Insurance Claims: How Do We Help?

Common Misconceptions of Insurance Claims

The Insurance Company is on Your Side

We believe that the insurance agent truly is there to help and depending on the insurance carrier the field and desk adjuster may have your best interest at heart. What we have found is that many of the bigger carriers are only interested in profit margins and getting them to follow the policy they wrote is like pulling teeth. The good news is we are getting better at pulling teeth.

Their Bid is Accurate and Final

In all my years as an insurance adjuster I was rarely if ever allowed to write a claim to code and as a roofer I can honestly say I have yet to see an insurance estimate that had a complete scope of work based on code. The insurance carrier uses a program called Xactimate which is not exact and they have documentation agreeing to this statement.

Going with a Cheaper Bid is in Your Best Interest

If you have a Replacement Cost Policy your only concern is your deductible. Have you ever called around for the cheapest doctor…why would you get the cheapest roofer if you may only be responsible for your deductible? The roof is one of the most important parts of your home and the most expensive investment many people put into their home. If someone offers a cheaper estimate, they may be missing key components that can make the difference between your roof never leaking and your chimney or bathroom vent leaking in 5 years.

Understanding the Claims Process

I have to admit when I first called in my claim, I was uncomfortable and I have been a licensed adjuster handling close to 1,000 claims and have owned my roofing company for a couple of years at that time. This feeling and many other emotions you make experience is one of the many factors the insurance carrier may use against you during the claims process. I would love to tell you that I can guarantee that we can handle the claims process and make it a smooth, easy process every time. The simple truth is we cannot and there are many factors out of our control. Our goal is to set ourselves up before the process begins by understanding whether your policy is Replacement Cost Value or Actual Cash Value, does your policy have code compliance, will a licensed adjuster be inspecting my property and not a third-party vendor.

What You Need to Know and Why

These items help us know what the financial responsibilities will be for the homeowner and whether certain items are required based on the policy which help protect your home. There are many good third-party vendors but they are unable to discuss the damage and the decision maker is looking at photos on a computer. The bruising of the hail damage cannot be felt over a computer. We want to remove all of the possible obstacles that can be put in our way and minimize the amount of time the claim will take to get approved.

There are times when we are unable to get the insurance company to agree to a full replacement based on any number of factors. There are other times where the insurance carrier may deny critical items required by law/code to complete the roof correctly. When this occurs, we send in documents related to the issue either with code or manufacturer’s specifications, which are required by code. At this point we recommend speaking to either a public adjuster or lawyer if the insurance company is not complying with the law.

Lawyers and Public Adjusters

Clients are often concerned when consulting with either a public adjuster or a lawyer but the good news is that neither party will charge you a single penny until they have made you money and at that point a public adjuster will take 10% off the proceeds that they obtain/procure. Lawyer fees may vary but the same principle applies that there is no financial obligation unless the lawyer is able to procure funds.

There are times when we are unable to get the insurance company to agree to a full replacement based on any number of factors. There are other times where the insurance carrier may deny critical items required by law/code to complete the roof correctly. When this occurs, we send in documents related to the issue either with code or manufacturer’s specifications, which are required by code. At this point we recommend speaking to either a public adjuster or lawyer if the insurance company is not complying with the law.