Also, a contractor is not likely to give you a proposal to build back exactly what you had, especially if you are not intending to build back that exact house. Many homeowners want to build back a different home than the one they had, and the insurance adjuster will probably have a different image than you do of the home that you had previously. Proving up cost is not as easy as simply re-building your home and turning in the receipts. Make sure to read United Policyholders Basic Claim Tips and Dwelling Claim Tips.

The following information is provided to help “level the playing field” and help you understand a little more about their world and to help you look out for your interests.

They are not paid to spend an extraordinary amount of time making sure you get all you are entitled to get. They are motivated to close the file and move on. They are “professional” claims adjusters and do what they do on a daily basis. These “hired guns” are not brought in by the carriers for their reputation for handing out money, but for their ability to manage the risk for the carrier. Generally, for a major event, adjusters may be hired on a contract basis, and even though they are there on behalf of the carrier, they may not be totally up to speed on the insurance companies’ client relationship philosophies and may not deal with you exactly like the seasoned but gentle actor playing the role on the TV commercial. This problem is exacerbated by the need to bring outside adjusters into an area to meet the extraordinary quantity of claims.

Not all adjusters are bad however, following a major loss event like a major earthquake or wildfire, they may be over-stretched or just plain in over their head. Insurance adjusters work for the insurance company and are responsible for preparing an estimate of the cost of repair or replacement of the insured’s property loss.

Pdf element cost