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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, Each year, Illinois faces destructive forces from | ||||||
| 3 | strong winds, hailstorms, and flooding, all of which carry the | ||||||
| 4 | potential to cause serious damage or, even worse, total | ||||||
| 5 | destruction to private property and homes; and | ||||||
| 6 | WHEREAS, Following disasters, stressed and strained | ||||||
| 7 | homeowners are vulnerable to well-rehearsed, predatory | ||||||
| 8 | practices from dishonest contractors fraudulently adding costs | ||||||
| 9 | to repair or rebuild homes; and | ||||||
| 10 | WHEREAS, These predatory practices by some contractors | ||||||
| 11 | generally increase costs to rebuild for insurers and | ||||||
| 12 | homeowners alike, ultimately driving up insurance premiums on | ||||||
| 13 | consumers and forcing some insurers to reevaluate their | ||||||
| 14 | exposure; and | ||||||
| 15 | WHEREAS, Insurance fraud adds five to 10 percent to claims | ||||||
| 16 | expenses paid for by insurers and consumers; and | ||||||
| 17 | WHEREAS, It is imperative that an effective public | ||||||
| 18 | outreach campaign highlight the various types of contractor | ||||||
| 19 | fraud schemes and provide methods in how consumers can | ||||||
| 20 | identify and avoid such schemes; and | ||||||
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| 1 | WHEREAS, The National Insurance Crime Bureau encourages | ||||||
| 2 | Illinoisans to get at least three written estimates, check | ||||||
| 3 | contractor credentials, and work closely with insurers during | ||||||
| 4 | the entire rebuilding process when hiring a contractor; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, In collaboration with its local and state | ||||||
| 6 | partners in Illinois, including law enforcement, first | ||||||
| 7 | responders, legislators, and state officials, the National | ||||||
| 8 | Insurance Crime Bureau is committed to educating Illinoisans | ||||||
| 9 | about predatory practices by dishonest contractors; therefore, | ||||||
| 10 | be it | ||||||
| 11 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 12 | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 13 | we declare May 20-24, 2024 as Contractor Fraud Awareness Week | ||||||
| 14 | in the State of Illinois and encourage all Illinoisans to | ||||||
| 15 | become familiar with contractor fraud and participate in the | ||||||
| 16 | various programs during the fourth annual event; and be it | ||||||
| 17 | further | ||||||
| 18 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 19 | presented to the National Insurance Crime Bureau as an | ||||||
| 20 | expression of our respect and esteem. | ||||||