North Carolina Farm Bureau Responds to Door Knocker Roofers’ Outreach

It all started with the notorious “door knockers”—the roofing companies that approach homeowners with promises of new roofs at little or no out-of-pocket expense. This practice has raised significant concerns, particularly for North Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance, the state’s second-largest property insurer, which manages around 500,000 active policies.

For years, the Farm Bureau has received numerous complaints about roofers allegedly damaging roofs to create the illusion of wind or hail damage. This manipulation encourages homeowners to file insurance claims. In one instance, a contractor even suggested to a policyholder that the insurance company wanted them to file a claim to secure a new roof.

This was just one of many solicitation attempts at the same residence over a few months. However, as the state’s insurance commissioner noted at a recent conference, prosecuting these roofers is challenging unless they are caught in the act of deliberately damaging roofs.

In response to this issue, Farm Bureau leadership approached the North Carolina Department of Insurance (DOI) with a unique proposal. They offered access to a home in Raleigh that could serve as a “bait house” for a sting operation, as explained by Todd Childers, senior claims executive for the insurer.

Within weeks, the sting operation was underway. DOI investigators set up surveillance to secretly video-record roofers inspecting shingles. Engineering experts from Farm Bureau inspected the roof both before and after the roofers’ visits. One contractor in Raleigh was repeatedly filmed bending asphalt shingles to simulate wind uplift and hammering on specific spots to create false hail indentations.

“It seems that the roofing industry has some bad actors,” Childers told Insurance Journal. “But there are a lot of good roofing companies, too.”

In December, North Carolina authorities charged Robert Allen Bentley, a senior project manager with A&M Premier Roofing and Construction, with insurance fraud after he was caught on video manipulating roof shingles at the bait house. The footage was not available at press time.

A&M leadership stated that Bentley was an independent contractor who had left the company prior to the arrest. The firm’s independent contractor agreement explicitly prohibits workers from causing damage. The company’s president emphasized, “A&M Premier does not condone unethical practices under any circumstances, as they directly conflict with our training, standards of conduct, and company values.”

This sting operation marks the first time NC Farm Bureau has engaged in such an initiative, according to Childers. The DOI has conducted similar operations in the past, including one in 2020 where a roofer had his case dismissed after agreeing to reimburse the insurance company $30,694. Barry Smith, spokesperson for the DOI, noted that Commissioner Mike Causey is committed to increasing investigations, having tripled the number of special agent fraud investigators and hired a team of special prosecutors to assist local district attorneys in addressing fraudulent activities.

Officials from both the DOI and Farm Bureau indicated that more bait houses are likely to be established in 2026. “We intend to aggressively investigate any fraud activity we’re aware of,” Childers stated. “We know one arrest is not going to make this go away. But it can help educate policyholders about this type of scheme.”

The news of Bentley’s arrest has prompted several insurance carriers to reach out to Farm Bureau for more information. For years, some insurance defense attorneys have argued that state insurance departments and insurers nationwide should adopt similar measures.

Childers pointed out that without direct video evidence, prosecutions can be complicated. Homeowners often remain unaware that roof workers may have intentionally damaged their properties, making them unreliable witnesses. Disputes over the cause of apparent creasing or dents in shingles often devolve into battles of expert testimony. If it cannot be proven that the damage resulted from fraud, the insurance carrier may still be liable for the claim under vandalism.

One potential strategy for insurers could involve demonstrating that contractors who “discover” damage and specify claim amounts may be engaging in claims adjusting without the necessary licenses.

One thing is clear: roof claims and associated fraud appear to be on the rise.

Topics
Agribusiness
North Carolina

It all started with the notorious “door knockers”—the roofing companies that approach homeowners with promises of new roofs at little or no out-of-pocket expense. This practice has raised significant concerns, particularly for North Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance, the state’s second-largest property insurer, which manages around 500,000 active policies.

For years, the Farm Bureau has received numerous complaints about roofers allegedly damaging roofs to create the illusion of wind or hail damage. This manipulation encourages homeowners to file insurance claims. In one instance, a contractor even suggested to a policyholder that the insurance company wanted them to file a claim to secure a new roof.

This was just one of many solicitation attempts at the same residence over a few months. However, as the state’s insurance commissioner noted at a recent conference, prosecuting these roofers is challenging unless they are caught in the act of deliberately damaging roofs.

In response to this issue, Farm Bureau leadership approached the North Carolina Department of Insurance (DOI) with a unique proposal. They offered access to a home in Raleigh that could serve as a “bait house” for a sting operation, as explained by Todd Childers, senior claims executive for the insurer.

Within weeks, the sting operation was underway. DOI investigators set up surveillance to secretly video-record roofers inspecting shingles. Engineering experts from Farm Bureau inspected the roof both before and after the roofers’ visits. One contractor in Raleigh was repeatedly filmed bending asphalt shingles to simulate wind uplift and hammering on specific spots to create false hail indentations.

“It seems that the roofing industry has some bad actors,” Childers told Insurance Journal. “But there are a lot of good roofing companies, too.”

In December, North Carolina authorities charged Robert Allen Bentley, a senior project manager with A&M Premier Roofing and Construction, with insurance fraud after he was caught on video manipulating roof shingles at the bait house. The footage was not available at press time.

A&M leadership stated that Bentley was an independent contractor who had left the company prior to the arrest. The firm’s independent contractor agreement explicitly prohibits workers from causing damage. The company’s president emphasized, “A&M Premier does not condone unethical practices under any circumstances, as they directly conflict with our training, standards of conduct, and company values.”

This sting operation marks the first time NC Farm Bureau has engaged in such an initiative, according to Childers. The DOI has conducted similar operations in the past, including one in 2020 where a roofer had his case dismissed after agreeing to reimburse the insurance company $30,694. Barry Smith, spokesperson for the DOI, noted that Commissioner Mike Causey is committed to increasing investigations, having tripled the number of special agent fraud investigators and hired a team of special prosecutors to assist local district attorneys in addressing fraudulent activities.

Officials from both the DOI and Farm Bureau indicated that more bait houses are likely to be established in 2026. “We intend to aggressively investigate any fraud activity we’re aware of,” Childers stated. “We know one arrest is not going to make this go away. But it can help educate policyholders about this type of scheme.”

The news of Bentley’s arrest has prompted several insurance carriers to reach out to Farm Bureau for more information. For years, some insurance defense attorneys have argued that state insurance departments and insurers nationwide should adopt similar measures.

Childers pointed out that without direct video evidence, prosecutions can be complicated. Homeowners often remain unaware that roof workers may have intentionally damaged their properties, making them unreliable witnesses. Disputes over the cause of apparent creasing or dents in shingles often devolve into battles of expert testimony. If it cannot be proven that the damage resulted from fraud, the insurance carrier may still be liable for the claim under vandalism.

One potential strategy for insurers could involve demonstrating that contractors who “discover” damage and specify claim amounts may be engaging in claims adjusting without the necessary licenses.

One thing is clear: roof claims and associated fraud appear to be on the rise.

Topics
Agribusiness
North Carolina