JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville family says they are spending the holidays in a home ripped apart after discovering that a roof installed through their insurance company years ago was allegedly never done correctly.
Greg and Tamara Smith contacted the News4JAX I-TEAM after what began as a routine plumbing repair led to a far more serious discovery: multiple roof leaks and alleged installation failures tied to a managed repair completed in 2021.
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The Smiths’ roof was replaced after a windstorm that year, with their insurance company, Olympus Insurance, invoking its right to choose the contractor through what it calls its “Elite Repair Program.” That process, also known as managed repair, allows insurers to assign contractors instead of issuing payment directly to homeowners.
Fast forward to Aug. 7 of this year, when Greg Smith returned home to find water pouring from the ceiling in his garage.
“It was totally separate from the roof,” Smith said. “It was a broken pipe.”
But while crews were repairing water damage from the pipe, they uncovered something unexpected.
“They found the roof leak,” Smith said. “It was raining one day, and they saw it dripping down through the roof.”
Concerned, the Smiths hired an independent roofing inspector. According to the inspection report, the issues went far beyond a simple leak. The report cites workmanship and code-compliance concerns, including severe under-ventilation, active leaks and moisture damage.
Inside their daughter’s bedroom, daylight can be seen shining through parts of the roof assembly.
“It’s really frustrating,” Tamara Smith said. “Normally, my house does not look like this.”
Public adjuster Adam Vining with River City Claims, who is representing the Smiths, said multiple professionals have now reviewed the roof.
“We’ve had two engineers and two general contractors look at the property,” Vining said. “I really don’t think there’s a dispute. We just can’t get this made right.”
Vining said inspectors were unable to find a single properly installed nail during their review.
“We couldn’t find one nail that was installed properly,” he said.
Records show Olympus Insurance handled the roof replacement in 2021, assigning the work to a contractor through its Elite Repair Program. State licensing records indicate the roofing contractor obtained a Florida license on June 30, 2021.
However, documents reviewed by News4JAX show Olympus assigned that contractor to the job on June 11 — weeks earlier. Permit records also show that a different contractor pulled the roofing permit, with work underway by early July.
“That’s a concern,” Vining said. “We cannot get clarification on who actually did the work or who oversaw the work.”
The Smiths say they notified Olympus of the newly discovered roof issues more than four months ago. They say their home remains torn apart, with belongings stacked in hallways and rooms unusable.
Their request, they say, is simple.
“We just want to be made whole,” Greg Smith said. “We’re not looking for extra money. We just want to get our house rebuilt.”
In a statement to News4JAX, Olympus Insurance said the contractor “was properly licensed in the State of Florida to perform roofing and general contracting work when the repairs were carried out.”
The company said it is working with the Smiths toward a resolution and that all repairs completed under its Elite Repair Program are backed by a comprehensive warranty. Olympus added that it is still determining whether the current issues are related to the roof repair performed under the program.
“Every repair completed under Olympus’ Elite Repair Program (ERP) is backed by a comprehensive warranty. When concerns were raised on this claim, Olympus immediately conducted an inspection, which confirmed that there were valid and legitimate issues with the roof installation. This is exactly why our Elite Repair Program includes a comprehensive warranty—to protect policyholders if problems arise after repairs. Once the warranty was triggered, Olympus began the process to make the insured whole. We remain committed to resolving the matter promptly and stand by the integrity of our program and the protections it provides," the insurance company writes.
What homeowners should know
When an insurance company invokes its “right to repair,” homeowners should understand how the process works and what to watch for.
You may not choose the contractor. Under managed repair programs, the insurance company selects the contractor instead of issuing a payout to the homeowner.
The insurer is responsible for the repair. If the insurance company chooses the contractor, consumer advocates say the insurer may be responsible for the quality of the work, including correcting defective repairs.
Licensing matters. Homeowners can verify a contractor’s license through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Licensing should be active at the time the work is assigned and performed.
Permits should match the contractor. In Florida, permits are typically pulled by the contractor performing or overseeing the work. If a different company pulls the permit, experts say homeowners should ask why.
Get everything in writing. Request copies of repair estimates, engineering reports, warranties and your full insurance policy, including all endorsements.
Don’t ignore warning signs. Leaks, stains, odors, or visible gaps can indicate bigger problems. Experts recommend independent inspections if something doesn’t look right.
You can seek outside help. Homeowners may hire licensed inspectors, engineers, or public adjusters to review repairs and advocate on their behalf.
Time matters. Document issues as soon as they’re discovered and notify the insurance company in writing. Keep records of all calls, emails, photos and videos. In most cases, there’s a 5-year workmanship warranty provided by the contractor network for completed repairs. This structure ensures that managed repairs are covered against failures for a set period.