Whether you are filing your first insurance claim, or you’re an “old pro”, the process is usually confusing and frustrating. You may begin to feel like your insurance company is not really looking out for you as you’d expected. Adding to the confusion are the unscrupulous contractors who take advantage of distressed homeowners, especially after a major weather event.
Below are a few of the questions we often hear from property owners who are trying to navigate through the insurance claims process. If you ever have questions, please be sure to talk to your project manager. They are here to help you. Remember that Power House Roofing & Construction works for you, not for your insurance company.
How the check is handled varies by circumstances. Sometimes, if your mortgage company is a local bank, certain branches can endorse the check for you. Other times, it may be necessary to mail the check to the mortgage company. Regardless, your project manager will guide you through the necessary steps.
No, you are not required to get three estimates. You are allowed to choose whichever contractor you want to complete the work on your property. Power House will guide you to work with your insurance company and agree upon a scope and price for the work to be completed. Your only out-of-pocket expense will be your insurance deductible. Power House will complete the job at the price agreed upon with the insurance company/adjuster.
Chances are, we use the same estimating software and pricing as your insurance company. We work together to assess the damage, the amount of materials and labor needed, etc. Power House then does your job based on the agreed price reached between us and your insurance company. This is a great convenience for our customers, because it means the negotiating and paperwork is left to us.
Initially, your adjuster and project manager will agree upon an estimate of the cost to complete the repairs to your home. Sometimes, this estimate may change in scope and cost during construction. Sometimes additional damage is found once construction begins, or there are other unforeseen issues. When this happens, your project manager will submit a change order to the insurance company, which informs them of the changes to the scope of your job. Again, your project manager will deal directly with your adjuster to get the change order approved and paid. This is standard procedure and is expected by the insurance companies. Any additional funds released due to a change order are considered part of the job cost, and the funds are due to Power House Roofing just like any other insurance payment.
You can request a re-adjustment and have your project manager present when the adjuster reassesses your damage. Your Project Manager will ensure that any and all claim-related damage is pointed out to the adjuster. If the claim is denied a second time, please look into the appeal/grievance policy of your insurance company. Any agreement with Power House Roofing & Construction is contingent upon insurance approval and is void if the claim is denied. You will not be liable for any payment in this case.
Bad Weather Ahead
Of course, this is a huge concern for both home and business owners. However, the fact of the matter is, when there is widespread weather-related damage, everybody's insurance cost is going to increase. If your area or zip code was an expensive area for the insurance company due to an "act of God", you are impacted whether you file a claim or not. Remember, you pay (heavily) to insure your home for problems just like this.
Your mortgage company will often be listed on your insurance proceeds because they have a vested interest in the condition of your property. They want to make sure the work required is completed. Often, the mortgage company will send out an inspector to check on the progress or completion of the job.