Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast The Dark Side of Roofing: Insurance Scams, Storm Chasers, and Why Homeowners Get Burned
Jan 20, 2026
In this engaging discussion, Adam Cherup, a seasoned roofing contractor from Florida, exposes the hidden challenges in the roofing industry. He reveals the "deny, delay, defend" tactics used by insurers, shedding light on how homeowners can better navigate insurance claims. Adam also dives into the dangers of storm chasers and the importance of proper documentation to maximize payouts. He explores the impact of seasonality on cash flow and shares insights on starting a roofing business, emphasizing the need for transparency and education in the field.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Nonprofit Exposed Engineer Fraud After Sandy
- Adam helped start American Policyholders to fight insurer fraud and engineer manipulation after Hurricane Sandy.
- They uncovered insurers and engineers falsifying reports to deny legitimate claims.
Paperwork And Codes Drive Higher Payouts
- Submitting insurance claims correctly raises payouts because carriers negotiate line-item codes.
- John Wilson found average ticket values roughly doubled after improving Xactimate coding and paperwork.
Staff For Insurance Complexity And Payment Lag
- Hire a dedicated person who knows Xactimate and insurance codes to prepare claims properly.
- Accept longer payment timelines and staff accordingly because insurers can take months to pay after disasters.