If I didn't ask for the inspection, do I owe the inspector anything?

No. If a roofer arrives uninvited and inspects your roof, you owe them nothing — not for the inspection, not for documentation, not for anything else. They came on your property without a contract. Walk away from any attempt to invoice you for an unsolicited inspection.

What is an Assignment of Benefits (AOB)?

An AOB is a contract that transfers your right to negotiate insurance benefits to a third party — usually a contractor. Once signed, the contractor controls the claim. They negotiate with your insurer, decide what gets repaired, set the price, and pocket the proceeds. If they over-bill, you're often on the hook. Missouri allows AOBs but most legitimate roofers don't ask for them. Storm chasers do.

How do I find a legitimate Missouri-licensed roofer for a free inspection?

Three options: (1) ask neighbors who've recently had roof work, (2) search BBB Springfield for A+ rated roofers, (3) use Surgepoint — we send you a vetted Missouri-licensed roofer with their license number and BBB rating in your inbox before they arrive. No AOB. We never touch your insurance claim.

What's the difference between a free inspection and a free estimate?

An inspection determines whether you have damage. An estimate is a quote for repair work. Some roofers bundle both as 'free.' Both can be legitimate. The red flags above apply to both — pressure tactics, AOB requests, deductible waivers are all scam signals regardless of what the visit is called.

Should I let the roofer talk to my insurance adjuster?

It's your call, but understand the dynamic. If you let the roofer 'handle the claim,' you've effectively given them control over the negotiation. A safer middle ground: have the roofer document the damage in writing, but you talk to your adjuster yourself. The adjuster is there to evaluate the damage, not to negotiate with a contractor.

Insurance · Roof inspections

Free roof inspection: real vs scam (and how to tell the difference)

The Better Business Bureau and Angi both warn homeowners that 'free roof inspection' is one of the most common scam pretexts after a storm. They're right — but it's also true that legitimate licensed roofers offer free inspections every day. Here's how to tell which is which, what to ask before letting anyone on your roof, and what to never sign.

The short answer

A real free roof inspection comes from a licensed local roofer who can show you their state license number and BBB rating before they arrive.
A scam free inspection comes from someone who showed up uninvited (door-knocker), refuses to give a license number, asks you to sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB), or pressures you to decide right now.
The single biggest red flag is being asked to sign anything before the inspection. Real roofers don't need a signature to put a ladder on your roof.
If you didn't ask for the inspection, you don't owe the inspector anything. Walk away from any pressure tactic, period.

Why BBB warns about free roof inspections

After every major hailstorm, out-of-state roofing crews descend on the affected area and start knocking on doors offering 'free roof inspections.' Many are legitimate. Many are not. The Better Business Bureau, Angi, and most state attorneys general have all issued warnings because the scam playbook is consistent: claim damage that isn't there (or exaggerate damage that is), get the homeowner to sign an Assignment of Benefits, file an inflated insurance claim, pocket the difference, and skip town before the warranty matters.

The damage to homeowners is real. Inflated claims raise premiums for everyone in the ZIP. AOBs transfer the homeowner's right to negotiate with their own insurer. And the storm-chaser usually disappears the moment the check clears, leaving the homeowner with a half-finished roof and a denied warranty claim.

But this doesn't mean every free inspection is a scam. It means the channel — door-to-door free inspections — has been abused so heavily that homeowners need a way to tell the legitimate roofers from the scammers without being on the roof with them.

What a legitimate free roof inspection looks like

**You initiated it.** Either by responding to an ad, filling out a form, or calling a local roofer. The inspector did not arrive uninvited at your door. (If they did, default to suspicion.)

**The inspector has a verifiable license.** In Missouri, residential roofers don't need a state license to operate, but commercial roofers do — and most reputable residential roofers are members of the Missouri Roofing Contractors Association or the local BBB anyway. Ask for the license number or association membership before they arrive, and look it up.

**They show up in a marked truck and uniform.** Storm-chaser crews drive unmarked rentals. Local roofers drive trucks with their company name and phone number on the side, usually with a roof rack and ladders.

**They give you a written report after.** Photos of every section, notes on what they found, and a clearly-itemized estimate. They don't pressure you to sign anything. They leave a business card and tell you to call them back when you decide.

