In Episode #2 of Taco Bout It Season 2, Gogan and Boris Altman of Premier Claims discussed the trade secrets for getting the most out of insurance jobs. Not familiar with the role a public adjuster plays in your success? Let’s taco ’bout it!
Public adjusters — for those who may not know — are professional insurance claims handlers. Unlike the insurance company, the public adjuster is working for the policy-holder (read: homeowner) — and in a roundabout way, for contractors — to effectively get as much money from the insurance company as possible to pay for the job at hand.
For example, if a hail storm rips through your city and does a number on your customer’s roof, the adjuster will do the legwork of submitting a claim for the damage done by the storm, and in return, get a higher dollar from the insurance company.
Contracting companies benefit the most from using a public adjuster for negotiating denied claims but they also specialize in taking care of new claims, from beginning to end.
We had a chance to have a conversation with National Claims Consultant from Premier Claims, Boris Altman, about the best tips for contractors to get your roofing jobs paid for.
Premier Claims is not only one of the companies that handles these transactions, but it was recently voted the number one public adjusting firm in the country for 2019. They’re the largest public adjusting firm in the U.S., operating in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, the Virgin
When to reach out to a public adjuster
It can be confusing at times to know how to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to claims. Our goal is to help you get as much money from insurance as possible by learning when to reach out to a public adjuster, what you need to do to be prepared for a meeting with a public adjuster and the number one tip to getting your claims bought.
As a contractor, it can be confusing to know when the best time is to reach out to a public adjuster. It may come as no surprise that the beginning of a project is always best, but obviously, you don’t always want to give over a claim right away.
Once a contractor has filed a claim without resolution and is backed into a corner, instead of going to a second or third inspection, leaning on a public adjuster will help expedite the process and get your claim approved.
How to prepare for a meeting with a public adjuster
The best way to prepare for a meeting with a public adjuster is to have your files ready. Make sure to properly document the damage on the job site so you can show the state of the property before, so you can prove there was damage after the event.
Get prepared for meetings with an adjuster by getting the job site ready. Get there an hour to two hours early to take photos of the job site from top to bottom to ensure you’ll get as much money as possible.
KEY TIP: You are allowed to mark up damage on a site before an adjuster gets there. This will help call out the damaged areas and help adjusters evaluate the damage at the site.
How to properly document a property
Taking the necessary photos on a property is the most important thing you can do to get your job paid for. A claim will never get paid without proper documentation — even with the best of the best in the adjusting game.
Boris explained, “If it all boils down to litigation, it’s never going to get bought (without photo documentation).”
Here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind as you start documenting a property:
- Take a minimum of 100 photos on a residential site
- Take at least 200 – 300 photos on a commercial site
- Take 50 – 60 photos even before getting on the roof
- The top 5 types of photos all contractors must take
A big Thank You to Boris and Premier Claims for joining us on Taco Bout It!
Stay tuned for more episodes and blogs this season.
