If you have contacted your insurance company for a claim and were referred to an approved insurance vendor for restoration, you may want to ask a few questions about that vendor and the relationship with the insurance company…
- What is an approved insurance vendor? An approved insurance vendor is a restoration company that has contracted with your insurance company to do remediation work based on the insurance company’s scope of work and at a lowered cost. In exchange for accepting a lesser amount of money, the restoration company will receive a significant amount of work.
- Do I have to use the company referred by my insurance company? No, you do not. In some states such as California, it is the homeowner’s right to choose the company to remediate their home. If you are uncertain, ask your insurance company or agent directly.
An analogy would be if you were involved in a car accident and your car needed repairs. The insurance company can recommend where the repairs can be made but the choice of a repair shop is up to you. The same is true for homeowners claims.
- Who works for the homeowner/policyholder? Property restoration companies work for the homeowner and not the insurance company. The focus should be on restoring the home to its pre-loss condition within the constraints of the insurance policy.
- Why choose another company over an approved insurance vendor? Independent restoration companies, such as JW Home Care, assess the damage to determine the scope of work to restore your home per the IICRC standards. The IICRC sets the industry standard for all work related to water damage, fire/smoke damage and mold remediation.
- Do all restoration companies work with insurance companies? Yes, they do. The scope of work is submitted to your insurance company and discussed with the adjuster to ensure your home is properly returned to its pre-loss condition.
Your home is your sanctuary, your castle and your biggest investment. It is too important not to trust a company that does not have your best interest from the very beginning. Choose carefully and do not be stream rolled by your insurance company. You pay for your insurance so let it work for you.
