New York Takes a Stand Against Roofing Scams

Contact:
Cassandra Anderson
(518) 432-4227 or (518) 312-3315

NEW YORK TAKES A STAND AGAINST ROOFING SCAMS

ALBANY, N.Y., Nov. 26, 2019—New York has put statewide protections in place for residents to help prevent roofing scams. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed S1405/A7531, sponsored by Senator David Carlucci and Assemblymember Marianne Buttenschon, into law helping ensure New Yorkers homes and businesses are properly and safely repaired.

New consumer protections include:

• Providing additional time to cancel a roof repair contract.
• Preventing a roofing contractor from abandoning a contract without cause. 
• Guarding against kickbacks for claim services referrals.
• Forbidding advertisements or promises to rebate an insurance deductible.
• Restricting a requirement for a deposit with payment for materials being due upon receipt by the customer.

In recent years, New York has seen instances where con artists flock to an area hit by a storm or natural disaster, posing as legitimate roofing contractors. These scam artists, known as storm chasers, take advantage of people to make some quick cash. They perform substandard work or simply take a homeowner’s money and run. New York saw this occur with a number of extreme weather events experienced across the state.

“The overwhelming majority of roofing contractors are honest and principled, but there are a select few whose sole goal is to cheat disaster victims,” Ellen Melchionni, president of the New York Insurance Association said. “These scam artists target the elderly and the vulnerable and profit at their expense. This new law will help consumers at a time when they are in the greatest need.”

The New York Insurance Association helped advance this legislation after insurance companies heard from concerned customers, working with a wide range of stakeholders to call for enhanced consumer protections.

The New York Insurance Association, Inc. (NYIA®) is a state trade association that has represented the property and casualty insurance industry for more than 135 years.

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