You’re likely already paying a pretty penny for your home insurance and, unfortunately, that’s probably not changing this year. “It would not surprise us to see double digit price hikes again across the state, we’re just hoping they’re more moderate,” said Mark Friedlander from the Insurance Information Institute. As we prepare for another storm system to move through our area, many are still recovering from damages sustained in previous storms. If you’re dealing with storm damage to your home, you’ll want to keep an eye out for shady contractors looking to make a quick buck off of your hardship. “They’re not really there to help you, they’re there to scam you,” Friedlander said. According to Friedlander, swindlers will canvass neighborhoods, trying to persuade you to hire them and sign paperwork that would allow them to bill your insurance company exorbitant prices. And in some cases, they’ll run off with your cash. “These contractors try to take advantage of homeowners where they are down at their lowest point,” he said. “We learned in many situations following Ian that homeowners paid up front, and the contractor literally disappeared.” To avoid getting scammed, Friedlander suggests being skeptical of anyone who is canvassing your neighborhood and who shows up offering help without you reaching out first. “Our advice is, if you didn’t request it, reject it,” Friedlander said. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/insurance-scam-florida/67-499bfa14-783b-41e3-9fef-e9fba0ebf579 ►Subscribe: https://on.wtsp.com/youtube ►Website: https://www.wtsp.com/ ►Facebook: https://facebook.com/10TampaBay ►Twitter: https://twitter.com/10TampaBay