tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28046812.post5150742041725846089..comments2023-10-22T11:14:13.108-04:00Comments on It's a Pug's Life: Fixin stuffMarnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03543853940645527249noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28046812.post-14880340567399923902008-04-09T09:53:00.000-04:002008-04-09T09:53:00.000-04:00thank you so much Royce! Your advice is awesome.thank you so much Royce! Your advice is awesome.Marnihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03543853940645527249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28046812.post-84837025797522862382008-04-09T08:42:00.000-04:002008-04-09T08:42:00.000-04:00Holy kraut! I've never seen hail of that size or m...Holy kraut! I've never seen hail of that size or magniture before. Considering all, I'm just happy it wasn't worse than that.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14900314477829397470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28046812.post-7134878932285091162008-04-09T07:53:00.000-04:002008-04-09T07:53:00.000-04:00Wow. Thanks, Royce. Something that we all need to ...Wow. Thanks, Royce. Something that we all need to know!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28046812.post-33905694256946793102008-04-08T18:48:00.000-04:002008-04-08T18:48:00.000-04:00By the way, I forgot to mention to you that the ch...By the way, I forgot to mention to you that the check you now have is not the end. Nor is the estimate for damages. Again in your paperwork, there is a time period before your claim is closed (at least a year, maybe 2). Look at this first contact with the adjuster as "an initial offer". Most homeowners deal with this type of situation once or twice in the lives. Adjusters do it 24/7. Find a contractor as I previously stated who is experienced in claim settlements and watch what happens.<BR/><BR/>I hope this information has been useful to you and your readers. My book on the subject entitled "Claim Impact" will be on the market this summer. My past clients encouraged me to write Claim Impact because so few property owners (upwards of 90%) in the U.S. know how to handle this type of situation. <BR/><BR/>Take Care...RoyceThe Roycesterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18207318318820548517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28046812.post-47590785665976635942008-04-08T11:44:00.000-04:002008-04-08T11:44:00.000-04:00OH my gosh!!! wow, glad you weren't out in it, or...OH my gosh!!! wow, glad you weren't out in it, or you could be in the hospital. Houses can be fixed, people not so much.Burficahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08207396583080371466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28046812.post-60551895863899308872008-04-08T00:56:00.000-04:002008-04-08T00:56:00.000-04:00Ahhh... but all it not what is seems! I lost you ...Ahhh... but all it not what is seems! I lost you in the maze of google alerts which is why I did not get back to you about your claim. When you posted about hail damage, I got it again! This time I will bookmark ya.<BR/><BR/>The estimate game is exactly that, a game. Look in the papers he/she gave you. The adjuster gave you a "scope" or "Statement of Loss" with that little check. Somewhere in that paperwork you should find that you have the right to hire "the contractor of your choice". Although the adjuster likely suggested you get estimates, you will not find that to be your requirement ANYWHERE in that paper work. (I have dealt with many an adjuster)<BR/>You are under absolutely no obligation to price shop and interview multiple companies for multiple trades, all the while trying to fit that into what the adjuster's estimate is. Remember who he works for.<BR/><BR/>You pay good money every month so that when catastrophic events happen, your covered. Just as sure as it is not your obligation to price shop, it is the insurer's job to repair your property to "as good as or better than condition" which existed prior to the storm. In addition they are obligated to pay the market "prevailing rates" for the trades which must be performed. If your payment is about average, it is likely 30 to 50% under what the prevailing rates are. In addition, it is also possible that all damage was not discovered or paid for.<BR/>In short, interview and consider only GC (General Contractors) who have the capability to perform all the repairs needed on your house. Perform you due diligence and make sure they are reputable. Then have them agree to negotiate with the insurance company and perform all of the repairs for what they are willing to pay. (This is called a contingency agreement) For your deductible, negotiate that in exchange for the contractor using your job to advertise for more work. Depending on the size of the job and your deductible amount, you will reduce your deductible, maybe eliminate it. There are other little tricks of the trade you can do to reduce or eliminate your deductible totally. These include performing little tasks that the contractor will get your insurance company to pay for in lieu of the balance of any deductible. <BR/>In closing, the experienced insurance claim contractor is the exact mirror opposite of the adjuster. Unlike the adjuster, he wants to find all the damage and will get that damage paid for at the prevailing local rates. This is the best win-win scenario you can have. <BR/>Estimates are a myth in this sort of damage. It is not your responsibility to save the insurance company money. They cannot raise your rates or drop you individually when the cause is of catastrophic nature. They can only raise rates across the board for a particular group or classification and this will likely follow any major storm damaged area anyway.<BR/>DO NOT ALLOW the contractor to be paid directly by the insurance company. Have all funds come through you, pay a fair percentage when materials are delivered to your site, a fair percentage at the half way point of the job, and the balance at the end. Let the contractor do the heavy lifting,you control the money.<BR/>Royce - claimimpact@gmail.comThe Roycesterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18207318318820548517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28046812.post-22078267491745697562008-04-07T23:40:00.000-04:002008-04-07T23:40:00.000-04:00Holy smokes. That hail storm must have really been...Holy smokes. That hail storm must have really been something. Thank goodness no people (or pugs) were hurt! I've never seen hail that big before.Biddiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07745873261311850810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28046812.post-24018862218498021732008-04-07T22:22:00.000-04:002008-04-07T22:22:00.000-04:00Sorry about the damage to the house, I can't belie...Sorry about the damage to the house, I can't believe hail can be that large!chelenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14812441185735815443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28046812.post-45133120114309628092008-04-07T21:26:00.000-04:002008-04-07T21:26:00.000-04:00Bummer! Sorry to hear that you have to deal with a...Bummer! Sorry to hear that you have to deal with all of that...I've been there (flooded basement one week before we had planned to put it on the market)...I had to keep telling myself "this too shall pass."<BR/><BR/>I can't believe how big the hail was! It looks like a snowball!Valeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02085236578016196544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28046812.post-33065387075009652172008-04-07T21:08:00.000-04:002008-04-07T21:08:00.000-04:00That hail was huge! Oh my gosh. We had bad hail ...That hail was huge! Oh my gosh. We had bad hail storms last year and only one piece of siding got a small hole. The hole is still there...Marthahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05919003753339813965noreply@blogger.com