The Iowa Insurance Division entered into a consent order with a Midwest roofing contractor on Sept. 5 following a June cease and desist order against contractors acting as unlicensed public adjusters.
IID alleges that AmeriPro Roofing solicited business to Greenfield, Iowa residents following a May 2024 storm by presenting itself to potential customers as contracting for repair and providing public adjuster services in the State of Iowa.
At least one AmeriPro employee provided Greenfield customers and potential customers with an AmeriPro Roofing Contract, which created the impression that AmeriPro would provide public adjuster services and was lawfully authorized to do so.
In Iowa, a contractor not licensed as a public adjuster is prohibited by law from advertising, or otherwise offering, to negotiate with the insurance company.
AmeriPro agreed to institute changes to its contracts, website, and advertisements to bring them into compliance. The Illinois-based company has also agreed that its staff and representatives will no longer offer to assist its clients in negotiating claims with their insurance company.
AmeriPro was one of four contractors to receive a cease and desist letter in the aftermath of the May 21 storm that hit Greenfield. The storm produced an EF-4 tornado, which hit Greenfield with peak winds of 185 miles per hour, according to NASA Earth Observatory.
Iowa Deputy Commissioner Jay Kirby warned that” unlicensed storm-chasers may attempt to create expectations on settlement values or scope of repairs that do not align with the language of the insurance policy which can cause delays to claim resolution and added expense to consumers.”
IID alleges AmeriPro published offers and statements on its website creating the impression that it provides public adjusting services. One webpage offered a detailed 10-step guide to customers on filing an insurance claim.
An AmeriPro employee solicited at least one Iowa customer at his door, offering to initiate and handle the customer’s insurance claim. The customer entered into an AmeriPro Roofing Contract, the provisions of which allow AmeriPro to negotiate the claim on the customer’s behalf.
The AmeriPro website includes multiple disclaimers stating that it does not offer or contract public adjusting services. IID said these disclaimers demonstrate that AmeriPro is aware that they are not lawfully authorized to offer or provide public adjusting services.
Topics Contractors Iowa
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