Experts warn of scams after severe weather, tornadoes in Southwest Michigan

The tornadoes in Southwest Michigan last week left four people dead and many others working to pick up the pieces.

Being involved in a tornado is shocking, and many people want some normalcy after losing everything. But Bradley Palmer with Tichenor Inc., a roofing company that was already fixing homes impacted in Branch County, wants people to be wary of scams.

"There is a lot of people who don't have any answers; they are really struggling," Palmer said.

"First and foremost, you should probably go with a local area company that is from Michigan or close that has a reputation that has been around for a long time."

Palmer says after natural disasters, storm chasers go to the area in need, often making a quick buck and dashing.

"If you have someone from Texas or New York or Louisiana or whatever that's doing a storm repair for you in Michigan and you have an issue in the winter, they are probably going to call a local company to see if they will come out and fix that, or you might not get an answer at all," said Palmer.

And if they are local, Paul Kerby with Servpro wants you to also be cautious with businesses with an unrecognizable brand.

"If they don't have a branded vehicle or a car or true paperwork they are working off of or true knowledge of what they are doing for you, I wouldn't sign for them," said Kerby.

Experts say it is a red flag if a company is forcing a contract on you or doesn't provide proof that they are insured.

"They might not do it right, they could get hurt and not have insurance," said Kerby. "Its dangerous if they get hurt on your site; they could sue you if they don't have their own business insurance."

While experts want you to research companies, it's also important to know what your insurance company will cover.

Both Kerby and Palmer say it's best to have a good relationship with your insurance representative so they can coordinate the insurance claim with the restoration or roofing company. And most importantly, saving you from being scammed.