The insurance adjuster.  Just hearing that phrase can conjure up preconceptions in the minds of many homeowners.  You may have heard horror stories about how the “adjuster” took advantage of them, or the “adjuster” turned down the hail damage claim; they must be up to no good!!!  The truth is, over the last ten years, I have had few times where an adjuster has been really unprofessional or displayed any type of belligerence.  Adjusters, like you and I, have a job to do.  Understanding some of the challenges they face will help you make a better decision on how and when to choose a contractor to help with the claim.

Hit The Road Jack…….

When a storm comes through, that is exactly what most adjusters do.  They get a call when hail, wind, or other catastrophes hit, and get assigned to whatever state or region needs them based on the claim load.  They pack up their gear, kiss the wife and kids goodbye, and head out for however long it takes to complete the hundreds of claims they will get assigned in the area that got hit.  Being away from home is part of the job.  The sooner they finish the work load, the sooner they can go home, or on to the next assignment.

The Dark Side ….

Insurance adjusters handling storm damage claims sometimes encounter unscrupulous contractors, and even some dishonest homeowners.  They get to deal with everything from pushy roofing contractors claiming damage where there is none, to homeowners trying to “make a little” off the insurance claim.  It is no wonder why some of them are suspicious!  I have spoken to adjusters who have had to turn in fraud claims against contractors for actually creating the damage on the roof.  It is not an easy business.  There are definitely right and wrong ways to work with adjusters. At Great River Remodeling, we want to show you why it is best to have our honest, professional help in dealing with your storm, water, or fire damage.

Scope and Price

Getting a fair claim settlement comes down to two things- Scope of Work, and Price.  Most adjusters have some background in construction and really know their stuff.  So why does it seem that so many times the adjuster misses damaged items on your home?   The answer is they simply may have too many claims to be 100% accurate.  Sometimes they have to do 12 to 14 inspections a day.   Additionally, some out of state adjusters may not be familiar with our state’s code requirements.  These two things alone are good reasons to have help from a professional storm damage contractor.  The other big part of getting paid fairly is Price.  Almost all insurance companies use professional software to determine fair price for the replacement items.  Programs like Xactimate take a lot of guesswork out of pricing the damaged items on your home.  Xactimate is used by most major insurance companies and updates pricing every month to be accurate.  Great River Remodeling uses Xactimate.  We speak the same language your adjuster does, and have a lot more time to commit to inspecting your home and creating an estimate that is both accurate and fair.

Some practical tips for making things turn out alright

1)    After a storm, Do NOT sign up with the first person who knocks on your door promising you a new roof or siding.  See our blog called Door-to-Door Roofers  for more thoughts on that subject.

2)    Choose your contractor based on their knowledge, integrity, and past performance.  Look for credentials, references, license, and insurance information before you even let them on your property.

3)    Let an honest storm damage contractor meet the adjuster at your home.  Having representation from an experienced contractor will help eliminate having to set up a “re-inspect” with the insurance company to point out items the adjuster missed.  Nobody likes having their mistakes pointed out.  Keeping adjusters off the defense is a better way to success.

4)    If you get turned down by the insurance company the first time, call us and we can help evaluate if the claim needs to be looked at more thoroughly.  We have an excellent track record of helping customers through difficult claims.

Our commitment to our customers is to provide honest, reliable and quality service.  We understand competition is tough out there.  Our goal is to earn your trust, and try to give more than our competitors can with every project.  We know adjusters, storm damage, and are willing to help with every aspect of the process from the  estimate to  project completion.  Thank you for taking the time to read our blog, we hope it was useful to you!