Archive for December, 2010
11th Excerpt of the Insured Bill of Rights
Posted by: | CommentsYou must be careful, it is important to go over your policy with your insurance adjuster because the policy also has time requirements in which the policy holder must prepare their claim and submit it to insurance. It is very important to know these guidelines at the beginning of your claim so that you can ensure that the claim goes through properly.
You, the policy holder have the strongest impact on what the insurance company does. It is up to you to ensure that the insurance company gives you proper settlement in the proper fashion and proper time. A good Restoration Company will be there for you helping you to exercise your rights and make everything as easy as possible for you. In the end, the policy holder holds most of the power.
10th Excerpt of the Insured Bill of Rights
Posted by: | Comments10. In the event of a controversy over the total worth of your loss between you and the insurance company you may request appraisal so you don’t have to bring the case to suit. (You can find this on Lines 123-140 of the “Standard Homeowners Form”, which describes how to go about settling differences between you and your insurance company without getting into a lawsuit.)
The insurance company is also entitled to this same right which may be exercised any time before the settlement regardless of any advanced payments you have received. This doesn’t normally occur, in the event that it does, a third party adjuster may be hired, a decent restoration company will be able to help you through this in the event that it occurs.
9th Excerpt of the Insured Bill of Rights
Posted by: | Comments9. You have the option to select the company with sufficient experience and knowledge in water and fire damage restoration. Also you may select one that has dealt with other insurance claims in the past, and offers their service professionally and full-time.
It’s pretty easy to see how much experience a company has. They should have a website or should at the very least be able to show you pictures of previous work. A good company will have a detailed website with testimonials, and pictures of themselves and work they’ve done. They may even have a list of references for you to call. Also many of today’s restoration companies such as Al’s Absolute Best Cleaning and Restoration of CT offer a 24 HR Emergency Service, so if you are experiencing a flood or fire even at one or two o’clock in the morning it would be in your best interest to call one of these companies. This also ensures that you are in compliance with the 1st right under the insured bill of rights “doing everything you can to safeguard your property from further damage after you discover the problem”.
8th Excerpt of the Insured Bill of Rights
Posted by: | Comments8. Any Estimate you receive from a restoration company should be rejected if the company is not adhering to all local, state and federal requirements associated with residential construction work in your area.
Find a company that charges the regulated tax in your area. This is not usually very hard, since most companies adhere to state and federal taxing policies. You can also find the local requirements on residential construction work in your area, and ask the company you may choose if they adhere to those regulations. A good restoration company will be familiar with all the regulations, taxing and methods that should be used to properly restore your home in your area.
The 7th Exceprt of the Insured Bill of Rights
Posted by: | Comments7. The company that you wish to hire is obligated to provide you with a detailed list of repairs and materials that will be needed for the job upon your request, even before the work begins. They should also include other potential hidden costs that may be incurred while restoring your place, in should be as accurate as possible with as much detail as possible.
The restoration company you choose should be able to tell you what they think will be needed for the job and how extensive it could get, they should also be able to come up with a list of all these details upon your request.
The company of your choosing, should be able to say, “Mrs. Jones, there is no way to tell you how extensive the damage is behind this wall until will start removing/ cutting to inspect and dry behind that wall. The technician should at least be able to tell you where there may be additional damage and what should be done about it.
The 6th Excerpt of the Insured Bill of Rights
Posted by: | CommentsYou do not have to choose a restoration company that delivers the lowest bid, in fact any repairs made should be done at the going rate in your area, to return your building to its original condition and quality.
Preferred Contractors give discounted rates to insurance companies, preferred contractors do not define the “going rate” in your area. Prices are set by industry standards. Prices are also subject to change in different geographical areas, and you are allowed to choose the company that you think will provide the best workmanship to bring your home back to its pre-loss condition.
A good company will use an industry standard method of calculating costs. Xactimate is a very good example and is very commonly used in the cleaning and restoration industry. A good restoration company will not be making side negotiations with your insurance company; they will be on your side acting as your advocate. A company like Al’s Absolute Best Cleaning and Restoration actually positions themselves as consumer advocates, so we preform top quality services to bring your house back to pre-loss condition. Our advanced drying techniques and processes enable us to dry faster saving your structure from more extensive damages. Insurance companies love us because we put so much effort into saving what you have rather than re-placing, this saves them costly re-placement fees, which means you have a lower claim to submit, everyone makes out better this way. Someone that comes in offering reduced rates and discounts, isn’t going to provide top-quality work, which could easily result in future mold growth, mildew odors etc. The insurance adjuster dealing with your claim will be much happier if you choose a great restoration company backed up with years of experience and know-how, that also prices everything at the industry standard and going rate for your area.
