to the amount of fees being charged and whether you are obligated to use a specific contractor for repairs.

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Ask to see required state and local permits and licenses. Insurance adjusters and roofers must be licensed by state agencies. It should raise a red flag if the roofer or adjuster does not have a required license, or if the name on the license does not match the name on the business card or truck. Please visit the IDFPR's website to search for roofing licenses. Visit the DOI's website, or call 866-445-5364 to verify that a public adjuster is licensed and in good standing.

Raoul encouraged local residents and business owners to call local law enforcement agencies and his office's Consumer Fraud Hotline (1-800-386-5438 in Chicago, 1-800-243-0618 in Springfield and 1-800-243-0607 in Carbondale) to report any suspicious activity.

This story was originally published December 14, 2021 3:04 PM.

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