Deceitful Contractors' Well-Rehearsed, Predatory Practices Exploit Wildfire Victims

Wildfires often leave behind untold numbers of people left with the daunting task of rebuilding their homes. Unfortunately, as the rebuilding begins, deceitful contractors descend on the region looking to make a quick buck off victims. Homeowners, undergoing the stresses and strains common after losing a home, often fall prey to these well-rehearsed predatory schemes, slowing the recovery process.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting insurance fraud, and we’ve been doing this for more than a century.

We are asking for your help in informing your audience about post-disaster contractor fraud. These 30 and 60-second PSAs, available for both television and radio, and in English and Spanish, are intended to raise awareness and inform hurricane victims how to identify contractor fraud and best practices for selecting a contractor.

According to our analysis, fraud accounts for about 5-to-10 percent of all insurance claims filed. In 2021, claims from wildfires in the United States accounted for nearly $9 billion. Of this, approximately $450 to $900 million is attributable to insurance fraud, a cost policyholders pay for through their annual insurance premiums.

We trust you will find these PSAs beneficial for your audience and air them as time permits.

For more information on contractor fraud, please contact Tully Lehman via phone (925-758-0744) or email (tlehman@nicb.org).

Best regards,

Chris Stroisch
Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications
847-450-9814
cstroisch@nicb.org