Patronis warns of insurance fraud after hurricanes
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is encouraging homeowners to avoid falling victim to insurance fraud with the 'Check My Contract' portal.
Policyholders can submit their repair contract for independent review to ensure the agreement is legitimate.
"I'm concerned because some of these contracts are not written in the best interest of the policy holder," Patronis said. "They're written in the best interest of the contractor."
Patronis held a news conference about 'Check My Contract' portal at the Hillsborough County Emergency Operations Center in Tampa on Monday.
He said a homeowner was unable to cancel their roofing contract during the 10-day grace period because the document was backdated.
"The contract got predated right in front of the woman," Patronis said. "If it sounds too good to be true, it always is. Always."
Neighbors in St. Pete Beach have also been wary of contractors who may have bad intentions.
"Some people were trying to offer to take everything off of our hands, but that meant turning over the keys to the kingdom," Jim O'Hanley said.
O'Hanley is managing several repair projects at once, but still diligent about ensuring every contract is reviewed carefully.
He voiced concerns after receiving a quote from a contractor that lacked important details about the work they promised to complete.
"They were just giving one bulk price for a number of services and weren't being specific about what that included," O'Hanley said. "That was a big red flag for us."
Patronis said homeowners should also pay attention to language in the contract that can redirect insurance payments away from policyholders.
"Maybe you're not sure if the amount that you're being charged is accurate," Patronis said. "All of those decisions are now lying in the lap of the contractor, not the policy holder, because you have now signed that right away."
For more information about the 'Check My Contract' portal,.
The following information may be requested when filing a contract for review:
Full name of contracted company and/or individual;
Consumer Name;
Consumer Address;
Consumer Phone number and/or email;
Type of insurance coverage (Homeowner, Condo Unit Owner, Mobile Home, Dwelling Fire, Windstorm, Flood)
Full name of insurance company;
Policy number;
Claim number;
A non-original copy of the full contract; and
A detailed explanation of the issue and any additional information or documentation that supports your concerns.
