FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
PLEASE CALL TODAY: 1-518-382-8282
What is a property claim Appraiser?
An experienced Appraiser is a trained professional who is appointed by the Insured to be involved in the valuation of the loss through an Appraisal Panel. The intent is to agree on the value without the need for filing a lawsuit and to come to an agreement much sooner and for a much less cost than a typcial lawsuit would involve.
Can you chose which contractors will
complete the work?
Yes, you are the only person with the final say in this important decision. To often, many homeowners make the regrettable mistake of not securing their rights or, worse, relying on their insurance company's adjuster to make this important decision. Based on our experience, homeowners fare much better when they choose a local company, after they obtained the funds from the insurance company. Negotiating with a contractor before you know how much money you will have to work with can cause many problems and the contractor cannot legally adjust your claim, nor do they know what you are entitled to.
Why can't your Insurance Agent or Broker
handle the claim?
An agent or broker is well trained in determining your insurance needs and placing or writing insurance policies, but they are not typically trained with respect to property insurance claims. They generally don't have the time, training or facilities to prepare the highly specialized service of claim adjusting, and, too, they rarely have any control regarding the important decisions that need to be made. In fact, an insurance agent works for the insurance company and owes their loyalty to the insurance carrier first, which is one reason that they are not involved in the claim process.
What Should You Do After A Loss?
1. Protect the property from further damage
and loss.
2. Don’t dispose of debris (personal property, unique features, etc.) if
you can avoid it as you need proof that it was there for your claim.
3. Quickly remove all valuables and special property such as jewelry,
books, pictures and important papers. If you find it necessary, hire
security as in most cases you will be reimbursed for it from the
insurance company (check with your public adjuster or even your agent).
4. Don’t use any food or medicine if it has been damaged.
5. Don’t start repairs until you have a properly documented scope of the
work needed.
6. Hire your own experts.
7. Do not rely solely on your historical records; secure replacement
estimates.
8. Understand that your claim will have to be verified.
9. Concentrate on maintaining your normal daily activities, not on
preparing claim details –leave that to the experts.
CALL TODAY: 1-518-382-8282
