Posts Tagged ‘Restoration’

Home Insurance Claims can save your bacon, but they can also cost you! There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to home/business owners, their choice to purchase an insurance policy, and more importantly when to use it. If you are like the majority of home owners, a shiny or more preferably, a dusty old insurance policy is like a “get out of jail free card” when it comes to a loss in your home. However, in most cases this could not be further from the truth!

I have been paying insurance for Fifteen years. Why shouldn’t I make an Insurance claim now?

Every homeowner ever

Why Do You Have a Policy?

There is a big misconception amongst homeowners with what insurance is and when it is appropriate to make an Insurance claim. Your policy is there to protect you and your investments when things do not go as planned. An example of this would be a sudden break in a pipe leading to a water loss in your home. Another example would be if you’re cooking dinner and a grease fire sets your kitchen ablaze. Now if you take a step back, you may think, “this is exactly what I thought my policy was for already.” The key factor with deciding if it is a good idea to make a claim is the magnitude of the loss.

“Policy holders jump the gun when they see a puddle of water in their basement. They are eager to cash in on the policy that they pay for and hurt financially in the end.” – Over 20 different Agents have actually told us this!

Not every tool should be used for every job. If you see somebody fixing your refrigerator with a hammer, you may need to ask them a few questions. Having a policy is an amazing tool for any homeowner, but it is not a “one size fits all” tool. If you make an insurance claim too quickly, you may find yourself in a worse situation down the road! Even small Insurance claims can add future costs to your premiums and in the worst cases can make you ineligible for renewing your policy! Now you have to shop for new insurance AND your home is still damaged and needing repairs!

When Should You File an Insurance Claim?

There is no “cookie cutter” answer for when you should make a claim. However, most Insurance Agents will tell you, “not to make an insurance claim if the loss not at least 3-4 times the cost of your deductible.” Obviously, everyone has a different deductible cost as well as their unique financial situation, so sometimes that number could be hard to imagine. The safest bet would be to talk to your agent before making a decision to open a claim, they are the experts after all.

How Do You Decide if Your Loss is Worthy of an Insurance Claim?

Aside from your entire septic system filling your 3 story home, or being able to see your back yard through the charred remains of your living room, it can be hard to navigate between feelings and rational thought in the moment. How do wake up at 3am see your toilet overflowing and decide, “yeah, this is 3 times my deductible”? The answer is, most people can’t. Damages on the surface are normally just the beggining of the problems. The best way for you as a Policy Holder is to have a someone experienced and proficient in the field of emergency mitigation conduct a meticulous and thorough inspection.

Where Do You Find a Mitigation Expert?

Finding a professional in the area can be challenging in a time of crisis. Not because due to a Lack of companies willing to do the work, but due to having to weed through all of your options, and picking the company that has your best interest in mind as well as being someone you trust. When you are looking for a company to work with you need to be looking for a few key aspects.

1. Response Time

When your home suffers a loss that requires mitigation work, time is your biggest enemy. With water damage, even a couple of hours can be the difference of multiple hundreds or even thousands of dollars. This means, finding someone that is willing and ready to get to you even when it is inconvenient.

2. Certification and Standards

Certification and Standards- The IICRC is the nationally recognized standard for mitigation training and they set the rule book for what your insurance adjuster is going to follow when it comes to handling your insurance claim. It is Imperative that who ever is working in your home is familiar with these: rules, guidlines, and standards covered in these certification courses. Without the proper training and Documentation, restoration costs can go up tremendously, and in most cases at the cost of the customer.

3. Customer Service-

When you are dealing with any size of loss in your own home, the last thing you need to worry about is Company XYZ coming into your home, tearing a wall down, leaving a mess, say goodbye, and send you a bill with no explanation. On top of that, you need to talk to your insurance, then try to explain to them what happened because Company XYZ did not bother to document the project. It is important for you to find the Mitigation team that will take care of you in your time of need. That means:

1. Taking extra steps to make sure that your home is clean and safe for you and your family.
2. Keeping clear channels of communication between Mitigation Techs and Homeowners.
3. Contacting the Adjuster in charge of your Insurance Claim, so that you can focus on the more important details of your fast paced life.
4. Giving the level of service and knowledge where you can trust the people working in your home.

4. Quality and Integrity-

When it comes to your home, safety, sanity and money, you do not want any second thoughts. No matter what size of project you have, you should never have any doubts about the people in your home, how they are going to treat your personal contents, wonder if it will be safe for you to be there, or have to question the final product. From the very first day, effective communication needs to be established. You should be greeted by a knowledgeable team that can efficiently walk you through the process, and answer any questions that you have. The final product should be satisfactory to You, the Team, and all other parties involved.

5. A Working Network of the Trades-

Believe it or not, not everyone will think of this when looking for a restoration company to help them. While Mitigation teams may be able to cover a wide variety tasks, at least one time in the project, they will probably need to look for help for problems outside of the scope of their skills or certifications. A quality business needs to have a network of trusted companies that will bring the same level of quality to your home that they themselves offer. This network would include, but is not limited to: Electricians, Plumbers, Abatement Companies, and Landscapers.

Where Do I Go From Here?

There are always options in your area when it comes to picking a Mitigation team. Generally insurance companies will give you a few options to choose from. The choice then is yours. When you are thinking of opening an Insurance claim, please consider all of the key factors! When you are waste deep in Water, Minutes can feel like hours and hours can feel like days. Pick the business that you feel most comfortable with, but always get an Inspection before opening a claim. Baxter Construction will inspect anywhere in Yakima County at no cost. Call and schedule today. You may save yourself thousands of dollars and keep your premiums from raising!