Arkansas Storm Chaser Roofers: What to Know Before You Sign

Storm chaser roofers are out-of-area roofing companies and sales crews that follow hail and tornado tracks into Arkansas, canvass damaged neighborhoods door to door, sign as many insurance jobs as they can, and move on to the next storm. The core problem is not that every one of them does bad work. It is that when your roof leaks in year three, the company is gone, the phone number is dead, and the workmanship warranty is worthless. Arkansas law requires nonresident roofing contractors to register with the state, post a bond, and name a registered agent here, and both the Arkansas Insurance Department and the Arkansas Attorney General publish warnings about post-storm contractor scams.

Rumble Roofing is Arkansas owned and operated, with an office in Little Rock and a managing partner who lives in Jonesboro. Insurance restoration is our specialty, so we compete with storm chasers directly every spring. Here is what we tell friends and neighbors.

Why Storm Chasers Come to Arkansas

Because the weather delivers. The National Weather Service says tornadoes are more frequent in Arkansas in late winter and spring, and 2025 brought 60 tornadoes in the state against a normal of 37. The March 31, 2023 EF3 tornado tracked more than 34 miles from west Little Rock through North Little Rock, Sherwood, and Jacksonville to Cabot, with winds of 165 mph and at least 2,700 structures impacted. That same day, a tornado of at least EF3 strength cut a 73 mile path through Wynne and Cross County. Then June 2023 produced more very large hail than any June on record in Arkansas, including 4 inch stones in Garland County and baseball-size hail at Hot Springs Village and Sheridan.

Each of those events put thousands of insurance claims on the table at once. Local roofers cannot absorb that volume in a month, and the out-of-state crews know it. They arrive within days, sometimes with a temporary office in a strip mall and a batch of yard signs.

How to Spot a Storm Chaser

• Unsolicited knock right after a storm. IBHS and the National Insurance Crime Bureau describe crews that "follow the path of damage caused by severe storms around the country soliciting business door-to-door."
• Out-of-state plates and a new local number. Ask where the company's office is and how long it has been there. Ask who will answer the phone in three years.
• A free inspection that always finds damage. Some crews are known to create damage on the roof during an "inspection" to justify a claim. Do not let anyone on your roof you have not vetted.
• Pressure to sign now."We are only in the neighborhood this week" or "sign today and we will take care of everything."
• Deductible waivers. The offer to "eat" or "cover" your deductible is the single biggest red flag, and it is insurance fraud.
• A contract with blanks or an assignment of your claim. Contingency agreements that lock you in before the adjuster has even come out.
• Telling you not to call your insurer. The Attorney General lists "never let a contractor discourage you from contacting your insurance" as a rule.

What Arkansas Law Requires

Arkansas Code 17-25-601 and following covers roofing contractors, and it defines a nonresident roofing contractor as one without an in-state business presence, claiming residency in another state, or not filing Arkansas income taxes. Any roofing contractor, resident or not, that engages in or solicits residential roofing services for a fee must hold a roofing contractor registration certificate from the Residential Contractors Committee. The application requires a surety bond of at least $15,000 and proof of workers' compensation coverage, and nonresident contractors must designate a registered agent for service in Arkansas. You can look any company up through the Find a Licensed Contractor search on the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing site. If the salesman at your door cannot give you a registration number, close the door.

Arkansas also gives consumers the right to cancel a home solicitation sale within three days, according to the Attorney General's office, and that right applies even if work or equipment has already been installed. If you signed something on your porch and regret it, act inside that window and send written notice.

After a declared disaster, Arkansas's price gouging law, Act 376, bars charging more than 10 percent above pre-disaster prices for goods and services including construction materials, with fines up to $10,000 per violation, and it applies for at least 180 days for home repairs. Report it to the Attorney General at (501) 682-2007.

The Deductible Waiver Trap

Here is how it works. A storm chaser tells you they will "waive" your $2,500 deductible. To make the numbers work, they either inflate the invoice to your insurance company or do $2,500 less work than the approved scope, usually by skipping ice and water shield, reusing flashing, or leaving off ventilation. The Arkansas Insurance Department tells homeowners to avoid contractors who offer to waive your deductible or promise a rebate. Rumble Roofing never waives or absorbs deductibles, and we do not write inflated invoices. Your deductible is your share of the claim, and paying it is what keeps the claim honest.

What Good Storm Work Looks Like

Insurance restoration done right is straightforward. You get a documented inspection with photos. You decide whether to file the claim and you file it yourself. Your roofer meets the adjuster on the roof so the damage gets counted correctly. The roofer completes the scope your insurer approved, using the shingle you chose, and submits supplements for anything the adjuster missed, like code-required items or rotten decking. You pay your deductible, the roofer collects the rest from the claim, and the workmanship warranty is backed by a company that will still be in Arkansas in ten years. That is how Rumble Roofing works, and you can read the details on our roof insurance claims page and our storm and hail damage page.

Protecting Yourself After a Storm

1. Photograph the damage and call your insurance company yourself. The Attorney General's office says to call your insurer before paying any deposit to anyone.
2. Get more than one estimate, and get them from companies with a real Arkansas office.
3. Verify registration and insurance. See our guide to choosing a roofing contractor in Arkansas.
4. Never sign a contract with blanks, and keep a copy of everything.
5. Never pay in full until the job is finished and you have inspected it.
6. If something feels off, it probably is. Take a day. A legitimate roofer will still be there tomorrow.

Where to Report a Roofing Scam in Arkansas

The Arkansas Attorney General's consumer protection division takes complaints at (501) 682-2007 or through ArkansasAG.gov. The Arkansas Insurance Department Consumer Services Division is at 800-852-5494 for insurance-related problems. Suspected insurance fraud can also be reported anonymously to the National Insurance Crime Bureau at 800-835-6422.

Storm Chaser Roofers FAQ

Are all out-of-state roofers in Arkansas scammers?
No. Some do solid work and follow the rules. The risk is that they leave, and a workmanship warranty is only as good as the company behind it. Verify registration, insurance, and a real Arkansas presence before you sign.

Can I cancel a roofing contract I signed at my door?
Arkansas law gives you three days to cancel a home solicitation sale, according to the Attorney General's office. Send written notice inside that window.

Is it illegal for a roofer to waive my deductible in Arkansas?
The Arkansas Insurance Department warns homeowners to avoid contractors who offer this. Inflating an invoice to hide a waived deductible is insurance fraud. Rumble Roofing does not do it.

How do I check whether a roofer is registered in Arkansas?
Use the Find a Licensed Contractor search on the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing website. Roofing contractors must be registered with the Residential Contractors Committee.

Does Rumble Roofing do free inspections after storms?
Yes. Our free roof inspection comes with photos and a straight answer on whether you have a claim, a repair, or nothing to worry about.