Last Updated: May 2026

The storm just passed. Your roof has damage. You are stressed, your insurance company’s phone lines are jammed, and a friendly crew shows up at your front door offering a free inspection and a promise to handle everything. They seem helpful. Their truck has a company name on it. They hand you a business card. And what they are really doing is counting on your urgency and exhaustion to get you to sign something before you think it through. This is how storm chaser scams work. They target homeowners in the 24 to 72 hour window after a storm when decision-making is at its worst. Big Easy Roofing wants every New Orleans homeowner to recognize these tactics before the next storm arrives, not after.

Table of Contents

• What Are Storm Chasers in the Roofing Industry?
• What Are the Warning Signs of a Storm Chaser Scam?
• What Are the Most Common Scams After a Hurricane?
• How Do You Verify a Roofing Contractor in Louisiana?
• How Do You Protect Yourself Before the Next Storm?
• What Should You Do If You Have Already Been Scammed?
• Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Storm Chasers in the Roofing Industry?

Storm chasers are roofing companies or individuals who travel from state to state following severe weather events, targeting homeowners in recently damaged areas. They are not from your community. They have no stake in your neighborhood’s long-term reputation. They arrived because a storm created a temporary market for urgent roof work, and they will leave when the work dries up or the complaints catch up.

Not every out-of-state contractor is a scammer. Legitimate disaster response companies with proper licensing, insurance, and references do travel to affected areas to supplement local capacity. The distinction is in how they operate. A legitimate company applies for proper Louisiana licensing, carries verifiable insurance, provides written contracts with detailed scope, and does not pressure homeowners to sign on the spot.

The scam operators follow a different playbook. They appear within hours of the storm, canvass neighborhoods door-to-door, use high-pressure sales tactics, collect deposits, and either perform substandard work or disappear entirely. After Hurricane Ida in 2021, the Louisiana Attorney General’s office and local law enforcement received thousands of complaints about contractors who fit this pattern.

What Are the Warning Signs of a Storm Chaser Scam?

Eight red flags that should stop you from signing anything:

1. They knocked on your door uninvited. Reputable roofing contractors in New Orleans do not canvass neighborhoods after storms. They are busy responding to calls from existing customers and referrals. A company that has time to go door-to-door within 48 hours of a hurricane has no existing customer base in the area.

2. They pressure you to sign a contract immediately. “If you wait, prices will go up.” “We only have a few slots left.” “This offer expires today.” These are sales pressure tactics, not legitimate business practices. A real contractor gives you time to get multiple estimates and review contracts.

3. They offer to waive or pay your insurance deductible. This is insurance fraud under Louisiana law. Period. Any contractor who offers to “cover your deductible” or “work with your insurance to make sure you pay nothing out of pocket” is proposing a fraudulent arrangement. They inflate the claim to absorb the deductible cost, and if the insurer discovers it, your claim gets denied and you may face legal consequences.

4. They cannot provide a physical Louisiana business address. Ask for their office address. If they give you a P.O. box, a hotel, or an address that turns out to be a mailbox store, they have no permanent presence in Louisiana.

5. They ask for full payment or a large deposit before starting work. A reputable contractor requests 10% to 33% at contract signing, with progress payments and a final payment at completion. Demands for 50% or more upfront, especially in cash, are a strong indicator that the contractor will not return after collecting.

6. They want you to sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) form. An AOB transfers your insurance claim rights to the contractor. Once signed, the contractor deals directly with your insurer, and you lose control of the claim. This is a common tool used by storm chasers to lock homeowners into exclusive agreements before the homeowner has assessed the full situation.

7. Their vehicles have out-of-state plates and magnetic signs. Magnetic signs come off. Vinyl wraps do not. A company that uses removable signage on its trucks is set up to disappear quickly.

8. They offer a “free roof inspection” and then claim to find damage you did not notice. In Louisiana, a contractor from Roofing Guys LLC was arrested after going door-to-door offering free inspections and creating “damage” that was later confirmed to be man-made. A free inspection from a company you did not call is not a service. It is a sales approach.

What Are the Most Common Scams After a Hurricane?

Deposit collection and disappearance. The contractor collects 50% to 100% upfront, promises to return next week for the work, and never comes back. By the time the homeowner realizes they have been scammed, the contractor is in another state.

Substandard work with no warranty. The crew shows up, installs the cheapest materials available using minimal labor, and leaves town. The roof looks repaired from the ground but fails during the next rain event. The contractor’s phone number is disconnected, and no workmanship warranty exists.

