Under a new state law, House Bill No. 2102, it is illegal for contractors or roofers to offer to waive a deductible or promise a rebate for all or part of a deductible. It also allows insurance companies to request proof, such a receipt or canceled check, that the homeowner paid the deductible. Please take the time to have your policy reviewed so you are aware of your deductibles on both you home and auto. With this new law, you might find the cash out of pocket on large deductibles hard to come by. Lowering deductibles, in some cases, may only mean a few more dollars a month.
In the event of a claim where a deductible has to be paid and a contractor offers to waive it, please report it to the Texas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-621-0508. Doing business with such a contractor can not only leave you in a bad spot legally but often times this leads to shoddy repairs, fake contracts, and other problems. Some unscrupulous contractors then cut corner, use lower quality products, or inflate the bill sent to the insurance company to cover the difference. Don’t be afraid to ask for references or ask for referrals but don’t take a risk!