This shows how you need to beware and be aware of predatory companies.  Judi signed with a company that charged 30% and did not even handle her claim.  Their actions then caused her claim to be overly scrutinized and then denied for 6 months. 

Judi's contractor recommended our services.  We documented the claim and fought with her insurance company for months.  Our assistance and documentation were used to get her claim covered.  She received a settlement for more than she was expecting.  This is why it pays to not only hire a public adjuster but to also hire the correct team.  

This Clark Howard Fox News clip is from 7 years ago but remains incredibly relevant today. 

The unfortunate reality is that if your insurance carrier is not actively advocating for you, they are likely undercompensating your claim. Some companies will contest your claims at every turn. Insurance claims processes are often lengthy, and if you receive prompt payments, it may indicate an attempt to prematurely close your claim. 

Clark also mentions in another video that insurance companies are settling claims for only 65 cents on the dollar. While I concur that underpayment is a significant issue, the figure of 65% seems improbable unless you are receiving professional guidance.

Will the insurance company pay my claim? 

Should I hire a public adjuster?

Tired of the insurance company using their playbook against you. 

Do these tactics sound familiar?

THE INSURANCE SHUFFLE

This is when you assigned an in-office claim specialist.  That person then assigns a field estimator to inspect your home. After the field inspection you cannot reach the in-office claim specialist, and the field estimator says they are just a task rep.  After many weeks, moths, and plenty of attempts to reach the insurance carrier they finally reassign your claim to a new claim specialist that is not familiar with your claim.   This happens in most claims and states unless the Department of Insurance or local laws have customer protection language to limit the carrier's number of handlers in a claim.  Nevada does not have these laws.  

We also estimate automobile damage and if needed we can prepare a total loss valuation for you to help settle your claim. 

VIRTUAL INSPECTION

This is when the carrier tries to reduce its expenses by having you, the policyholder, use their app or send pictures to them for review. 

You are not a professional and you will not take the right pictures or more so you may take the incorrect pictures that will allow them to deny your claim.  

You pay them premium and now you are doing their job and reducing their costs while your premium goes up every year. 

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE PREFERRED VENDOR LIST

There are requirements to get on the list but most of the carrier adjusters are not familiar with which vendors are good or bad.  Remember that your adjuster is trying to get you to use a company they don't even know.  The insurance company only guarantees that these vendors meet certain requirements, but quality control and customer service are not requirements.   A vendor can be on the list for years but as we all know their subcontractors and employees can change. 

The Las Vegas market is a small world, and we are familiar with most companies to include the good and the bad. 

 BAIT AND SWITCH

This is where the insurance company offers to send a preferred vendor from their list.  The vendor will either be a mitigation company or construction company.  These vendors will then inspect your home and sometimes even tell you your claim is a covered loss.  They may even tell you that you have a loss with a great significant of damage then they turn their report into the insurance carrier for review who then tells you that your claim is denied or minimize the amount of their bid.   Another tactic of the insurance carrier is to send an "independent" adjuster. 

The same thing above applies to them.   The term independent gives you the felling of a third party but all this means is that they are not an insurance carrier employee but are trained to minimize your claim too. 

The other scenario we see is that the

contractor says that the amount of damage is low and then you decide not to use them, but you cannot find a contractor to complete the repairs for the amount the carrier agreed to pay you.   You then decide to use that contractor, and they submit a request to the carrier for more money.  

In Nevada there are plenty of these companies who are on the insurance carriers prefer vendor list. 

What is a Public Adjuster?

The different types of adjusters. 

See us on: 

 Digital Journal  

Real Estate Today