**They never ask you to sign an AOB or any claim-related document.** The only thing a real roofer might ask you to sign before doing work is a contract for the work itself, with a clear scope and price. Even then, the homeowner files the claim — not the roofer.

9 red flags that a 'free roof inspection' is a scam

**1. They knocked on your door uninvited.** This alone is not a scam — local roofers do canvass after storms — but combined with anything below, it's a signal.

**2. They claim 'we're already working in your neighborhood.'** A common pretext to legitimize the unsolicited visit. Ask which house. They often can't say.

**3. They ask to see your roof immediately, before you've talked to anyone else.** Urgency is the #1 sales-tactic of every scam in every category. Real roofers will wait.

**4. They ask you to sign an AOB before going on the roof.** This is the smoking gun. AOB transfers your rights to negotiate with your insurer. No legitimate inspection requires you to sign one.

**5. They offer to 'waive your deductible' or 'pay your deductible for you.'** This is insurance fraud — both for the roofer and (if you accept) for you. Federal and state laws prohibit it.

**6. They claim damage you can't see and won't show you photos.** Real roofers document everything. If they say 'oh yeah, lots of hail damage' but won't show you, walk away.

**7. They have an out-of-state license plate, address, or phone number.** Storm chasers fly in for the storm and leave 60 days later. If something goes wrong with the work, your warranty is worthless because they're 800 miles away.

**8. They pressure you to decide today.** 'This price is only good if you sign right now.' No. A good roof job doesn't have an expiration date.

**9. They handle your insurance claim entirely — you just sign and they do the rest.** This is exactly the AOB pattern dressed up. Your insurance is yours. A legitimate roofer might document damage for you, but the claim is between you and your carrier.

What to do if a stranger offers you a free roof inspection

**Step 1: Don't say yes on the spot.** Take their card. Tell them you'll call them back.

**Step 2: Look up their license.** In Missouri, search the contractor's name on the BBB Springfield-area site and on the Missouri Attorney General's storm-fraud watch list. If they're not on either, default to suspicion.

**Step 3: Get a second opinion.** Even if their inspection turns out to be legitimate, a second roofer's perspective costs you nothing and protects you from inflated damage claims.

**Step 4: Read your insurance policy before any roofer talks to your insurer.** Your insurance company is the one you have a contract with. The roofer doesn't.

**Step 5: Never sign an AOB.** If a roofer says 'sign here so we can deal with insurance for you,' the answer is no. Always.

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Frequently asked

If I didn't ask for the inspection, do I owe the inspector anything?: No. If a roofer arrives uninvited and inspects your roof, you owe them nothing — not for the inspection, not for documentation, not for anything else. They came on your property without a contract. Walk away from any attempt to invoice you for an unsolicited inspection.
What is an Assignment of Benefits (AOB)?: An AOB is a contract that transfers your right to negotiate insurance benefits to a third party — usually a contractor. Once signed, the contractor controls the claim. They negotiate with your insurer, decide what gets repaired, set the price, and pocket the proceeds. If they over-bill, you're often on the hook. Missouri allows AOBs but most legitimate roofers don't ask for them. Storm chasers do.
How do I find a legitimate Missouri-licensed roofer for a free inspection?: Three options: (1) ask neighbors who've recently had roof work, (2) search BBB Springfield for A+ rated roofers, (3) use Surgepoint — we send you a vetted Missouri-licensed roofer with their license number and BBB rating in your inbox before they arrive. No AOB. We never touch your insurance claim.
What's the difference between a free inspection and a free estimate?: An inspection determines whether you have damage. An estimate is a quote for repair work. Some roofers bundle both as 'free.' Both can be legitimate. The red flags above apply to both — pressure tactics, AOB requests, deductible waivers are all scam signals regardless of what the visit is called.
Should I let the roofer talk to my insurance adjuster?: It's your call, but understand the dynamic. If you let the roofer 'handle the claim,' you've effectively given them control over the negotiation. A safer middle ground: have the roofer document the damage in writing, but you talk to your adjuster yourself. The adjuster is there to evaluate the damage, not to negotiate with a contractor.

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