Inflated insurance claims. The contractor submits a claim to your insurer for work that was never performed, materials that were never used, or damage that was fabricated or exaggerated. This is insurance fraud, and the homeowner can be implicated.

Bait-and-switch on materials. The contract specifies premium materials. The crew installs bottom-tier substitutes. The homeowner does not know the difference until the roof fails prematurely.

How Do You Verify a Roofing Contractor in Louisiana?

Before signing any contract or paying any deposit, verify these four things:

LSLBC license: Search the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors at lslbc.louisiana.gov. Enter the contractor’s name or license number. Verify the license is active, the classification covers roofing work, and no disciplinary actions are on record. If the contractor says they do not need a license because the job is under a certain dollar amount, check the current threshold. Louisiana Act 239 expanded permitting and licensing requirements effective August 2025.

Insurance: Ask for a certificate of insurance showing general liability coverage and workers’ compensation. Call the insurance carrier directly to verify the policy is current. A contractor without workers’ compensation coverage exposes you to liability if a worker is injured on your property.

Physical address: Confirm the contractor has a physical business location in Louisiana. Drive past it if you can. A permanent office with signage, equipment, and staff indicates a business that plans to be here after your project is finished.

References: Ask for 3 to 5 recent references from jobs completed in the New Orleans area. Call them. Ask about the quality of work, adherence to timeline, and whether the contractor was responsive after the project was finished. A legitimate New Orleans roofing contractor will provide references without hesitation.

How Do You Protect Yourself Before the Next Storm?

The best defense against post-storm scams is preparation during calm weather:

• Identify a trusted local roofer now, before a storm hits. Having a relationship with a licensed, local contractor means you have someone to call immediately who already knows your roof.
• Document your roof’s current condition with dated photos. This baseline prevents a scammer from claiming pre-existing conditions are new storm damage.
• Understand your insurance policy. Know your deductible amount, your coverage type (replacement cost vs. actual cash value), and your carrier’s claims process. This knowledge makes you harder to manipulate.
• Save these contacts in your phone: your insurance company’s claims number, the LSLBC license verification website, and the Louisiana Attorney General’s consumer protection hotline (800-351-4889).

What Should You Do If You Have Already Been Scammed?

Act quickly. The sooner you report, the better the chance of recovery or preventing the scammer from hitting other homeowners.

• File a complaint with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Section at ag.state.la.us
• Report the contractor to the LSLBC at lslbc.louisiana.gov
• File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau
• Contact local law enforcement, especially if money was collected and no work was performed
• Notify your insurance company if the contractor filed claims on your behalf
• Document everything: contracts, receipts, texts, emails, photos of any work performed

If the contractor performed substandard work, hire a licensed local roofer to assess the installation and provide a written report on the deficiencies. This documentation supports both legal action and insurance supplemental claims for corrective work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it illegal for a contractor to go door-to-door after a storm in Louisiana?

Door-to-door solicitation is not illegal by itself in Louisiana. However, it is a primary warning sign of storm chaser operations because legitimate local contractors rarely solicit this way. Some municipalities have local ordinances requiring solicitation permits, so the legality varies by jurisdiction.

Can I cancel a roofing contract I signed under pressure?

Louisiana’s Home Solicitation Act gives homeowners a 3-day right to cancel contracts for goods or services sold at a location other than the seller’s place of business (including your doorstep). The cancellation must be in writing. If you signed a contract at your home under pressure, send a written cancellation within 3 business days.

What is an Assignment of Benefits and should I sign one?

An AOB transfers your insurance claim rights to the contractor, giving them direct control over the claim process and payment. Consumer advocates generally recommend against signing AOBs because you lose control of your claim and may have difficulty resolving disputes. Only consider an AOB with a contractor you have thoroughly verified and trust.

How do I know if my contractor is actually licensed?

Search lslbc.louisiana.gov with the contractor’s name or license number. The database shows license status, classification, expiration date, and any disciplinary history. If the contractor is not in the database, they are not licensed by the State of Louisiana regardless of what they claim.

Can storm chasers do quality work?

Some traveling contractors do adequate work. The problem is accountability. When the work fails six months later and the company is in another state with a disconnected phone number, the quality of the original installation becomes irrelevant. Local contractors who depend on community reputation have a structural incentive to do quality work that storm chasers do not.

Should I report a suspicious contractor even if I did not hire them?

Yes. Reporting suspicious solicitation activity to the Louisiana Attorney General and the LSLBC creates a record that helps protect other homeowners. If multiple complaints about the same operator accumulate, enforcement agencies can act faster. Your report helps even if you personally were not victimized.