I just got a note from our claims department.

They said they’re seeing a lot of out-of-town door knockers and fly-by-night contractors in Springfield and around the Ozarks. And they usually target seniors.

These contractors will walk up to your door and offer a free roof inspection, you just have to sign this little piece of paper and they’ll get started.

If they find damage — they target areas that have recently seen hail, so there’s a decent chance they will — you file an insurance claim and the company says that little piece of paper that you signed is actually a contract for them to do the work.

Insurance companies hate these guys. They typically do shoddy work and it’s more expensive than more established companies.

You know what happens when insurance companies have to pay more on a claim than they would have otherwise? Of course you do, your rates go up. Again.

And the contractor is no where to be found when you need them to fix their shoddy work.

That’s why I like local companies: I want to know where to go to yell at someone when something goes wrong.

Because even good companies sometimes get things wrong. The best companies are the ones who try to make it right afterward.

If you think you have hail damage, there are a lot of reputable roofing contractors in our area. Give the office a call and we can even recommend a couple.